Non-Non-Negotiables Negotiables

in in Youth and Youth and

Family MinistryFamily Ministry

All of the material on staffing and risk All of the material on staffing and risk assessment is taken from the work of assessment is taken from the work of

Reducing the Risk IIReducing the Risk IIMaking Your Church Safe from Child Making Your Church Safe from Child

SexualSexual AbuseAbuse

Church Ministry ResourcesChurch Ministry Resourceswww.reducingtherisk.comwww.reducingtherisk.com

I strongly recommend the each church purchase this valuable I strongly recommend the each church purchase this valuable resource!resource!

Presented by:Presented by:

Rebecca Avery, M.Ed. Rebecca Avery, M.Ed.

Teen/Young Adult CoordinatorTeen/Young Adult Coordinator

Kathryn Kellogg, B.M.E., CSE, LUT, Kathryn Kellogg, B.M.E., CSE, LUT, MinisterMinister

Children’s Ministry CoordinatorChildren’s Ministry Coordinator

Association of Unity Churches Association of Unity Churches International StaffInternational Staff

What is risk What is risk management?management?

Keeping children and adults safe Keeping children and adults safe

with policies and procedures thatwith policies and procedures that

reduce the possibility of loss, injury or reduce the possibility of loss, injury or dangers dangers

thereby reducing legal risk and thereby reducing legal risk and liability exposure.liability exposure.

Why is risk management Why is risk management important?important?

Children deserve to be safe.Children deserve to be safe.

Physically, mentally, emotionally, socially, Physically, mentally, emotionally, socially, spiritually.spiritually.

Let the children come to me and do not Let the children come to me and do not hinder them hinder them

for it is to such as these that the kingdom of for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs.God belongs.

Abuse and tragedy Abuse and tragedy impact a child’s life impact a child’s life forever.forever.

It can impact the life It can impact the life of a church for years.of a church for years.

Churches need to be safe.Churches need to be safe.

You who live in the shelter of the Most You who live in the shelter of the Most High, who abide in the shadow of the High, who abide in the shadow of the Almighty, will say to the Lord, “My Almighty, will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress; my God, in refuge and my fortress; my God, in whom I trust.”whom I trust.”

Why is risk management Why is risk management important?important?

Components of Risk Components of Risk ManagementManagement

FacilityFacility

ProgrammingProgramming

StaffingStaffing

FacilityFacility

Use common sense about where children Use common sense about where children meetmeetand child-proof the rooms.and child-proof the rooms.

• Windows in doors/wallsWindows in doors/walls• Location of bathrooms and other adult Location of bathrooms and other adult

spacesspaces• Ground floor for babies through 2nd gradeGround floor for babies through 2nd grade• Clean rooms, unbroken furniture/toysClean rooms, unbroken furniture/toys• Communications systemCommunications system• Evacuation planEvacuation plan

ProgrammingProgramming

Be proactive instead of reactive.Be proactive instead of reactive.

• Transportation – age of drivers, licenses, insuranceTransportation – age of drivers, licenses, insurance• Insurance – who is covered, when and where and how Insurance – who is covered, when and where and how

muchmuch• Registration and check-in proceduresRegistration and check-in procedures• Medical releases (photography releases) and permission Medical releases (photography releases) and permission

slipsslips• Crisis care with matters such as suicide, sex, drugs, etc.Crisis care with matters such as suicide, sex, drugs, etc.• Location of children before, after and between servicesLocation of children before, after and between services• Education of parents and adults of policies and Education of parents and adults of policies and

proceduresprocedures

StaffingStaffing

• Who are you looking for? Teacher, guide, Who are you looking for? Teacher, guide, role model, mentor, self-disciplinedrole model, mentor, self-disciplined

• Time Factor: Give them time to get to Time Factor: Give them time to get to know the ministry and for you to get to know the ministry and for you to get to know them.know them.

• Recommended: One year for teen ministry, Recommended: One year for teen ministry, six months to one year for children’s.six months to one year for children’s.

• Coming from another Unity? Call!Coming from another Unity? Call!

Selecting and Screening Selecting and Screening

• Job Descriptions Job Descriptions

• Application formApplication form– WrittenWritten

• ReferencesReferences – at least three at least three – letter, reference form, call letter, reference form, call – signed release of liability formsigned release of liability form

• Background checkBackground check– Not required but recommended to prove Not required but recommended to prove

church was not negligent in selecting a youth church was not negligent in selecting a youth worker.worker.

– Criminal record checks only one piece of Criminal record checks only one piece of prevention.prevention.

– In the future it may be required because other In the future it may be required because other agencies have made it a standard of practice.agencies have made it a standard of practice.

• Recommendation:Recommendation: Conduct criminal Conduct criminal checks on all paid employees and any checks on all paid employees and any volunteer who has frequent, unsupervised volunteer who has frequent, unsupervised access to children/teens.access to children/teens.

• Interview Interview – Create behavior-based questions.Create behavior-based questions.

SupervisionSupervision• Training Training

– Code of ethics, code of conductCode of ethics, code of conduct– On-goingOn-going

• SupervisingSupervising– Two adults in each classroomTwo adults in each classroom– Floating monitor Floating monitor – Windows in doors, open door Windows in doors, open door

• Risk assessmentRisk assessment

Policies and ProceduresPolicies and ProceduresDid you know?Did you know?• Churches are not responsible for Churches are not responsible for

every injury but responsible for those every injury but responsible for those injuries resulting from negligence.injuries resulting from negligence.

• Churches have not been found liable Churches have not been found liable for not having a policy but rather for for not having a policy but rather for not following one they did have. not following one they did have.

Reducing the Risk Reducing the Risk IIII

Making Your Church Making Your Church Safe from Child Safe from Child Sexual AbuseSexual Abuse

Church Ministry ResourcesChurch Ministry Resourceswww.reducingtherisk.comwww.reducingtherisk.com

Policies and PrinciplesPolicies and Principles

PrinciplePrinciple provides an underlying provides an underlying sense of direction, that while sense of direction, that while general in nature, can be applied general in nature, can be applied to specific situations.to specific situations.

Policies Policies guide behaviors under guide behaviors under specific circumstances. specific circumstances.

Assess Levels of RiskAssess Levels of Risk

•Principle #1: As risk Principle #1: As risk increases, supervision increases, supervision should also increase.should also increase.

Risk increases as isolation Risk increases as isolation increases.increases.

Situations that require more Situations that require more supervision.supervision.– Any activity that is located off of Any activity that is located off of

church propertychurch property

– Any activity on church property Any activity on church property but at a different time or locationbut at a different time or location

Assess riskAssess risk

• Classroom: two or more unrelated adults, Classroom: two or more unrelated adults, open door or door with window, during open door or door with window, during church with other activities going on and church with other activities going on and people aroundpeople around

• Classroom: one adult, door shut and without Classroom: one adult, door shut and without window, door has capability of being locked window, door has capability of being locked from insidefrom inside

• Classroom: after service two children back in Classroom: after service two children back in classroom with door shutclassroom with door shut

Risk increases as Risk increases as accountability decreases. accountability decreases.

Involves justifying one’s actions.Involves justifying one’s actions.– Personal character and integrityPersonal character and integrity

• Have you screened your personnel?Have you screened your personnel?

– Number of people presentNumber of people present• Are there two or more unrelated persons?Are there two or more unrelated persons?

– Degree of openness and approval Degree of openness and approval • Who knows about the activity? (parents, minister, Who knows about the activity? (parents, minister,

staff)staff)

Risk increases when there is Risk increases when there is an imbalance of power, an imbalance of power,

authority, influence, and authority, influence, and control between a potential control between a potential

abuser and a potential victim.abuser and a potential victim.• Establish balance of power with multiple Establish balance of power with multiple

adults or with child to child, an age span adults or with child to child, an age span of less than five years.of less than five years.

• Bathroom consideration: send two kids, Bathroom consideration: send two kids, ask parents to take them before, send ask parents to take them before, send approved adultapproved adult

• Ministers: what about spiritual Ministers: what about spiritual counseling, picking up children/teens, counseling, picking up children/teens, private mentoring, etc. ?private mentoring, etc. ?

Policies - Four critical Policies - Four critical are are

1) Selecting and screening 1) Selecting and screening workersworkers

slides 10 – 12slides 10 – 12

2) Worker supervision2) Worker supervision

slides 13, 17 - 21slides 13, 17 - 21

3) State reporting obligations3) State reporting obligations

•What constitutes child abuseWhat constitutes child abuse•Persons legally responsible for Persons legally responsible for

reportingreporting•Length of time required to make a Length of time required to make a

reportreport•Nature and content of reportNature and content of report•Agencies to be contactedAgencies to be contacted•Penalties for failing to reportPenalties for failing to report•Protection from legal and civil litigation Protection from legal and civil litigation

if report made in good faith if report made in good faith

4) Responding to allegations4) Responding to allegations

• Understand the problem. (Take all allegations Understand the problem. (Take all allegations seriously.)seriously.)

• Provide a caring response. Provide a caring response. • Document the allegation (not an investigation but Document the allegation (not an investigation but

collecting information for reporting).collecting information for reporting).• Seek professional assistance limited to need to Seek professional assistance limited to need to

know (insurance company, church attorney, know (insurance company, church attorney, denomination leader). denomination leader).

• Provide support to the victim.Provide support to the victim.• Fulfill state reporting obligations.Fulfill state reporting obligations.• Decide on options regarding the alleged Decide on options regarding the alleged

perpetrator.perpetrator.• Respond to congregational concerns.Respond to congregational concerns.• Respond to media.Respond to media.• Maintain strict confidentiality in all of the above Maintain strict confidentiality in all of the above

communicating on a need to know basis.communicating on a need to know basis.

How will you answer these How will you answer these two questions?two questions?

• What did you or your staff do to What did you or your staff do to prevent this tragedy from occurring?prevent this tragedy from occurring?

• What procedures did you utilize to What procedures did you utilize to check the molester’s background check the molester’s background and supervise his work with and supervise his work with children?children?

What’s non-negotiable? What’s non-negotiable?

• Two adults per Two adults per classroom/groupclassroom/group

• Background checkBackground check• Policy, principles and Policy, principles and

proceduresprocedures• Plan of actionPlan of action

How do you go back and How do you go back and institute this in your institute this in your

church?church?

Questions? Questions?