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Has your church got a child protection policy?

Reprinted guidelines from a child protection statement from Park Evangelical Church at Stoke-on-Trent

In the light of the Children Act of 1988 and the profile now given to child abuse in society, it is right and necessary for churches to produce a guideline child-protection statement for leaders in children's and youth work. Here we reprint one from Park Evangelical Church, Stoke-on-Trent, to help churches think through the issue.

Thank you for agreeing to work with children and young people in our church. We put a high value on all our work with children and young people. To ensure that this work is carried out in a way that is honouring to the Lord and in accordance with the Children Act of 1988, these guidelines have been produced. They are for the protection of both children and those who work among them.
Each worker with children and young people must know the 'basic guidelines for leaders' and undertake to observe them.
Children have the right to be safe, to be understood and to say 'no' to doing something they feel is wrong. All children and young people are to be treated with dignity and respect befitting their age.

As a general rule:

* Be careful about any physical contact which may be misunderstood by a child or young person. Avoid being alone with a child or young person where your activity cannot be seen by others. If possible, always have the door open and other people around. The young person should know they are there.

* Avoid being alone in a car with a child or young person. Where this is unavoidable, arrange for them to sit in the back. Be sure that this arrangement is with the full knowledge and approval of other leaders or the child's parents.

* Set time limits for the beginning and ending of meetings and aim to keep to them.

* Only female workers should escort very young children to the toilet. En-courage children to be independent and not allow the toilets to be used as a playground.

Never:

* Engage in rough, physical or sexually provocative games.

* Make sexually suggestive comments about or to a child or young person even in 'fun'.

* Use physical discipline at any time.

* Invite a child or young person to your home alone. Always invite a group or ensure that someone else is in the house. Make sure the parents know where their child is.

* Allow children to use inappropriate language unchallenged.

Things to remember:

* Aim to be a good role model and set a good example.

* Consider carefully arrangements for residential holidays and whether adults should share sleeping accommodation with children. This should generally be avoided but may be appropriate with very young children or on an activity such as youth hostelling where it is custom.

* In the event of an accident, contact a first-aider, inform the parents and fill in the accident book.

* Get parental permission for everything. Games in the park and other local activities are covered by general agreement when the children and young people register, but special events e.g. swimming, ice-skating, require specific agreements in writing.

* Know who the parents are, especially if one parent does not have a right of access. Aim to build good relationships with them.

* Watch out for the 'hurt' child. Be aware of any excessive injury and make gentle inquiries. Don't pry, but listen for any help that the child may be seeking. Report any concerns to the leadership.

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<< December 1998 >>