The MSC Kids' Approach

Are you new to the MSC Kids' Team? Or maybe you have been a member for years but need a refresher! Here are the most important "need to knows."

Mission:  To see every child deeply rooted in the love of God

How we get there:  Begin forming fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ by providing engaging, age-appropriate experiences that our kids can’t wait to attend and help them take next steps on their spiritual journey.

Ministry Areas/Age Divisions:  Our programming is designed to build foundational blocks for kids that teach them in a developmentally appropriate manner so that they can keep taking next steps as they progress from area to area.

Promotions:  In Early Childhood promotions are done throughout the year on the basis of age.  These promotions are done at the beginning of each month, so if the child turns the age for the next room he/she will be promoted the month of their birthday.  One exception is the Nook, if a child becomes potty-trained BEFORE they turn 2 ½, we will promote for convenience of bathroom accessibility.

GENERAL TEAM MEMBER INFO

WEEKLY EMAILS:  Each Wednesday you will receive an email specifically for the area you serve.  These emails contain what’s most import to know that week, the lesson plan (if applicable), and our weekend roster of who is scheduled.  Please take a few minutes to read this info each week.

Consistency -  We know that no matter what the age, every child needs a safe and consistent environment.  Children benefit and are more open to learning when they have built a relationship with their leaders; this is best accomplished when team members are present on a consistent basis.

Time Off – We know that you will not always be able to serve on your regularly scheduled weekend.  In our weekly email a link is provided to the team list.  Please make an attempt to ask other individuals from your area to swap weekends.  If after an attempt has been made you are unsuccessful in finding a replacement, you can let us know.

Unexpected Illness/Emergency:  If a last minute illness or unexpected circumstance occurs, you can text Laura Sliger at 636.544.5251 (this number is at the bottom of each weekly team email for fast reference).  Better yet, add it to your phone right now.

Timeliness – It is important for each team member to arrive 30 minutes prior to start of service for the following reasons:

• Team Huddle starts then – don’t miss out on announcements & community with other team members through sharing and prayer

• Kids – The kids are counting on being able to come into their room when they arrive and we need 2 adults in each room in order to begin check-in.  Please don’t assume someone else is there.

• Parents are counting on us to have rooms open so they can check-in their kids and get to service OR perhaps the parent serves in another room or another ministry and needs to get to their serving area in a timely manner as well.

• Service Managers aren’t sure if you are a no-show or just late, so it limits how many kids may be able to enter a room due to room ratios.

Team Huddles – As mentioned above, this time is for you to learn important ministry-related information, last minute lesson tweaks, get to know those you serve with better and also to share prayer requests.  You may bring your kids with you for the huddle and check them in when you arrive, just be sure to select their appropriate room.  After the huddle is over you can take them to their room and by-pass any check-in lines.

Room Guidelines – Each room has a separate set of Guidelines that gives information specific to each area.  Please familiarize yourself with these guidelines so that you are aware of information such as allergies, what do we do with chronic crying, etc.  If you have not received them for the room you serve in, let us know.

5th SUNDAYS – Approximately 4 times per year there is a month with 5 Sundays.  We use the following procedure to cover these weekends.  The 1st time it occurs, the Week 1 team members are scheduled to serve, the 2nd time the Week 2 team members are scheduled and so on. 

SPLIT MONTH WEEKENDS – Sometimes a weekend ends on Saturday of one month and Sunday is the 1st of the next.  We count our weeks by Sundays, so for example, if Saturday is October 31 and Sunday is November 1, that weekend would be considered Week 1 of November.

NAMETAGS – Please be sure to wear the nametag provided for you.  This identifies you as an approved team member to our parents, Safety Team and other team members who may not know you.

TEAM T-SHIRTS – If you haven’t received one – please ask!  We love our Team to “represent”!  This gives us a feeling of “team” and let’s others know that you belong!

KIDS SERVING WITH YOU – It is our general policy not to allow kids under the age of 6th grade to serve with parents.  Exceptions are occasionally made if the parent is serving more than one service and the child has already been to their regular class or if it’s a holiday and the whole family is serving and Elementary Rooms are closed.  In these cases the child is considered a “Student Helper” and can only be in the room with their parent and will also count in the ratio as a child.  Please check first with staff or the Service Manager.

SAFE SANCTUARY

We have the following policies to ensure the safety of both our kids and our team members:

All adults wishing to serve in our ministry must be:

• Background checked

• Have attended MSC for 6 months or have a letter of recommendation

• Complete Online Safe Sanctuary Training

• Attend a New Team Member Orientation within 6 months of start of serving

All rooms must have 2 unrelated adults in place before checking in kids AND before Student Impact Helpers can come into the room

Room ratios:  Depending on age, each room has adult/child ratios to maintain a safe learning environment.  Ratios are:

• Nest 1:3

• Nook 1:5

• Hideout  1:8

• Treehouse  1:10

• K-3   1:10

• Loft  1:10

Diapering and Restroom:  Diapering and restroom help must be performed only by an adult.  Be sure to change your gloves and sanitize the changing table after each child.  Always wash your hands after diaper changes.  All babies should be checked at least once during each service and changed as needed.  For potty-trained preschoolers an adult should assist as needed.  For Elementary students, the students may use the bathroom in their classroom.  If a child is taking too long, the small group leader or Service Manager (if leader is under 18) should check on them.  If a child needs assistance (buttoning pants, etc), the adult should notify another adult leader/Service Manager for accountability before entering the bathroom.

Physical contact:  We are committed to protecting both our kids and team members.  We recognize that appropriate touch is part of a positive, nurturing environment.  The following guidelines for Elementary students are to be carefully followed:

Using good judgment, the following are appropriate ways to touch kids:

• An arm around the shoulder

• Walking hand in hand

• Short, congratulatory or greeting hugs from the side

• A brief, assuring pat on the shoulder

• Handshakes, high-fives, and knuckles

The following are actions a volunteer should NEVER take:

• Lap sitting

• Picking the child up

• Touch a child in anger or disgust

• Touch a child in any manner that may be construed as sexually suggestive

• Touch a child between the navel and the knee

• Touch a child’s private parts (with the exception of diaper or bathroom procedures)

Physical contact in any form should be above reproach.  The personal behavior of staff members and volunteers must foster trust at all times.  Do not force physical contact, touch, or affection on a reluctant child.  A child’s preference not to be touched must be respected.

For Early Childhood, we recognize that children of that age often need to be held and comforted.  Lap sitting is a natural part of that.  Please be sure to be aware of hand placement and also the need to be gentle when a child may be angry or distraught.

Verbal Interaction:  Verbal interaction between volunteers and children/parents/other volunteers should be positive and uplifting.  Morning Star volunteers should strive to keep verbal interactions positive, constructive, and mindful of our mission to aid parents in the spiritual growth and development of children.

To this end, no one should talk to children in a way that is or could be construed by any reasonable observer as harsh, threatening, intimidating, shaming, derogatory, or humiliating.  In addition, volunteers are to be mindful of the conversations they have with each other, parents, and MSC staff.  Be aware that others may be hearing your conversation if not done in private, and be sensitive to the words you choose.

CHECK-IN/PRE-SERVICE PROCEDURES: 

After Lobby Check-in, all children should be escorted to the rooms by a parent, guardian or Kids Team hospitality member.  A room team member should write both the child’s name and tag code on the “Check-in Grid” located in the room.  These are important because if we have an emergency BEFORE room rosters are printed, we use them as an attendance sheet of all kids in the room.

If a child brings a guest with them, they must be registered at the Kid’s Hub and added to the family prior to coming into the room.  If you are on our Desk Team – add them to the family as “other.”  If you are a room Team Member and you notice the child does not have a printed tag, direct parents to go to the Kid’s Hub Desk to register the guest.

In the event that a guest or guest or regular attender requests to stay with a child of a different age, please direct them to a Service Manager or Children’s Ministry Staff.  Typically, exceptions can be made for the older child to go into the younger child’s room for that day as long as Safe Sanctuary ratios can be maintained.

CHECK-OUT PROCEDURES:

When parents come to pick up in the Nest, Nook or Hideout, they will show their Parent Tag to a classroom leader. The leader will get the child and bring him/her, along with their belongings, to the parent. In the Treehouse, Cabana, Hut, and Loft, parents will go directly to their child’s small group and get their child, along with their belongings. They will present their Parent Tag to a classroom leader at the exit door to match.  For the protection of our children, only the responsible party with the Parent Tag will be allowed to pick up the child.  If you are assisting with checkout – please make sure to remove the child’s tag once it has been matched to the parent tag.  Our Safety Team is trained to be on the look-out for kids with tags as this will identify them as a child who has potentially left the room without a parent or left the room with someone other than the authorized pickup person.

If the Parent Tag is lost, the child must remain in the room.  The Registration Desk must be notified so that a team member can come into the child’s room and complete a manual check-out.  The parent (or responsible party listed in our computer system) will need their driver’s license or proper identification before we will release the child to them OR the parent can come to the Registration Desk.  The team member will look them up in the system to verify they are a responsible party and then take down the driver’s license information into the Manual Checkout Binder.

If the Child Tag is lost, the Service Manager or other Team Member should look on the Room Roster to verify the number on the Parent Tag matches the number assigned to that child for that day.

Please be sure to follow these procedures, even if you know the family.  We do not want to leave a negative impression on a family who may observe us releasing a child without proper security.  We must be consistent with every family.  If a parent protests, gently but firmly remind them that the safety of all our children is our highest priority.  When leaders and regular attenders respectfully follow this policy and do not expect special treatment, they are setting a good example for parents and assuring them that we have a trustworthy system.