Safety Policies

Safety Policies for Children’s Ministries

The safety of children is one of our values in Children's Ministries. For that reason, the following policies are in place to provide an environment where every child is secure and cared for.

Our teachers and volunteers will:

Attend LCC at least six months before they are eligible to serve.
Fill out a Children's Ministry Team Member Information Sheet.
Give LCC permission to do a criminal history background check.
Follow the rule of three. One adult or youth worker should not be alone with one child, therefore another adult, youth worker, or child should be present. Remind other workers and parent volunteers to be aware of and follow the rule of three.
Co-operate with the legal responsibility to report any suspected or known incidents of child abuse to church leadership so that we can notify state authorities if necessary.

Check-In/Out Policy

1. Visiting children aged infant through Kindergarten will be checked in by a greeter at their classroom. Visiting elementary aged children will check in at the Children's Ministries Welcome Center. Parents will fill out a Newcomer Check-In Form and be given a copy of the form and a paging number. Should the parent be needed during service, the number will be shown on the screen in the sanctuary. At the end of service parents must return their copy of the check-in form before their child is dismissed to them.

2. Children who attend regularly will be registered to receive a permanent paging number. They will check in using our computer check in system to receive a nametag and parent pick up tag. Children In first through 4th grade must be picked up at the end of service by a parent. Children in 5th or 6th grade will be released from class on their own.

Restroom Policy:

1. If the classroom is equipped with a bathroom then children should go into the bathroom alone. If they need assistance by a worker the door should remain open.

2. If no restroom is available in the classroom the class will have a restroom break and go to the restrooms as a group.

3. Should preschool and kindergarten children need an additional trip to the restroom, they will be taken by either two volunteers or a volunteer and another child so that a child is never alone with a volunteer.

4. Prop the restroom door open with a doorstop and remain in the hallway.

5. If children need assistance in the restroom enter to supervise, but leave

the restroom door open.

6. If a child needs assistance in a restroom stall enter to help, but leave the stall door open.

Classroom Policy:

1. If a classroom door does not have an observation window then the door should be left open at least 8 inches.

2. Classroom doors should be unlocked when class is in session. Nursery room doors may be locked since they have a pass through window.

Nursery Policy:

1. Children in the nursery should be changed only by authorized workers with a volunteer present. The only exception will be a parent changing their own child.

Parent Permission Policy:

1. Volunteers are not encouraged to meet one on one with a child. If occasion does arise for such a meeting, they should have written permission from the child's parent or legal guardian before the meeting. An appropriate church leader should also be notified in advance of the meeting.

2. All children must have written permission from a parent or legal guardian to attend off campus church sponsored activities.

Emergency Evacuation Policy

Each classroom has a manual with instructions on how to exit the building in the event of an emergency. Should the building need to be evacuated, all children will be led to the grass near the parking lot-no children will be released to parents until they reach the grass and every child is accounted for. The nurseries are equipped with cribs with rollers on them so that babies who can not walk can be wheeled out of the building.

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