Safe Church Overview

• Safe Church Training of staff

Many churches take all their staff and volunteers through safe church training as a matter of policy. This indicates that having a safe church is a priority to many churches and clergymen. All who have gone through the training become safe church certified.

The safe church program typically covers different ways of preventing different forms of abuse, particularly against children. Church staff need to learn how to identify any abuse that may be happening and respond appropriately.

Churches need to have a sexual and physical harassment policy. Safe church program includes methods of dealing with abuse that must be included in the policy.

In many churches, staff must not serve for more than three months before undergoing the training. All staff members, especially those that are salaried have to be taken through the training as a matter of necessity. Many parishes require their personnel to undergo the training on a regular basis, perhaps once every three years or once every five years.

• Issues to be covered

The training covers issues of managing power/authority relationships. There should be guidelines prohibiting any manipulation of children who are under ones authority.

The great thing about the safe church program is that it is specifically designed for churches and not schools or other institutions.

• Safe Church Background Screening of Personnel

The safe church program enables churches to perform background checks and screening on all its staff and volunteers to ensure the safety of parishioners, especially children. This is by outlining standard screening procedures for all church personnel, whether voluntary or otherwise. For example, all personnel can be required to fill in standard applications giving authority to the church to conduct background checks. These background checks should include checks for any criminal records or for listing on a sex offender registry.  This screening must take place at regular intervals, say every three to five years. The church should check out each individual’s references for their track record and character. Any person that will be driving should have their background checked for any driving offenses. These screening measures will ensure a safe church.

• Proper supervision

Proper supervision of children requires that the church sets an acceptable ratio of children to adults. Generally, safe church programs will require that a group of children be supervised by at least two adults. Generally, the ratio must not go below one adult for every ten children.

For the sake of accountability, church personnel must always avoid speaking to children one-on-one unless in a place that is easily observable. Besides accountability, the personnel should not take children through any programs that have not been approved by the church.

The safe church program also guides the church in formulating wise human resource policies, for example that no one should be allowed to work with children and youth unless they have been known to the church leaders for a significant amount of time. Safe Church guidelines will usually require it to allow someone to vouch for their character.