Adult Staff Selection
Only female staff and volunteers are allowed to assist in the church nursery. Those who participate in this field of ministry must be born-again Christians, and at least eighteen years of age. We also require that nursery workers have been in regular attendance at our church for at least one year. Anyone who has ever been convicted of child abuse will not be allowed to work with children. Other criminal offenses may also disqualify an individual from serving as a nursery worker.
Prior to assisting in the nursery, adult nursery staff will be expected to:
In addition, we recommend that all adult nursery staff read the document “What You Can Do About Child Abuse,” published by the Oregon Department of Human Services, publication #DHS 9061. It is available at https://apps.state.or.us/Forms/Served/de9061.pdf.
Nursery personnel must also be prepared to fulfill on an ongoing basis any additional training or recertification requirements established by the Apostolic Faith organization.
Requirements for Youth Nursery Workers
Youth workers (individuals under the age of eighteen) who assist in Apostolic Faith nurseries must be female. They are required to have been in regular attendance at our church for a minimum of one year and be at least the age required by state law for babysitters. They should be at least three years older than the children they work with, unless they are working in the same room with and under the supervision of a qualified adult staff member.
Each youth nursery worker must be approved by the pastor and the activity supervisor on a case-by-case basis.
Youth workers must also:
These requirements must be completed before an applicant begins assisting in the church nursery. The application must be kept on file in the church office for insurance purposes.
In addition, youth nursery workers are expected to:
Check-in/Check-out Procedures
Record Keeping
Records must be kept of all children and staff who are in attendance at each nursery session. This information is to be retained in the files of the local church office.
Child and Youth Safety Policies
Parents have an open invitation to visit and observe all Apostolic Faith programs and activities in which their child is involved. However, parents who desire to be present on a regular basis must follow our behavioral guidelines for those who are involved with children and youth.
Supervision Policy
Communication Policy
All communication between church workers and minors must be appropriate, discreet, and positive. Children should never be addressed in a manner that could be construed as harsh, unreasonable, shaming, or derogatory in any way. No swearing or abusive language is tolerated.
Staff members and volunteers are prohibited from engaging in any private, sexually-oriented conversations with children, and are not permitted to discuss any sexually-explicit information about their own personal relationships, dating, or marriages with any child or youth.
The section of the Apostolic Faith Volunteer Handbook titled “Internet Safety” provides guidelines concerning electronic communication.
Guidance and Discipline Policy
All staff and volunteers who work with children in Apostolic Faith Church programs are expected to follow established procedures for dealing with behavior concerns, and to treat every child with dignity and respect.
Discipline should be limited to corrective steps designed to retain the child's self-worth while correcting inappropriate behavior.
When a child misbehaves, time-outs and other non-physical methods of behavior management are to be used for redirection. In employing a time-out, staff members should observe the following guidelines:
Staff members should discuss with their ministry supervisors any child who exhibits uncontrollable or unusual behavior. If chronic behavior concerns develop, the following actions may be implemented:
Prohibited Actions
The following actions on the part of children in our care are not allowed, and could result in dismissal from church-sponsored activities and programs, though the pastor and ministry supervisor will work with the parent/guardian to determine the outcome that is best for the child and the program.
Physical Contact Policy
The Apostolic Faith organization has a physical contact policy which promotes positive, nurturing relationships with the young people in our care while offering protection as well. The following guidelines must be followed by anyone serving in church-sponsored activities for children and youth.
Restroom Assistance Policy
Keeping the Nursery Safe
An inspection of the church nursery area should be undertaken at regular intervals by the nursery supervisor and/or a safety team representative to ensure that the physical environment is adequately maintained.
Abuse Prevention and Reporting Policies
The Apostolic Faith organization is committed to providing a safe, secure environment for children and their families, so we make every effort to safeguard the children who have been entrusted to our care. We have zero tolerance for abuse in church programs and activities. It is the responsibility of every staff member and volunteer in the Apostolic Faith work to act in the best interest of all children in every program.
While suspicions or knowledge of abuse are extremely difficult situations, we do not have discretion in this matter: we are legally obligated to immediately fulfill our responsibilities in accordance with state requirements. According to Oregon law (the state in which this organization is registered as a corporation), mandatory reporters include ministers and school teachers, along with law enforcement personnel and medical professionals. (Oregon Statutes: ORS 419B.005, ORS 12.117) For that reason, staff members or volunteers who observe any policy violations or suspected abuse, or receive an allegation of abuse, must immediately report the matter to their ministry supervisor or the pastor.
Definition of Abuse
In general, the term “child abuse” refers to any injury to a minor not caused by accident, which results in observable and substantial impairment of a child’s ability to function, including any injury which appears to be at variance with the explanation given of the injury. This includes sexual abuse or exploitation, negligence, maltreatment, or threatened harm to a child.
Awareness
Staff members and volunteers should have a basic understanding of the characteristics of sexual predators and their behaviors in “grooming” a child for sexual abuse. Grooming is the process used by an abuser to select a child, win the child’s trust (and the trust of the child’s parent or “gatekeeper”), manipulate the child into sexual activity, and keep the child from disclosing the abuse.
Prevention Procedures
The Apostolic Faith maintains a legally-approved risk management policy regarding children and youth. The following procedures are strictly enforced:
The Apostolic Faith reserves the right to immediately dismiss any volunteer or employee who is accused of violating the procedures and guidelines established by the organization.
Failure to report a prohibited act to the designated person is a violation of this policy and grounds for termination of employment of an employee of the church. Volunteers who fail to report a prohibited act may be restricted from participation in any church activities involving children or youth.
What to Report
Reasonable grounds to report suspected abuse exist if:
Steps in Reporting
If a child or young person discloses that he/she is being abused, or his/her actions suggest that abuse is occurring, staff and volunteers are instructed to take the following steps:
Do not:
Organizational Response to Allegations of Abuse
When the pastor receives credible information suggesting that abuse has occurred, he will immediately contact Children’s Services Division or the appropriate law enforcement agency in the state. He will also inform the Superintendent General of the allegation. The church will coordinate its internal investigation with the governmental entity involved.
A designated church representative will interact with legal counsel and insurance representatives, and will respond as directed to questions from the media concerning allegations of abuse or neglect. Other staff members should refrain from comment. During the investigation the alleged abuser will not participate in any church activities involving minors.
If the internal or external investigation results in credible evidence supporting the allegations, the pastor will impose appropriate disciplinary restrictions, which may range from dismissal from duty to barring from church attendance.
Emergency Procedures
It is vital for all church nursery personnel to be completely familiar with the Emergency Procedures section of the Volunteer Handbook, and be prepared to implement the proper response in the event of an emergency situation. They will be responsible for the safety of children entrusted to their care.
Accident or Medical Emergency
If a serious accident occurs to a child in the nursery or a medical emergency occurs, the nursery supervisor should notify a CER or usher. That individual will:
• Conduct a preliminary assessment of the injury or nature of the emergency situation.
• Call 911 if professional medical attention is needed. Be prepared to give information concerning location, number of people involved, and the nature of the injury.
• Provide basic first aid or other intervention measures as necessary until emergency responders arrive on scene.
• Instruct someone to contact the parent/guardian.
• Delegate someone to be in the parking lot to direct emergency vehicles and personnel coming to the scene.
In an accident situation, nursery staff should not accept liability or make any commitment to pay expenses. When the injured child has been appropriately cared for, the person who handled the situation should fill out an Accident/Incident Report form. He/she should also inform the pastor where and how the accident took place, and maintenance personnel if the accident was caused by a building or property defect.
Building Evacuation/Fire
A variety of situations could necessitate a building evacuation, but the most common type of emergency requiring evacuation is fire. A building evacuation is mandatory whenever a fire alarm sounds, and building occupants should leave the premises as quickly as possible. If the fire alarm sounds, nursery staff members should evacuate all children using the designated evacuation routes, which will be posted by the doors to the nursery area.
• Monitor the doorways, reminding staff of the closest evacuation route and designated safety zones.
• Remind staff to take a head count of the children who are exiting with them, and to count again when they reach the safe zone.
• Those exiting from upper floors should make sure no one uses the elevators; stairwells should be used for descent. If smoke or heat is encountered in a stairwell, they should go to another stairwell and continue evacuation to ground level.
• Remind staff that if smoke is encountered, children should be instructed to bend over and take short breaths through their noses.
• Staff members should feel doors before opening. If the door is hot, they should use another exit. If the door is cool, they should open it slowly, keeping behind the door in case it must be closed quickly to protect from inrushing smoke or fire.
• When the last class is gone from the nursery area, the nursery supervisor should check to make sure the area is empty and close the doors when she leaves.
• If conditions permit, nursery staff members should check nearby restroom facilities to make sure no child is there.
• The nursery supervisor should check with staff to make sure all children are accounted for. If a child is missing, notify the CER or other authorized safety personnel.
• Make sure children do not gather near building exits, driveways, or roadways, as this could hinder the emergency response crews.
• Wait for further instructions. Do not allow anyone to return to the building until the “all clear” signal is given by authorized safety officials.
Earthquake
If the church is in a designated earthquake zone, particular care should be taken to ensure that nursery staff members know what to do in event of a quake.
If an earthquake occurs at a time when children are in the nursery, the staff should be prepared to instruct the children in taking the following steps:
• Take shelter under cover, such as a pew, desk, or table. If it is not possible to shelter under furniture, kneel next to an interior permanent wall away from windows, overhead light fixtures, and tall pieces of furniture.
• Bend your head close to your knees. Protect your head and neck with your arms and hands.
• Stay in place. Do not run outside or use stairways or elevators.
• Stay under cover for at least two to three minutes after the shaking stops, as there may be aftershocks.
• Be aware that the fire alarm or sprinkler system may activate.
Once the quake has subsided, staff members should calm the children and treat injured people in the vicinity as their level of expertise permits, remembering that anyone with a serious injury should not be moved unless there is immediate danger. Keep the children in the area until a parent/guardian arrives for them.
Lockdown/Violent Intruder
If a violent intruder enters the building and a lockdown is instituted, nursery staff should take the following steps:
• Immediately secure the area by locking all entry doors, and move the children away from windows.
• If possible, move the children into securable areas such as an office or interior classrooms. Put as many barriers between the children and the intruder as possible.
• Have the children occupy separate locations as much as possible to make it more difficult for a violent intruder to cause multiple injuries.
• Call 911 or other appropriate emergency numbers.
• If time permits, close blinds or curtains and turn off lights and audio equipment.
• Encourage the children to remain quiet.
• Prepare to defend the children by arming yourself and other adults with heavy objects.
• Do not sound the fire alarm or initiate a building evacuation, as this could place others in the vicinity of the intruder as they attempt to exit.
• Do not leave the secured area until notified that it is safe to do so by the police or authorized security personnel.
Minor Injuries or Illness
First aid supplies should be available in the nursery for minor accidents. Use only ice, cold water compresses, and bandages as children may have allergies to Neosporin or other ointments. The parent/guardian of the injured child should be told of the incident when they come for their child after the service.
If a child becomes ill while in nursery, a staff member should remove the sick child from proximity to other children, while keeping him/her within sight and hearing distance of an adult. One staff member should notify the parent/guardian.
If a child in the nursery has allergies, it is the staff’s responsibility to make sure that he/she is not offered a snack that could cause an allergic reaction.
Missing Child
If a child is missing from the nursery, a nursery staff member should notify the head usher or CER. That individual will:
• Contact ushers and other staff members as needed to assist with a search of the church premises.
• Notify the parent/guardian of the child of the situation and the action being taken.
• Determine if and when 911 help should be summoned. If the situation is a suspected kidnapping, contact law enforcement officials immediately.
• When the child is found, notify searchers and the parent/guardian that the situation has been resolved.
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