Child Protection Policies
Our first concern is that the children be safe while they are in our care.
To this end we:
• Screen all children’s ministry volunteers
• Require training for all children’s ministry volunteers
• Utilize a wristband identification system
• Employ scheduling procedures and caregiver/child ratios that optimize safety
• Equip each room with a first aid kit
• Educate our volunteers about recognizing child abuse and encourage them to report any known or suspected abuse or neglect to church and/or to appropriate governmental authorities consistent with applicable laws
• Adhere to a healthy child policy for admittance to children’s ministry
Protecting the Children Before they Arrive
Ensuring a safe environment begins long before children arrive Saturday night and Sunday morning. Every applicant who wishes to serve in children’s ministry is required to go through a screening process and attend childcare training.
Screening Procedure
To ensure safe and quality care, REC has established several criteria that all caregivers must meet in order to work with our children:
• All caregivers must be members in good standing of REC (This might also include members in good standing with a sister church, i.e. First Baptist Burleson).
• All caregivers must have completed the caregiver application and been recommended by or in consultation with the pastor responsible for children’s ministry.
• All reference/background checks must be satisfactorily completed. Criminal record checks and other appropriate screening checks may be completed, subject to the discretion of the pastor overseeing children’s ministry.
• All completed records of screening procedures will be kept securely along with the original application.
• Caregivers are to be approved by the director of the Children’s Ministry in consultation with one of the pastors.
Training
All caregivers must attend childcare training before they are allowed to work with the children. Additional training sessions will be scheduled for existing caregivers to update them on policies and procedures. Parents with
questions about childcare training are welcome to attend these sessions.
Protecting the Children As They Arrive and Depart
Arrival and Departure Times
Caregivers should be ready to accept children 15 minutes prior to the start of any session, so that parents have enough time to transition their children before the session begins.
Parents are encouraged to pick up their children immediately after the conclusion of the session. In the event that a child is not picked up within 15 minutes of the end of the session, caregivers will ask the Director, or one of the elders/pastors to locate the parents.
Signing a Child in to a Children’s Ministry
Any parent who would like his/her child to participate in a children’s ministry program will sign the child in to the appropriate classroom, nursery, or activity when he/she arrives, granting permission for the child to participate in that REC event or program. This will authorize REC to secure medical services for the child in the event of accident or injury if the parents or legal guardians are unavailable. The parent should also use this opportunity to note any allergies or special needs the child may have. For more details on our procedures for caring for children with allergies, please
see the “Snacks and Food” section below.
Wristband Identification System
In order to protect the children in our care, each child must be signed into his/her class by a parent or guardian. Upon signing the child in, the parent/guardian and the child will receive wristbands with matching numbers (Children with allergies will receive a red wristband; everyone else will receive a blue wristband). Both the parent/guardian and child must put the wristband on immediately and wear it for the duration of the session. The wristband identification system will be used for all childcare and children’s ministry classes up to and including 4th grade.
At the end of the session when the parent/guardian comes to pick up the child:
1. The parent/guardian will sign the child out.
2. The children’s ministry volunteer will bring the child to the door and remove the child’s wristband. If the child or parent is unknown to the volunteer, the volunteer will check the numbers on the parent’s and child’s wristbands to ensure that they match.
Ordinarily, only the parent/guardian who signed the child into the class and is wearing the appropriate wristband will be permitted to retrieve the child. There are three exceptions to this rule:
1. In the event of an emergency that would result in neither parent or/guardian being available to sign out the child at the end of the session, the child will be released to the care of an elder of REC.
2. A parent may make prior arrangements with the Director of Children’s Ministry or her designate to allow for someone other than him/herself or his/her spouse to pick up the child at the end of a session.
3. Members of the church who sign in their children will have the option to initial a column of the sign in sheet that will grant permission to their spouse (and only their spouse) to pick up their child in the event the parent/guardian who signs in the child is unable to sign the child
out.
Protecting the Children While They Are In Our Care
Two Caregiver Rule
Two qualified caregivers must be present in each classroom at all times. Two male caregivers may not serve together without a female caregiver also being present. The only exception to this rule is when a Hall Monitor temporarily substitutes for a female caregiver. A husband and wife cannot
serve together without another caregiver present.
Child-to-Caregiver Ratios
In addition to always having two caregivers present, the following ratios are maintained during the regularly scheduled weekly meetings of the church:
• Children ages 0-2 one adult for every three-four children, depending on their ages
• Children ages 3-5 one adult for every eight children
• Children ages 6-12 one adult for every twelve children
Rest Room Procedure
Parents are asked to take their children to the restroom prior to signing them into a class.
We encourage men to help out in children’s ministry. A female will always be present when a man is in a classroom. The female will be responsible for taking the children to the bathroom.
Appropriate Discipline
All children’s ministry volunteers are responsible for providing a loving, respectful, and orderly atmosphere in which children can learn, play, and interact with others. This atmosphere should be maintained by preparing beforehand, proactively directing children towards acceptable activities,
verbally encouraging positive behavior, and, when necessary, correcting or redirecting inappropriate behavior.
Acceptable means of redirecting inappropriate behavior include correcting the child verbally, withholding a certain privilege or activity for a brief time, or separating a child from the group for a brief time (particularly if his behavior is endangering or upsetting other children).
Children’s ministry volunteers and staff members should never yell, spank, or hit a child. If behavior is uncontrollable or the child does not respond to the discipline measures above, ask the Director of Children’s Ministry to call
the parents.
Accidents and First Aid
All classrooms are equipped with basic first aid kits. Caregivers should be familiar with their content and uses. Caregivers will complete an Accident Report Form for all injuries, whether major or minor.
Snacks and Food
Infant and Crawler Nursery (0-11 months)
No food will be served to children while they are in the care of our infant and crawler nurseries. Children’s ministry volunteers will offer bottles, sippy cups to the children that brought them and are clearly labeled with the child’s name.
Preschool Classes
Occasional snacks of wheat, corn, or rice based cereals and water will be offered to the children. The specific snack for the class will be chosen based on the known needs of the children who regularly attend the class and will be posted at the check-in area.
If a child should not be given a snack of this nature, the parent should do the following:
• Verbally notify the teacher
• Place a red allergy alert wristband on the child
• Note the nature of the allergy and how to respond to an allergic reaction in the appropriate spot on the sign-in book
Ongoing Care for Children with Allergies
Parents of children with allergies who attend regularly should talk with the Director of Children’s Ministry about how to handle any unexpected allergic reactions. Upon parental request, allergy information about children of members may be posted in the child’s classroom.
No food except the church-supplied cereal and water will be permitted in the classroom. In rare cases, an exception to this policy can be considered.
Parents wishing to provide an alternative snack for their children must make prior arrangements with the Director of Children’s Ministry to ensure that all known needs of the children in the class will be met.
Serving Snacks
Caregivers should always check each child’s wristband before serving a snack. If the child is wearing a red wristband, the caregiver MUST check with both the leader of the classroom and the sign-in book to determine the nature of the allergy.
If instructions are not clear, no food should be given to the child without clarification from the parent/guardian. The teacher should send a volunteer to clarify with the child’s parent/guardian.
Praise Factory (Grades K-4)
Snacks of various kinds WILL be regularly offered as part of the Praise Factory. Parents should verbally notify teachers upon check-in about the nature of any allergy or food limitations and note the information in the sign-in book.
Child Protection Committee
The Child Protection Committee (CPC) consists of a teaching pastor, shepherding pastor and the Director of Children’s Ministry. All members of the CPC stand ready to receive information related to suspected child neglect, abuse, or molestation. They are committed to addressing all allegations in accordance with the principles of Matthew 18 and in harmony with the REC church covenant and the laws of the Texas regarding child abuse and neglect. Any children’s ministry volunteer or staff member who witnesses a violation of the Child Protection Policies, short of abuse, should
be notified immediately. Any children’s ministry volunteer staff member who witnesses or suspects neglect, abuse, or molestation should report their concerns immediately to a member of the Child Protection Committee.
Healthy Child Policy
Communicable Disease Policy
In order to prevent the spread of communicable diseases among children, four rules are in place concerning disease. Both parents and caregivers must be familiar with these policies.
1. Children with infectious diseases should be kept home until they are no longer contagious. If a child is exhibiting symptoms of illness such as fever, diarrhea, open skin lesions or blisters (as in chicken pox), or colored nasal discharge, the patent should keep the child home.
2. Caregivers will use latex-free gloves and proper hygiene procedures to change diapers, wipe noses and handle blood spills.
3. Hand washing is a regular habit for both children and Caregivers.
4. Toys and equipment are washed and disinfected regularly. REC is dedicated to preventing the spread of disease among children. Caregivers do have the right to refuse a child on the basis of questionable symptoms. To prevent this, parents are asked to comply with the following guidelines:
A child should be kept at home when any of the following exist:
• Fever (Note: Children should be free of a fever for 24 hours after a contagious disease before coming back to church)
• Vomiting or diarrhea
• Any symptom of childhood disease such as scarlet fever,
measles, mumps, chicken pox, or whooping cough
• Common cold-from onset through one week
• Sore throat
• Croup
• Any unexplained rash
• Any skin infection – boils, ringworm, impetigo
• Pink eye or other eye infection
• Thick green, yellow or constant nasal discharge
• Any communicable disease
Children who appear ill during class will be kept at the nursery sign-in desk with a caregiver while the Hall monitor or Children’s Director locates the parents.
Please inform the Director of Children’s Ministry if your child appears to have contracted an illness while attending a REC event so that other parents may be notified if necessary.
Neither caregivers nor church staff members are allowed to give any medication to any child.
Parents of children with special needs are encouraged to contact the Director of Children’s Ministry before signing the child into class.
Universal Precautions
Universal Precautions are employed such that all human bodily fluids are treated as if they carried infectious diseases. Universal precautions are applicable in a nursery setting and should be utilized. The method is very effective for protecting both the children and caregivers from illness. This is not to imply that any children or caregivers in the nursery are carrying infectious diseases. By treating all bodily fluids as if they are infected, any infection contaminants can be avoided at all times, providing a safer and healthier environment for caregivers and children alike.
Important Points of Universal Precautions:
• Wash hands before and after any contact with bodily fluids, including wiping noses, changing diaper, cleaning vomit, and treating blood spill.
• Always wear disposable gloves when dealing with blood spills.
• Treat all soiled linen (i.e. sheets and clothing) as potential infectious agents.
• Remove toys that children have mouthed from the general play area. Set them in the container by the sink and wash.
• At the end of the session, disinfect the room with disinfectant.
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