Embedded Files
Last updated: January 2018
Committee Members: Bonnie and Brandon Burns, and Beverly and Jerry Bryan
Originally Arranged and Compiled by: Chris Braach
Purpose Statement
Stones River strives to provide as safe an environment as possible for employees, visitors, volunteers, leaders, teachers, children, youth, and all. Our children and youth are especially vulnerable and need an effort focused on protection when we teach, train and lead. As we strive to create communities of grace that heal and transform lives, we must make every effort to reduce the risk of abuse.
Stones River Church Mission Statement
Our life derives true meaning from the Awesome Living God. We believe God reveals Himself through His Son, His Spirit and His Word. We are a family committed to life in God’s Son, Jesus. We are motivated by His love to help all people in the greater Murfreesboro area to have lives that are fulfilled. We seek to extend God’s Kingdom, spread love in practical ways, celebrate God’s presence, experience growth and healing, and equip one another for service. As God’s people we help others physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Life is a celebration of the joy of living our lives intertwined with His.
Stones River Core Values
View Core Values
Definitions
SR - Stones River Church of Christ
Minors - Persons who have not reached age 18
Adults - persons age 18 and older
Children - from infancy up to fifth grade
Procedures
Screening
A prerequisite for volunteers or staff who work regularly with children or youth at SR is that the person must have regularly attended for an approximate minimum of 6 months.
Each worker is required to complete a confidential screening “Service Application” (Appendix D) complete with work and/or personal references prior to serving.
The appropriate children or youth ministry leader will review the service application, initiate the background check, and conduct a screening interview.
For those age 18 and older, background checks are mandatory before working or volunteering with our children. Upon reaching the age of 18, background checks must be conducted for those previously not subject to these checks. Background checks will be done within 30 days of receiving the completed application. A designated Shepherd will review the background check results. Any issues will be discreetly managed by the Shepherd, ministry leader and applicant.
Regular re-screening of employees and volunteers will take place within a 3-year period from their previous screening.
Minors must be at least 5th grade in order to serve as a helper or teacher and will need their parents' written approval. They must be at least 4 years older than the minors they are overseeing.
Candidates who will transport minors from SR to and from any off-site sponsored activity must be 18 years or older, provide a valid driver’s license and proof of auto insurance. Their vehicle must have a current registration and inspection sticker.
SR Shepherds will have final approval of volunteers working with minors at SR.
Training
Every screened adult and minor who regularly works with minors at SR is required to attend a training session which includes reviewing SR’s policies and procedures for working with minors every 3 years. This type of training will be offered at least once a year.
Parents will complete a Children’s Ministry Enrollment Form (Appendix E), including contact information, allergies, health issues, and any action plans needed. These are particularly important for minors participating in activities other than Sundays or off site when their parents might not be available. These forms will be shared with other ministries within SR (ie. Youth group or worship team).
A SR Event Contact Log (Appendix F) with emergency contact information should be used every time there is an event with minors where parents are not present in the building.
Ideally, there should be two individuals in each classroom or church sponsored activity to oversee the children, either two screened adult teachers or one screened adult and a trained youth who is at least 4 years older than the age of the children being worked with.
If a minor displays signs of any serious or contagious illness (including vomiting, diarrhea, fever, breathing difficulties, etc.), their parent/guardian will be called immediately.
Should a child care provider or teacher find him/herself alone with a child on a given day, other arrangements will be made for their class. The alternate arrangements might include joining another group, calling a parent in to assist for their child, or canceling the class and releasing the children back to their parents.
All rooms where children's activities take place at the church have doors with glass and/or windows with no obstructions so that the whole room can be easily viewed from outside the room.
Intermittently throughout the Sunday service, ushers will look in on all children’s and youth classrooms to check the safety of the classroom environment.
In situations where an escort is needed for a trip to the restroom, the parents will be alerted if possible. When not possible, an adult volunteer will stand in the doorway, with the door open.
After class or SR activities, children should remain with their parent or designated adult caregiver, including the outdoor play areas.
One-on-one time with a minor is not allowed. Any discussion or counseling with an individual minor should be done with another screened adult, ministry leader or Shepherd, and always with the permission of the minor’s parents or legal guardians.
Any off-site SR event, where parents are not present, should have a Parent Permission and Waiver Form (Appendix H) completed by parents or legal guardians.
Transportation to and from SR activities is the responsibility of parents and adult guardians of minors. If transportation is arranged with SR workers or volunteers by completed permission slip, drivers must be 18 years of age or older, have a valid TN driver’s license, proof of insurance and current vehicle registration.
Preferably 2 screened adults, male and female, from SR will transport minors.
If a couple is not feasible, then male drivers should transport male minors and female drivers transport female minors.
All safety policy procedures should be applied and reviewed prior to departure for overnight activities.
Tennessee Child Abuse Reporting Summary Appendix A
Per: http://statelaws.findlaw.com/tennessee-law/tennessee-child-abuse-laws.html
Tennessee's Department of Children's Services maintains a secure website for reporting suspicions of child abuse, neglect, and exploitation. You can also contact the Central Intake Child Abuse hotline at 1-877-54ABUSE (1-877-542-2873).
All states treat child abuse as a serious crime, often punishable by prison time. Although subjecting an innocent child to such trauma is indefensible, sadly, child abuse is quite common. Child abuse in Tennessee includes any physical, emotional, or sexual mistreatment of a minor, and also may include neglect or abandonment. Intentionally inflicting injury on a child is charged as a Class A misdemeanor in Tennessee, but the charge is a Class D felony if the child is under eight years old.
The main provisions of Tennessee statutes regarding child abuse are summarized in the following chart. See FindLaw's Child Abuse and Domestic Violence sections to learn more.
Code Section
37-1-401, et seq.
What Constitutes Abuse
Any wound, injury, disability, or physical or mental condition which is of a nature as to reasonably indicate that it has been caused by brutality, abuse, or neglect; also includes sexual abuse
Mandatory Reporting Required By
Physician, chiropractor, hospital personnel, any other health or mental health professional, spiritual healing practitioner, school teacher/personnel, judge, social worker, day care center worker, foster care worker, law enforcement officer, neighbor, relative, friend, or any other person
Basis of Report of Abuse/neglect
Having knowledge or being called on to render aid to any child suffering from or sustaining a wound or injury which is of such a nature as to reasonably indicate or which on the basis of available information appears to indicate have been caused by brutality, abuse or neglect
To Whom Reported
Department of Children's Services
Penalty for Failure to Report or False Reporting
Class A misdemeanor: false reporting of child sexual abuse: Class E felony
What is a Mandatory Reporter?
If you are an adult with close contact with a child, you may be required to report any cleare vidence of abuse. This is called a "mandatory reporting" requirement and applies to physicians, clergy, teachers, day care workers, social workers, and others with regular access to a child. Failure to report abuse is charged as a Class A misdemeanor.
SR Code of Conduct Appendix B
Church volunteers and staff who work with minors are prohibited from the use, possession, distribution, or being under the influence of alcohol, illegal drugs, or the misuse of legal drugs while participating in or assisting with programs or activities specifically for minors.
All volunteers and staff who work with minors must agree to comply with the Guidelines for Appropriate and Inappropriate Affection.
All volunteers and staff who work with minors will respond to all minors with equal treatment.
All volunteers and staff who work with minors are prohibited from dating, becoming romantically involved or having sexual contact with a minor.
All volunteers and staff who work with minors are prohibited from possessing or using the internet to view or share any pornographic materials on church property or in the presence of minors
Topics that relate to moral boundaries and sexual intimacy as part of an educational program, will be communicated to parents and will be subject to approval from the ministry leaders and the Shepherds.
All volunteers and staff who work with minors are prohibited from discussing with minors their own sexual activities including dreams and fantasies, or discussing their use of sexually oriented or explicit materials.
All volunteers and staff who work with minors are prohibited from sleeping in the same bed, sleeping bag, tent or other rooms with minors unless the volunteer is an immediate family member of all the minors.
All volunteers and staff who work with minors are prohibited from dressing, undressing, bathing or showering in the presence of minors.
All volunteers and staff who work with minors are prohibited from using physical punishment in any way for behavior management of minors (including spanking, slapping, pinching, hitting or any other use of physical punishment). Physical force may only be used to stop a behavior that may cause immediate harm to the minor or others.
All volunteers and staff who work with minors are prohibited from using harsh language, degrading punishment or mechanical restraint for behavior management. Inappropriate language with children and youth includes derogatory statements about any aspects of their identity, words spoken in anger, any sexually explicit statements, and language deemed inappropriate.
All volunteers and staff who work with minors are prohibited from participating or allowing others to participate in conducting any hazing activities relating to church activities.
Adult volunteers and ministry workers shall not post any material on social media that could be deemed inappropriate or explicit. If you are in doubt about the appropriateness of any content or use of new forms of communication, consult with a ministry staff person.
Private text messages between adult leaders and children under 5th grade are discouraged.
For students in 5th grade to adult, texting and social media postings are a normal way of communication and will be permitted between adults and youth with parental permission and supervision.
Ministry workers may not transmit any content that is illicit, unsavory, abusive, pornographic, discriminatory, harassing, or disrespectful when communicating with each other or with minors involved in ministry activities.
Guidelines for Appropriate & Inappropriate Affection Appendix C
Love and affection are part of church life and ministry. There are many ways to demonstrate affection while maintaining positive and safe boundaries with children and youth. There are also ways of showing affection that, while subtle, can be used to groom minors and their parents for sexual abuse and molestation.
Positive and Appropriate forms of affection include:
Brief hugs
Pats on the shoulder or back
Handshakes
“High-fives”
Verbal praise
Touching hands, faces, shoulders and arms of children and youth
Holding hands while walking with small children
Holding hands during prayer
Kneeling or bending down for hugs with small children
Inappropriate forms of affection include:
Inappropriate or lengthy embraces
Kissing
Holding children over five years old on the lap
Touching bottoms, chests or genital areas other than for appropriate diapering or toileting of infants and toddlers.
Showing affection in isolated areas such as bedrooms, closets, staff only areas or other private rooms
Occupying a bed with a child or youth
Wrestling with children or youth
Tickling children or youth
Any type of massage given by a child or youth to an adult, or vice/versa
Any form of unwanted affection
Comments or compliments (spoken, written or electronic) that relate to physique or body development.
Snapping bras or wedgies or similar touch of underwear, even when covered by clothing
Private meals, car rides or meetings with individual children or youth, unless with parental consent
Procedure for Responding to Questionable Behavior
If there is a situation that arises where a minor is uncomfortable due to an individual’s behavior, a Ministry Leader/Shepherd should be contacted. The Ministry Leader/Shepherd’s response may include redirection and increased supervision for the individual, providing support for the minor. Any person who witnesses or suspects an act of abuse is responsible for complying with the TN law concerning the reporting of Child Abuse and Neglect (Appendix A).
Forms
Service Application Appendix D
Go to Service Application Form
Children's Ministry Enrollment Form Appendix E
Event Contact Log Appendix F
Go to blank Event Contact Log.
Parent Permission and Waiver Form Appendix G
This form is used for events to be added to the Youth Permissions Form page.
How to Pre-Fill Form
There are sections that need to be "pre-filled" out by you. Pre-fill the top part of this form, then click "Get link" at the bottom of the page. Either add that link to the Youth Permissions Form page, or email that link to Kyle to do so.
Example of "Pre-Filled" Form
Event Name Here (Sample Online Form)
Ministry Leader Resources
Blank Online Form (Pre-Fill Link)
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