Brotherhood Mutual Insurance Company has a free, 60-page ebook, Child Protection in a Ministry Environment: Guidelines for Ministry Workers. With sample policies and forms, the major areas of the book are:

  1. Identifying Abuse: Disrupting the Culture of Trust
  2. Preventing Abuse: Policies Set Safe Boundaries for Children
  3. Screening Guidelines: Preventing Access
  4. Mandatory Reporting: Who, What, How, and When
  5. A Safe Space: Superior Supervision
  6. Key to Success: Communicating Your Plan
  7. Sample Policies and Forms

These areas form the basics of child protection in the church. Well drafted policies for child protection are essential. Good polices become the basis for working practices to guard children. An example of how policies lead to specific practices is seen in the Supervision section of the ebook with a Sample Worker Selection and Child Protection Policy:

Supervision

  1. Two Adult Rule: At least two screened adults must be present at every function or program involving children, youth, or vulnerable adults. This includes each classroom, vehicle, or other enclosed area. One or more of these adults must be 21 years of age or older. For large groups, the number of adult supervisors must be increased in accordance with state/teacher ratio requirements. (check with your attorney or local authorities to determine the requirements in your state; add a specific written reference to those requirements in your policy procedures). Follow the two adult rule for email and texts with minors.
  2. Rule of Three: In limited circumstances when the Two Adult Rule cannot be implemented, at least three individuals must be present, with at least one being a screened adult employee or volunteer. The Two Adult Rule should be followed at all times for activities or events involving children under the age of five.
  3. While adult workers should avoid being alone with a child, youth, or vulnerable adult, some limited exceptions may be permitted for spiritual counsel/mentoring of a youth. Any one-on-one interaction must take place in a location where the adult worker and the youth are both visible to others. Any planned one-on-one meetings must be approved by a ministry leader, and the adult worker must obtain prior written approval from parents/guardians. The duration and frequency of approved one-on-one meetings are to be limited to no more than three occasions for no more than 30 minutes at a time.
  4. Adult employees and volunteers should avoid traveling in a vehicle one-on-one with a minor. If it is necessary, develop a communication strategy to notify parents/ guardians or supervisors when leaving for and arriving at an event.
  5. Identify no-go zones. To reduce or eliminate areas that are difficult to properly supervise, unused rooms, closets, and outdoor structures are to be kept locked with limited key access.
  6. Workers should avoid the appearance of impropriety—such as sitting older children on their lap, kissing, or embracing others, etc.

Brotherhood Mutual Insurance Company, Child Protection in a Ministry Environment: Guidelines for Ministry Workers (Fort Wayne, IN: Brotherhood Mutual Insurance Company, 2019) available from https://www.brotherhoodmutual.com/resources/safety-library/publications/guidelines-for-ministry-workers

This Tool is from XPastor’s course Predators in the Church.

To learn more about preventing financial fraud, child sexual abuse and physical security issues at your church, see the Predators course.