Background
Child sexual abuse is a serious
concern in our society and in many churches. Acknowledging the broken and
sinful nature of our world, we accept it as our responsibility to provide as
safe an environment as we can for our children and everyone who works with
them.
Therefore, Peace Lutheran Church has
established the following Statements of Purpose, Covenant, and Policies which,
when taken together, constitute the congregation's Child Safety Governing
Policy. An additional booklet is
available from the Church Office which specifies the procedures, forms, and
training materials used to implement the Child Safety Governing Policy at Peace
Lutheran Church.
Statement of Purpose
Peace Lutheran Church's purpose for
establishing a Child Safety Governing Policy is to demonstrate our absolute and
unwavering commitment to the physical and emotional safety and spiritual growth
of our children and those who work with them.
Statement of Covenant
As a Christian community of faith
and a member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, we, the members of
Peace Lutheran Church, pledge to conduct the ministry of our congregation in
ways that assure the safety and spiritual growth of our children and those who
work with them.
Toward that end, we commit ourselves
to:
Ÿ
Follow
established procedures in the selection and recruitment of employees and
volunteers who work with children;
Ÿ
Implement
procedures which minimize the risk of sexual abuse to children;
Ÿ
Educate
our employees and volunteers who work with children about our Child Safety
Governing Policy and the procedures associated with it;
Ÿ
Make
it known in the congregation that all the members of Peace Lutheran Church are
an essential part of providing a safe environment for our children;
Ÿ
Make
copies of our Child Safety Governing Policy readily available;
Ÿ
Follow
clearly defined procedures for reporting a suspected incident of child sexual
abuse that conforms to the requirements of the law; and
Ÿ
Be
prepared to respond to inquiries from the general public, the media, and/or
members of the congregation if an incident of child sexual abuse occurs.
Statement of Policies
1. Peace
Lutheran Church will provide to all new members, as part of the New Member
Orientation Meeting, a copy of the Child Safety Governing Policy.
2. Peace
Lutheran Church will employ a screening program for all employees who work with
children and are likely to be in potentially high risk situations with
them. Examples of this would
include employees who participate in mission trips and overnight events with
children.
3. Peace
Lutheran Church will employ a screening program for all volunteers who work with
children and are likely to be in potentially high risk situations with them.
Examples of this would include volunteers who participate in mission trips and
overnight events with children.
4. Peace
Lutheran Church requires that all screened employees and all screened volunteers have at least
three references checked.
5. Peace
Lutheran Church requires that all screened employees and all screened volunteers sign a release for
a criminal background check.
6. It
is Peace Lutheran Church's policy that no one with a known record who has been
convicted of a sexual abuse crime of any kind will be allowed to work with
children.
7. To
ensure a safe environment for our children and to protect those who work with
them from false accusations, Peace Lutheran Church will use a Òtwo adult ruleÓ
for designated activities with children.
8. To
ensure that the Child Safety Governing Policy has been effectively implemented,
members of the Parish Relations Ministry will periodically review the policy
and conduct training events for the employees of the congregation and the
volunteers who work with children.
9. To
provide added safety, all rooms in our church's building, except bathrooms and
storage closets, will have windows in their doors.
10. Peace
Lutheran Church encourages the use of its facility by visiting organizations
and opens its doors to organizations which need space for events involving
children. To ensure the safety of all children, Peace Lutheran Church requires
that visiting leaders abide by the Child Safety Governing Policy.
11. Child
sexual abuse is criminal behavior that involves children in sexual behaviors as
defined by state and federal law.
All employees and volunteers who work with children at Peace Lutheran
Church are required to immediately report any concerns related to suspected
incidents of child sexual abuse to the Parish Relations Ministry Chairperson,
the President of the Church Council, or the Senior Pastor.
12. In
responding to a suspected incident of child sexual abuse, Peace Lutheran Church
will work with appropriate government agencies in a prudent manner to ensure
the safety and dignity of the suspected victim and the person who has been
accused.
13. Following
the report of a suspected incident of child sexual abuse, Peace Lutheran Church
will follow established procedures when responding to inquiries made by the
general public, the media, and/or members of the congregation. First and
foremost, these procedures
will protect the rights of the suspected victim, as well as the rights of the
person who has been accused.
Adopted by the congregation of
Peace Lutheran Church on January 30, 2005