SAFETY

-Teachers or helpers should keep a record of attendance each week as children enter class, adding the names of any visitors. For nursery workers, please note any food allergies and obtain permission from parents to give snacks.

– If there is only one student to one teacher in a given class, the teacher will either move to an open space with the student or merge with the adult Sunday school class.

-When there is only one volunteer in the nursery, please keep the top half of the door open at all times.

-If there is a need to evacuate, teachers should bring their attendance sheet, follow the evacuation map with their classes, and take attendance at the designated location.

-Church Leaders will facilitate the reunification of families in the order of youngest age classes to oldest.

SPEECH

-Seek to honor God with your words and your tone. Choose your words carefully when speaking to and around children. Speak to children and other volunteers out of love. Let us be generous in our hearts, assuming the best and seeking the best for each other.

-Keep things gentle and positive whenever possible. To be clear — do not yell at, threaten, or shame a child, even in jest. Sarcasm is not appropriate for communicating with young children.

AFFECTION

-Respect a child’s refusal of affection.

-Take care to make each child feel comfortable physically and emotionally. This may be different for each child. Some children do not want to be touched at all — do not touch them. Others may want hugs and high-fives.

-Be aware of what types of affection may be misinterpreted by a child or an observer and avoid them.

RELATIONAL

-All interactions should be public & visible. Do not take a child to a private place. Do not ask a child to keep a secret.

-Respect children’s privacy, especially in bathrooms. If you take a child or group of children to the bathroom, stay outside the door. For younger children, stay outside the stalls and keep the bathroom door open.

FOOD

-In order to be mindful of our space and others, snacks will be provided in the quiet room and nursery.

-In consideration of children with food allergies, we ask that outside snacks brought into the nursery be peanut-free.

-We would ask if outside snacks are eaten in the quiet room and nursery and that the crumbs are cleaned up after church to avoid ant infestation.

-Nursery volunteers are kindly asked to run the vacuum in the nursery after the service AS NEEDED and to wipe down sticky surfaces with provided child-safe cleaners.

-Free food items have been relocated to the kitchen and fellowship area.

MANDATED REPORTING

-As a volunteer working with children, you are a mandated reporter.

-The state of Pennsylvania requires you to report suspected abuse to both ChildLine and Calvary OPC. From DHS:

​A mandated reporter must make a report of suspected child abuse if they have reasonable cause to suspect that a child is a victim of child abuse under any of the following circumstances:

• The mandated reporter comes into contact with the child in the course of employment, occupation, and practice of a profession or through a regularly scheduled program, activity, or service.
• The mandated reporter is directly responsible for the care, supervision, guidance, or training of the child or is affiliated with an agency, institution, organization, school, regularly established church or religious organization, or other entity that is directly responsible for the care, supervision, guidance or training of the child.
• A person makes a specific disclosure to the mandated reporter that an identifiable child is the victim of child abuse. This specific circumstance includes when a mandated reporter is “on” or “off” the clock.
• An individual 14 years of age or older makes a specific disclosure to the mandated reporter that the individual has committed child abuse.
• Mandated reporters must make an immediate and direct report of suspected child abuse to ChildLine either electronically at the PA Child Welfare Information Solution website or by calling 1-800-932-0313.
• ​After making the report to ChildLine, you are required to immediately thereafter notify the person in charge of the institution, school, facility, or agency or the designated agent of the person in charge. (At Calvary, please report to a member of the session.)
• The penalties for a mandated reporter who willfully fails to report child abuse range from a misdemeanor of second degree to a felony of the second degree.
• More information: Commonwealth of PA – Keep Kids Safe

CLEARANCES

With the implementation of the amendments to the Pennsylvania Child Protective Services Law, Pennsylvania nonprofit organizations must ensure that all employees and volunteers who have responsibility and direct contract with children (defined as the care, supervision, guidance, or control of children or routine interaction) comply with background reporting and training requirements. Based on this requirement, and to ensure the safety of the children of this church, the session has determined that all officers of the church, all employees, and all volunteers working directly with children must obtain the following three clearances:

• Child Abuse History Clearance
• ​Criminal Background Check
• FBI Background Check