“Child Protection in the PCA”
All church leaders should become informed and take an active stance toward preventing child sexual abuse in the church by screening staff and volunteers, training them in child protection, and actively maintaining child protection policies pertaining to our obligations to love our children and protect their rightful interests as God’s image-bearers from the devastating actions of abusers. (Matthew 18:5-6)
From Overture 6 – Georgia Foothills Presbytery
BOOKS:
Child Safety Guidelines for Local Churches by Roger N. McNamara
Safe Kids: Policies and Procedures for Protecting Children in the Church by Blake Caldwell
Preventing Child Abuse by Beth A Swagman (Helps churches and nonprofit organizations develop policies and procedures to protect children and youth.)
Safekeeping by Henni Helleman, Patricia J Vos (An age-appropriate two-session abuse prevention curriculum for grades K-8.)
ONLINE:
Covenant Presbyterian Church in Harrisonburg, VA, has developed a thorough system and set of resources to protect children in their church. In addition, they have provided various forms for everything from a children’s ministry volunteer application and youth ministry staff applications, to a background check waiver:
Brotherhood Mutual Insurance provides an Online library of safety and risk management materials created especially for churches and related ministries. The website has articles, checklists, guidebooks and tools, publications, sample forms, and training.
MinistrySafe is another online ministry that trains church staff and volunteers in the area of child abuse prevention.
Child Safety Policies
- Child Safety Policy—Example I
- Child Safety Policy—Example II (Severna Park EP Church)
- Child Safety Policy—Example III
- Child Safety Leader Code of Conduct—Example I
