Safe
Sanctuary Policy for All Conference and
District Events
Texas
Annual Conference
Effective
June 1, 2005 – Adopted June 2, 2004
Introduction
to Conference Policy
OUR
CALLING AND OUR MANDATE IS TO ENSURE SAFE
SANCTUARY FOR GOD'S PEOPLE
Throughout the gospels,
Jesus provides teachings on providing a peaceable
kingdom for all of God's people, including
our most precious gifts, our children and youth
(Matthew 5:9, Luke 18:15-17). The peaceable
kingdom begins with sanctuary.
Scriptures provide examples
of how sanctuary is to be a community of protective
nurture and harmony (Psalms 20:1-2, 27:4-5).
As Christians, we are called to create a safe
sanctuary in our churches. They must be holy,
safe, and protective communities for all of
God's children, regardless of age or ability.
The purpose of this policy is to address the
safety of our children and youth at all local
churches, and at District or Annual Conference
sponsored events. The Texas Annual Conference
of the United Methodist Church recognizes the
need to have a formal, written policy with
procedures in place (1) to help prevent the
opportunity for the occurrence and/or the appearance
of abuse of children and youth and (2) to help
protect workers from false accusations and/or
suspicions.
The following policy and
procedures are not based on a lack of trust
in workers, but are intended to protect our
preschoolers, children, youth, workers, employees,
volunteers and the entire church body. Careful
and confidential documentation is essential
to show compliance with policies, to verify
information as needed, and to have an accurate
record in the case of an incident.
Scope
of Conference Policy
This
policy and its provisions shall apply to
all persons including all paid and unpaid
leaders, whether lay or clergy who have any
direct or indirect contact with children
and youth who participate in any activities
or events sponsored by the Texas Conference
and/or its Districts. Further, each local
church is required to adopt a Safe Sanctuary
policy for their church by December 31, 2005
and submit the policy to the Area Provost.
This Conference policy is effective as of
June 1, 2005 for all Conference and District
events.
The
Texas Conference policy shall be applicable
at all Conference and District activities
involving children and youth. Examples include,
but are not limited to the following: Summer
District Camps, District/Conference Trips,
District Confirmation Retreats, Mid-Winter/Carnival/Fest,
District and Conference Youth Leadership Meetings,
Choir Clinic, and School of Christian Missions.
The following examples may help distinguish
between the application of the Conference policy:
a local congregation family camp at Lakeview
involves the local congregation’s policy,
whereas a District or Conference family camp
at Lakeview involves the Conference policy.
Definition
of Childcare Provider, Assistant Leader,
and Leader at Conference and District Events
- Childcare provider is someone that is eighteen
(18) years of age or older with a high school
diploma or equivalent.
- Assistant Leader is someone
18-20 years of age with a high school diploma
or equivalent, who is supervised by a leader.
- Leader is someone who
is twenty-one (21) years of age or older.
Supervision
To achieve compliance
with the Safe Sanctuary policy it may be necessary
to combine groups; recruit, train, and
reference additional volunteers; or cancel
an event. Recognizing that there is safety
in numbers, children and youth will be instructed
to use the “buddy system.” It is
also strongly encouraged that there be present
at least one leader who is trained and certified
in First Aid and CPR at all Conference and
District events.
Supervision for Nursery/childcare
at Conference and District events:
- There shall be a minimum of two (2) childcare
providers per room.
- We recommend that whenever possible State
Childcare Minimum Standards shall be followed,
particularly in relation to the number of
childcare providers to child ratio.
Supervision of children
and youth at Conference and District events:
- Conference and District
events shall observe the “2 Leader Rule” (2
leaders per classroom, 2 leaders within
line of sight when outdoors.)
- Exception to allow 1 leader/1 assistant
may be made with the approval of the event
leader on a case-by-case basis.
- Any one-to-one mentoring or consulting
shall be conducted in sight of another leader.
- Understanding that there is safety in numbers,
one leader can be in contact with multiple
youth (6 th-12 th grade) so long as they
are in line of sight of other leaders.
Overnight Accommodations
At events that require
overnight accommodations:
- We strongly recommend that at least (2)
leaders be present in every room.
- When staying in a hotel, leaders shall
sleep in separate rooms from children/youth;
or if necessary for children/youth to share
a room with a leader, leaders shall sleep
in separate beds from children/youth so long
as any one leader shall not be alone with
any one child/youth.
- Recognizing accommodations may be restrictive
in some cases (example: Windham at Lakeview),
one leader is adequate, so long as any one
leader shall NOT be alone with any one-child/youth.
Definitions
of Abuse
- Verbal
Abuse- Any verbalact that humiliates, degrades
or threatens any child or youth.
- Physical
Abuse – Any act of omission or an
act that endangers a person’s physical
or mental health. In the case of child
or youth physical abuse, this definition
includes any intentional physical injury
caused by the individual’s caretaker.
Physical abuse may result from punishment
that is overly punitive or inappropriate
to the individual’s age or condition.
In addition, physical abuse may result
from purposeful acts that pose serious
danger to physical health of a child or
youth.
- Sexual
Abuse – Child or youth sexual abuse
is the sexual exploitation or use of same
for satisfaction of sexual drives. This
includes, but is not limited to: 1) incest,
2) rape, 3) prostitution, 4) romantic involvement
with any participant, 5) any sexual intercourse,
or sexual conduct with, or fondling of
an individual enrolled as a child or youth
in Conference or District sponsored activities,
6) sexualized behavior that communicates
sexual interest and/or content. Examples
are not limited to: displaying sexually
suggestive visual materials, making sexual
comments or innuendo about one’s
own or another person’s body, touching
another person’s body, hair or clothing,
touching or rubbing oneself in the presence
of another person, kissing, and sexual
intercourse. (#6 taken from Resolution
#30 Book of Resolutions 2000).
Screening
for Leaders, Assistant Leaders, and Childcare
providers
Careful
screening is one way to prevent the abuse
of children and youth. Screening calls for
a careful gathering and review of information
in search of those who can provide safe and
caring supervision in a safe environment.
- Prior
to employment or acceptance as a leader,
assistant leader or childcare provider
(paid or unpaid), the event leader in charge
of an event or program shall direct each
prospective applicant to complete the application/consent
form. By signing the form, the applicant
gives permission to the event leader, local
congregation and/or Conference Safe Sanctuary
Certification Authority to contact references
and perform the necessary investigation
to complete the review of the application.
- The
local congregation is responsible for conducting
references and screening. This may be done
through the local church, District office,
or the Conference Safe Sanctuary Certification
Authority. All screening shall be done
in accordance with guidelines to be established
by the Conference Safe Sanctuary Certification
Authority.
- The
Conference Safe Sanctuary Certification
Authority shall receive the completed forms
and reports from the local congregation
and/or event leader and review them. If
any of the reports raise questions about
fitness of the applicant, the Conference
Safe Sanctuary Certification Authority
should disapprove the application and notify
the event leader and/or local church. The
Texas Conference reserves the right to
turn away any persons for service.
- If
the applicant (paid or unpaid) is found
to have been involved in any activity in
which the applicant abused or exploited
children or youth, the applicant will not
be approved. Any conviction of a crime
against children or youth shall disqualify
any applicant.
- Results of screens shall
be kept confidential. The determination of
whether a particular crime is serious enough
to result in the Texas Conference giving
a negative recommendation shall be made by
the Texas Conference in its sole discretion.
Without in any way limiting those crimes
which the Texas Conference may determine
to be serious, the Texas Conference offers
the following examples as guidelines:
Persons having a criminal
history of any of the following types of offenses
shall not be allowed to serve in any ministry
with children and youth:
- Child abuse, whether
physical, emotional, sexual, or neglectful
- Violent offenses, including
murder, rape, assault, domestic violence,
etc
- Persons having a Criminal
History of DUI or DWI conviction within the
five (5) years immediately prior to application
shall not be allowed to act as a driver.
- Persons having a Criminal
History of a drug related conviction within
the five (5) years immediately prior to application
shall not be allowed to participate in the
event.
Training
The
Texas Conference of the United Methodist
Church shall, through its Districts, develop
and implement training and orientation procedures
for all persons in leadership who work with
children and youth at Conference or District
activities and events. Training
shall include but is not limited to appropriate
discipline, appropriate physical and emotional
boundaries, leader misconduct, and this policy.
No person shall, after June 1, 2005, have
any direct or indirect contact with children
and/or youth until they have completed this
training program. We recommend that at the
beginning of each event a review of this
policy be conducted.
The
Conference Safe Sanctuary Certification Authority – will
consist of four persons: a member of the
Cabinet, the Director of Spiritual Formation
and Teaching Ministries, the Area Provost
and the Conference Safe Sanctuary Staff Person.
The
guidelines of these policies and procedures
create a status of Safe Sanctuary Certification
with the Texas Conference. Leaders thus certified
are entrusted with the title “Certified
Safe Sanctuary Worker with Children and Youth.”
Reporting
of Incidents
- When
a leader of a Conference or District program,
event or activity suspects that abuse or
any suspected violation of the Texas Penal
Code is taking or has taken place, he or
she shall call 911 when needed and report
the abuse to the appropriate local law
enforcement agency and/or the Department
of Protective and Regulatory Services (800-252-5400).
The leader shall contact the administrator
or event leader immediately, and cooperate
fully with the investigation conducted
by law enforcement officials or child protective
services.
- Address
any needs the child or youth may have,
medical or otherwise. Report to the parent(s)
and/or legal guardians(s).
- The
person suspected of abuse (respondent)
shall, for the safety and well being of
the children or youth, be removed with
dignity from further contact with the children
and youth until an appropriate investigation
has taken place. The matter shall remain
confidential. If the event leader is the
respondent, then the report should be made
to that person’s Conference supervisor.
- Following
the report of an incident, the event leader, or
supervisor in charge shall document the
report, and then speak with the alleged
victim, being careful to use open-ended
questions.
- All
such conversations shall be documented.
Careful and confidential documentation
is essential. The documentation should
include the following:
- The
name of the leader observing or receiving
the disclosure of abuse, including the
date, time and place and any action taken
by this person.
- The
alleged victim’s name, age, and
date of birth.
- Any
statement made by the alleged victim.
- Name
of the respondent, the date, time and
place of any conversation or any statement
made by the respondent.
- Any
action taken, i.e. suspension of the
respondent.
- Date
and time of call to the appropriate agency,
name of worker spoken to, content of
that conversation and case number assigned.
- Date
and time of call to law enforcement agency,
name of officer spoken to and content
of that conversation.
- Date
and time of any other contacts made regarding
this incident.
- Notify
the Conference/District authorities.
- It
shall be the goal to provide supportive
care to both the victim and the respondent
and to restore such persons to wholeness.
Supportive care can include the procedures
of the criminal justice system, provisions
of the current Book of Discipline,
appropriate counseling referrals and continued
pastoral visitation.
- Confirmed
reports of proven incidents of abuse shall
be retained in a confidential Texas Conference
Safe Sanctuary Certification Authority
file for future screening purposes.
|
Contact
Us