Our Goal: A Safe and Loving Christian Environment for Our Children.
Jesus urges us to be "wise as serpents but gentle as doves". Because of the growing awareness of child abuse and the ways of preventing it, we hope to be wise in working to implement policies, which had aid practice in schools, day care centers, and other churches. Because we are the Body of Christ, knit together in love and concern for one another, we hope to be gentle in caring both children and those who serve them in our church. In order to strengthen our program and to set high standards for our children and those who work with them, staff of Halltown church have established the following polices. For purposes of these polices the following definitions are intended:
Children: refers to children from infants through elementary school age
Youth: refers to young people in middle school and high school
Adult: refers to a person age of 18 or older
Trained: refers to a youth or adult who has attended workshop
Volunteer: refers to one who is working as a non-staff in assisting with ministry at Halltown.
1.) As a general policy, volunteers who provide child care, teach Sunday School, work with Youth, or involved with any other program must have been active at Halltown for at least six months. This includes, but is not limited to: regular church attendance, involvement in other church activities, letter of transfer, or the formal intent of joining as a member of Halltown.
Exception may be granted: for instances when a person comes to Haltown from another church where he/she have been actively involved in children's and/or youth ministries and desires to continue to this work( references from the previous church will be checked before the person begins working with children or youth)
2.) All persons desiring to work with children or youth at Halltown must complete a confidential application form and submit a background check form. (church office)
3.) A staff member responsible for Christian education may interview applicants. Information requested may included, but not be limited to:
i) Previous Church involvement
ii) Current interests and gifts
iii) Special talents or training
Exclusions: Applicants for volunteering with:
Criminal/arrest records, history of physical/sexual, drug/alcohol abuse, driving record, etc.
A record of any form of abuse to another (physical/sexual) , records of criminal violence, records of drug/alcohol that is current will be excluded from working with children and youth.
All information solicited in the application and/or interview process is to be treated as confidential and held in a private file in the church office.
4.) It is policy of Halltown to have at least two trained and/or approved adults present with every group of children or youth. Exceptions may be granted: and classrooms may be led by one teacher but with other adults in close proximity and doors lefts open at all times. (This should be last resort case) It would be better to combine rather than to have one teacher at any time. Sunday School and any classes will aways have more than one student or they will be combined with another class.
5.) The director of the program will be expected to make frequent, random, and unannounced visits to activities sponsored by the church.
6.) All activities for children or youth will be conducted in rooms with window-view doors. If the door does not have a window- view, the door must be left open.
7.) There must be at least two trained/approved adults with any group or children or youth meeting away from the premises of Halltown or staying overnight at the church. If there are not two trained/approved adults to accompany the group, the event will be cancelled.these adults will have completed the Volunteer application form and had background checks as well.
8.) Drivers transporting groups of children or youth must comply with Halltown transportation policy. (church office)
9.) All volunteers (over the age of 16) who work with children and youth must attend an orientation when provided...In addition, teachers will be provided periodic meetings or workshops for purposes of further training in curriculum development, teaching methods, classroom management, other safety issues, etc.
10.) All suspected child abuse must be reported immediately to the director of the program and the Pastor. In the Pastor's absences the Chairman of the Deacons must be notified.
11.) This policy will be distributed and reviewed with all volunteers at their orientation. Each volunteer will sign a statement saying he/she has received and reviewed the policies.
