Grace Community Church Child Protection Policy
Purpose: This policy is intended to protect children and church workers from incidents of child abuse while involved in church activities.
Policy: Grace Community Church will conform to local, state and national laws regarding the protection of children/youth and report to government authorities as required by law. North Carolina law requires that any person or institution that has cause to suspect that any juvenile is abused or neglected shall report the case of that juvenile to the director of the Department of Social Services in the county where the juvenile resides or is found. Procedures for making required reports are found in Appendix 1. Church members guilty of child abuse will also be subject to church discipline following procedures of the Scripture and the PCA Book of Church Order.
Grace Community Church will adopt prudent measures to prevent child abuse of children when participating in church programs through screening, training, supervision and reporting.
1. Screening
Volunteers, teachers and workers who will be involved in the custody or supervision of minors must have been regular participants in good standing in the church for at least six months. Any one working with minors in church-sponsored activities will be asked to complete a confidential questionnaire which will be reviewed by the Children’s Ministry Staff.
2. Training
Volunteers, teachers and workers will be instructed on the nature and detection of child abuse. They will be given a written copy of this policy, which inclues the procedure for reporting suspected child abuse. They will be asked to reread these policies and procedures annually.
3. Supervision
All activities will include at least two adults supervising the children.
a. Parents are welcome to observe any activity with their children.
b. No volunteer, teacher or worker will violate a child’s constitutional rights. A child has the right to remain silent and to call his/her parent if questioned about an offense. A child will not be searched against his/her will.
c. Grace Community Church volunteers, teachers or workers will not practice corporal punishment. Physical force will not be used except in self-defense. Workers will work in teams in all discipline problems.
d. All overnight activities that are off-site will require a signed permission statement from parents or guardian of the children participating.
4. Reporting
State law requires that in the event an incident should occur during church activities involving minor children or in the even a minor child reveals incidents of abuse, the incidents must be reported to the proper authorities. All reports must be brought immediately to the attention of a member of the Session. The child must be returned to the custody of their parent or lawful guardian unless ordered otherwise by the Department of Social Services.
Portions of this policy are borrowed with permission from Arden Presbyterian Church.
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