Safe Sanctuaries
Safe Sanctuaries is a nationally recognized program wherein congregations maximize the safety of children and vulnerable adults and protect them from any who would abuse them while they are on church property or involved in church-related activities away from the church. Last year the South Carolina Annual Conference approved a resolution that every S.C.U.M.C. congregation will have a Safe Sanctuaries policy in effect by the end of 2008. Each congregation has the flexibility to develop a policy that fits its size and circumstances, but each congregation must have a policy.
In the summer of 2007, the Church Council assigned to the Pastor-Parish Relations Committee the responsibility for developing a policy for RRUMC. In the early fall, Sandra Brown, then a member of the PPRC, collected policies from similar congregations who already had them in place. She then developed a draft policy for RRUMC. Thank you, Sandy!
SAFE SANCTUARIES *
Part 1: Why Have a Church Policy?
A Word from the Pastor
Reidville Road UMC will soon have a Safe Sanctuaries policy in place. Why have a Safe Sanctuaries policy? We all know that we love children and vulnerable adults at RRUMC and no one would harm one. But do we know that – or do we assume that – or do we just not want to think that anything bad could happen here? It is a sad part of life that youngsters and vulnerable adults are preyed upon all too often in our culture, even in our congregations. It is likely that it has always happened, even in our congregations, but historically has been under-reported by the victims.
On the other hand, many of us grew up in communities that were safer because “everybody knew everybody” and because potential predators were usually known to the community. The whole community kept its eyes on the potential predator and youngsters were quietly warned not to have anything to do with him or her. Sadly, the anonymity of our current culture has erased that “community knowledge” and predators have an easier time of it, if there are not proper safeguards in place.
1. The primary reason we need a Safe Sanctuaries policy is to do our best to protect the children and vulnerable adults entrusted to our care. We cannot invite “the little children to come” in Jesus’ name and do any less.
2. Another reason we need a Safe Sanctuaries policy is to protect our staff, teachers, activities leaders, other volunteers and the church itself from false accusation, which does occasionally happen and can turn into a nightmare for all involved when it does.
3. A third reason we need a Safe Sanctuaries policy is to send a clear message to the community that we are a Safe Sanctuaries congregation. In our culture parents of youngsters are quite aware of reports of children being abused in church settings. Having a Safe Sanctuaries policy in place may make the difference in whether families will be willing to visit us or join us. And, having a Safe Sanctuaries policy in place will be a clear message to predators that we care about our youngsters and are vigilant about protecting them when they are in our care.
4. A fourth reason we need a Safe Sanctuaries policy is that it will likely help us with insurance costs in the future. Sexual abuse allegations have become a major (and expensive!) concern among church insurers. It is likely that, in the near future, those insurers will develop financial incentives for congregations to have Safe Sanctuaries policies in place and in practice.
Safe Sanctuaries recommends several guidelines for each local congregation to consider as it develops its own policy. Among those are the following:
1. The two adult rule: Whenever children (less than 18) or vulnerable adults are present on church property or participating in a church activity off church property, they will be supervised by at least two unrelated adults (21 or older). Note: When children are gathered in small groups, as in Sunday School, there may be one adult in the classroom provided there is another adult “roaming” the area with the ability to see into the classrooms and with the freedom to enter at any time.
2. The five year rule: Persons supervising the activities of children will be at least five years older than the oldest youngster participating in those activities. Note: Youngsters less than five years older than youngsters involved in activities may be involved as “helpers,” as in Vacation Bible School or RRUMC’s FunFest, provided “the two adult rule” is observed.
3. The six month rule: New members of the congregation will not be allowed to participate as supervising adults in activities with children and vulnerable adults until they have been active participants of the congregation for at least six months.
4. The background check rule: All persons functioning as supervising adults with children or vulnerable adults will consent to a background check as a condition of being approved for those responsibilities. All paid staff, Sunday School teachers, youth counselors, activity coordinators, and other volunteers with children, including persons driving groups to events, must have a “clean” background check in order to function as supervising adults.
Note 1: Although this rule may seem extreme, it is already being practiced by the public schools, and parents of “school age” youngsters have come to accept and expect it.
Note 2: This rule is a clear message to potential predators that we are intent on protecting our youngsters.
Note 3: The coordinators of Safe Sanctuaries concerns at the Annual Conference level will soon provide information about effective background checks (criminal backgrounds and driving records) that are not a financial burden to the congregations.
Note 4: Each congregation will decide on the parameters of its background checks and will have procedures in place to ensure the privacy and confidentiality of the background checks.
Note 5: “Clean” background checks will be honored for five years and repeated at five year intervals.
