Table of Contents

I. Policy………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….3

II. General Definitions …………………………………………………………………………………………….3

III. Code of Conduct with Youth and Vulnerable Adults………….…………………………………4

IV. Policies for Working with Youth…………………………………………………………………………...6

A. Physical Contact……………………………………………………………………………………...6

B. Verbal Interactions……………………………………………………………………….………….7

C. One-on-One Interactions…………………………………………………………………………7

D. Gift Giving……………………………………………………………………………………………….8

V. Screening and Selection of Staff and Volunteers………………………………………….……….8

VI. Responding to suspected inappropriate behavior…………………………………….………...10

VII. Mandatory Reporting Requirements………………………………………………………………….11

VIII. Suspected Elder Abuse Awareness and Policies…………………………………………………..12

IX. Congregational Awareness…………………………………………………………………………………..12

X. Registered Sex Offender Policy…………………………………………………………………………….13

XI. Appendices

A. Acknowledgement of Safe Church Policies and Procedure ………………………………….16

B. Sample Limited Access Agreement……………………………………………………………………..17

C. Nursery Safety Standards…………………………………………………………………………………...19

I. Policy

As a community of Christian faith, St. John’s United Church of Christ, Bellefonte, PA is committed to creating and maintaining programs, facilities and a community in which members, friends, Clergy, employees, and volunteers can worship, learn and work together in an atmosphere free from all forms of discrimination, harassment, exploitation or intimidation. The congregation of St. John’s United Church of Christ, Bellefonte, PA supports principles of Safe Church which include individual responsibility to fulfill the highest standards of personal conduct toward others and to lead and guide the congregation in fulfillment of the standards set by our Christian faith. St. John’s United Church of Christ, Bellefonte, PA strongly opposes and prohibits “sexual exploitation”, “sexual harassment” or any form of exploitation or abuse of others regardless of age, sex, sexual orientation, sexual identification or mental capacity. It is the intention of our congregation to affirmatively nurture good behavior, and to prevent and correct behavior that is contrary to this policy and, as necessary, discipline those persons who violate this policy.

Every member of the Congregation, whether “authorized clergy”, leader, staff, volunteer or parent, has a role to lead those who look to them individually for guidance, to monitor their behavior and redirect them as they cross boundaries of Safe Church. Our congregation shall nurture good conduct as demonstrated by personal behaviors that are consistent with our Christian values.

II. General Definitions

1. Physical abuse is injury that is intentionally inflicted upon a person.

2. Sexual abuse is any contact of a sexual nature that occurs between a youth and an adult or between two youths or two adults (one of which does not consent to the contact). This includes any activity which is meant to arouse or gratify the sexual desires of the adult or the other youth.

3. Emotional abuse is mental or emotional injury that results in an observable and material impairment in the individual’s psychological functioning or a youth’s growth and development.

4. Neglect is the failure to provide for an individual’s basic needs (feeding, proper clothing) or the failure to protect a person from harm.

5. A Minor is anyone under the age of 18 (also referred to as youth throughout policy).

6. A Vulnerable Adult is anyone aged 18 or over, who is or may need community care services by reason of mental or other disability, age, or illness, and who is or may be unable to take care of themself, or unable to protect themself against significant harm or exploitation.

7. Mandatory Reporters are those persons required by Pennsylvania law to report suspected abuse to police or child welfare agencies.(https://pafsa.org/who-are-mandated-reporters/). In our case this includes Pastor, anyone employed by a school, in the medical field, State and Local Law Enforcement, Employees of special service organizations such as Strawberry Fields, individuals in social services, foster parents, etc.)

8. Authorized Clergy includes any person who is admitted to ministry by the United Church of Christ, who serves the congregation in any capacity whether called as pastor or serving in a retired, emeritus, administrative or volunteer capacity.

III. Code of Conduct with Youth and Vulnerable Adults

The following Code of Conduct is intended to assist Clergy, employees, and volunteers in making decisions about interactions with youth and vulnerable adults. For clarification of any guideline, or to inquire about behaviors not addressed here, contact the Pastor or President of Consistory. St. John’s United Church of Christ, Bellefonte, PA provides our youth and vulnerable adults with the highest quality services available. We are committed to creating an environment for youth and vulnerable adults that is safe, nurturing, empowering, and that promotes growth and success. No form of abuse will be tolerated, and confirmed abuse will result in immediate dismissal from St. John’s United Church of Christ. All reports of suspicious or inappropriate behavior with youth and vulnerable adults or allegations of abuse will be taken seriously. St. John’s United Church of Christ will fully cooperate with authorities if allegations of abuse are made that require investigation.

The Conduct with Youth and Vulnerable Adult outlines specific expectations of the Clergy, employees, and volunteers as we strive to accomplish our mission together.

1. Youth and vulnerable adults will always be treated with respect.

2. Youth and vulnerable adults will be treated fairly regardless of race, sex, age, or sexual orientation.

3. Clergy, employees, and volunteers will avoid affection with youth and vulnerable adults that cannot be observed by others.

4. Clergy, employees, and volunteers will adhere to uniform standards of appropriate and inappropriate verbal interactions as outlined by St. John’s United Church of Christ, Bellefonte, PA.

5. Clergy, employees, and volunteers will not stare at or comment on youth and vulnerable adults’ bodies.

6. Clergy, employees, and volunteers will not date or become romantically involved with youth and vulnerable adults.

7. Clergy, employees, and volunteers will not use or be under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs in the presence of youth and vulnerable adults.

8. Clergy, employees, and volunteers will not have sexually oriented materials, including printed or online pornography, on St. John’s United Church of Christ, Bellefonte, PA’s property.

9. Clergy, employees, and volunteers will not have secrets with youth and vulnerable adults and will only give gifts with prior permission.

10. Clergy, employees, and volunteers will comply with St. John’s United Church of Christ, Bellefonte, PA’s policies regarding interactions with youth and vulnerable adults outside of our programs.

11. Clergy, employees, and volunteers will not engage in inappropriate electronic communication with youth and vulnerable adults.

12. Clergy, employees, and volunteers are prohibited from working one-on-one with youth and vulnerable adults in a secluded setting. Clergy, employees, and volunteers will use common areas when working with individual youth and vulnerable adults.

13. Clergy, employees, and volunteers will not abuse youth and vulnerable adults in anyway including (but not limited to) the following:

Physical abuse: hitting, spanking, shaking, slapping, unnecessary restraints.

Verbal abuse: degrading, threatening, cursing.

Sexual abuse: inappropriate touching, exposing oneself, sexually oriented conversations.

Mental abuse: shaming, humiliation, cruelty; and

Neglect: withholding food, water, shelter

St. John’s United Church of Christ, Bellefonte, PA will not tolerate the mistreatment or abuse of one youth or vulnerable adult by another youth or vulnerable adult. In addition, St. John’s United Church of Christ will not tolerate any behavior that is classified under the definition of bullying, and to the extent that such actions are disruptive, we will take steps needed to eliminate such behavior.

Bullying is aggressive behavior that is intentional, is repeated over time, and involves an imbalance of power or strength. Bullying can take on various forms, including:

1. Physical bullying – when one person engages in physical force against another person, such as by hitting, punching, pushing, kicking, pinching, or restraining another.

2. Verbal bullying – when someone uses their words to hurt another, such as by belittling or calling another hurtful names.

3. Nonverbal or relational bullying – when one person manipulates a relationship or desired relationship to harm another person. This includes social exclusion, friendship manipulation, or gossip. This type of bullying also includes intimidating another person by using gestures.

4. Cyberbullying – the intentional and overt act of aggression toward another person by way of any technological tool, such as email, instant messages, text messages, digital pictures or images, or website postings (including blogs). Cyberbullying can involve:

a. Sending mean, vulgar, or threatening messages or images.

b. Posting sensitive, private information about another person.

c. Pretending to be someone else in order to make that person look bad.

d. Intentionally excluding someone from an online group.

e. Hazing – an activity expected of someone joining or participating in a group that humiliates, degrades, abuses, or endangers that person regardless of that person’s willingness to participate.

f. Sexualized bullying – when bullying involves behaviors that are sexual in nature. Examples of sexualized bullying behaviors include sexting, bullying that involves exposures of private body parts, and verbal bullying involving sexualized language or innuendos.

Anyone who sees an act of bullying, and who then encourages it, is engaging in bullying. This policy applies to all youth and vulnerable adults, Clergy, employees, and volunteers.

IV. Policies for Working with Youth

Policies define the bandwidth of acceptable behavior in an organization. Because offenders often violate policies to gain access to youths, when staff know and understand policies, they can identify, interrupt, and report policy violations. Simply interrupting a policy violation can prevent a false allegation of abuse or put an offender on notice that no one works in private, the rules apply to everyone, and violations will be detected.

A. Physical Contact

St. John’s United Church of Christ’s physical contact policy promotes a positive, nurturing environment while protecting youths, Clergy, employees, and volunteers. St. John’s United Church of Christ, Bellefonte, PA encourages appropriate physical contact with youths and prohibits inappropriate displays of physical contact. Nursery safety policy is contained in Appendix C. Any inappropriate physical contact by Clergy, employees, and volunteers towards youths in the organization’s programs will result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment.

B. Verbal Interactions

Clergy, employees, and volunteers are prohibited from speaking to youths in a way that is, or could be construed by any observer, as harsh, coercive, threatening, intimidating, shaming, derogatory, demeaning, or humiliating. Clergy, employees, and volunteers must not initiate sexually oriented conversations with youths. Clergy, employees, and volunteers are not permitted to discuss their own sexual activities with youths.

C. One-on-One Interactions

Most abuse occurs when an adult is alone with a youth. St. John’s United Church of Christ, Bellefonte, PA aims to eliminate or reduce these situations and prohibits private one-on-one interactions unless approved in advance by the organization administration.

In those situations where one-on-one interactions are approved, Clergy, employees, and volunteers should observe the following additional guidelines to manage the risk of abuse or false allegations of abuse:

Additional Guidelines for One-on-One Interactions

1. When meeting one-on-one with a youth, always do so in a public place where you are in full view of others.

2. Avoid physical affection that can be misinterpreted.

3. If meeting in a room or office, leave the door open, curtains open or move to an area that can be easily observed by others passing by.

4. Inform Clergy, employees, and volunteers that you are alone with a youth and ask them to randomly observe.

5. Document and immediately report any unusual incidents, including disclosures of abuse or maltreatment, behavior problems and how they were handled, injuries, or any interactions that might be misinterpreted.

Tutoring and Confirmation Discussions

1. One-on-one situations, such as tutoring and private confirmation sessions, introduce additional risks for false allegations. Clergy, employees, and volunteers should be aware of our policies regarding tutoring and private coaching:

2. Clergy, employees, and volunteers must have supervisor and parental approval for any tutoring or private coaching sessions.

In situations where volunteers transport youth in personal vehicles:

1. Pastor and Parents must be notified of all transportation activities.

2. Youths must never be transported without permission from a parent.

3. Youths must be transported directly to their destination. No unauthorized stops may be made.

4. Unnecessary physical contact with youths while in vehicles is to be avoided.

D. Gift Giving

Molesters routinely groom youths by giving gifts, thereby endearing themselves to the youth. They might instruct the youth to keep the gifts a secret, which then starts teaching the youth to keep secrets from parents. For this reason, Clergy, employees, and volunteers should only give gifts to groups of youths, and only under the following circumstances:

1. Pastor or Consistory Administration must be made aware of and approve the gift.

2. Parents must be notified.

3. Presentation of the gift must be made in public.

V. Screening and Selection of employees and volunteers

The process of screening and selecting employees and volunteers is an essential element of management due diligence. There are several elements required which serve several purposes. Criminal background checking by itself is inadequate simply because very few predators, or people who would become predators, have been through the penal system. A would-be predator requires three things: Access, Privacy & Control.

The following screening and selection procedures are strongly recommended for all Clergy, employees, and volunteers in addition to the normal hiring process:

All applicants should be interviewed during the selection process and prior to employment. The purpose of the interview is to determine whether the applicant possesses the skills needed to perform the job requirements and whether the applicant demonstrates characteristics of a potentially abusive person. The interview should also provide the applicant with information about job responsibilities and expectations.

If working with children and vulnerable individuals the interviewer (s) shall assess suitability for working with children, and specifically discuss the church’s commitment to protect children and other vulnerable persons from abuse.

The following should read and understand the Safe Church Policy and be willing to sign the Acknowledgement of Safe Church Policies and Procedures (Appendix A). Including but not limited to: Nursery Volunteers, Sunday School Teachers, Confirmation Instructors, Church Employee’s, Pastor and Members of Consistory

A. Background Checks for those working with children and vulnerable adults.

Criminal history and sexual offender registry checks should be conducted for all applicants/volunteers who work with children and/or the vulnerable adult population. Generally, the information should be obtained prior to employment of the applicant; however, if the length of time needed to receive the results of these checks is unduly long, St. John’s United Church of Christ, Bellefonte, PA could have the applicant start the position and remain in the position until the criminal background results are obtained and reviewed. New employees and volunteers should not be left unsupervised with youths until the criminal history results are returned.

The background check(s) should include the following:

· Pennsylvania child abuse clearance

· FBI Background Check

· Megan’s Law Public Website Search

· Internet search

Written permission to conduct a background check shall be obtained from each person prior to executing the check.

In addition, applicants responsible for transportation should have a driver’s license check performed to identify past driving concerns.

B. Employment Decisions

A committee of three members of consistory shall review each background check and agree that the applicant is eligible for employment as Clergy, employee or volunteer.

Where a criminal record exists, consideration shall be given to:

· Seriousness of the crime.

· Statutes that may legally disqualify the person from working with minors.

· Length of time since the last offense.

· Pattern of criminal activity; and

· Activities the applicant has been involved in since the offense(s) occurred.

Conviction for the following crimes shall be considered barriers to employment or volunteer work with children, regardless of the length of time since the last offence:

· Violent crimes.

· Sexual assault.

· Sexual abuse or neglect of a child; and

· Placement on the Megan’s Law list

Arrest data are not grounds for disqualification, only convictions. The status or relevance of other crimes will be considered individually.

VI. Response to suspected inappropriate behavior.

How an organization responds to suspicious or inappropriate interactions, policy violations, and incidents or allegations of abuse can dramatically affect the harm to the individuals involved and the damage to the organization. Once a Clergy member, employee, volunteer, youth, or parent has expressed a concern or made an allegation about the treatment of a youth, swift and determined action must be taken to reduce any subsequent risk to the youth, to the accused staff member or volunteer, and to the organization. Organizations must establish precise, unequivocal requirements for reporting to the authorities and for adhering to a serious-incident response plan.

Because St. John’s United Church of Christ, Bellefonte, PA is dedicated to maintaining zero tolerance for abuse, it is imperative that everyone actively participates in the protection of our most vulnerable populations. In the event that a Clergy member, employee, or volunteer observe any suspicious or inappropriate behaviors and/or policy violations on the part of others, it is their personal responsibility to immediately report their observations. Remember, at St. John’s United Church of Christ, Bellefonte, PA, the policies apply to everyone.

As required by mandated reporting laws, Clergy, employees, and volunteers must report any suspected abuse or neglect of a youth or an adult —whether on or off organization property or whether perpetrated by employees, volunteers, or others—to state authorities. Reports may be made confidentially or anonymously. A person who mistakenly reports suspected abuse is immune from civil or criminal liability as long as the report was made in good faith and without malice.

1. Employee and Volunteer Response:

If an employee or volunteer witness suspicious or inappropriate behaviors or policy violations from another employee or volunteer, they are instructed to do the following:

· Interrupt the behavior. First, determine if the youth is still in danger and if so, take immediate steps to prevent any further harm.

· Report the behavior to the minister and/or a member of consistory)

· If you are not comfortable making the report directly, make it anonymously.

· Document the report but do not conduct an investigation.

· Keep reporting until the appropriate action is taken.

2. Pastor and/or Consistory member response

· Request a meeting of consistory to discuss event/response. This may need to be an ad hoc meeting.

· Determine the appropriate response based on the report.

· Notify parents and/or guardians.

· Designate a member of consistory to talk to the member who has been reported. Gather as much information about the allegation as you can. For example, who made the report, who was allegedly abused, who was the alleged abuser, what was the nature of the alleged abuse, where and when did the alleged abuse occur, etc.

· Accurately record everything you learn in as much detail as you can. Remember your notes may be read by others. Stick to the facts.

· Determine if similar complaints were reported in the past.

· If at any point in gathering information about a report of suspicious or inappropriate behavior, a concern arises about possible abuse, contact the state authorities and file a report.

· Advise the person who reported the behavior that the report is being taken seriously.

· Consistory will appoint a person to contact the appropriate local authorities as indicated by the state’s mandatory reporting procedures. Make the name and contact information of the person with whom you speak at the reporting agency.

· Suspend the accused employee or volunteer from their duties until the investigation is completed.

VII. Mandatory Reporting Requirements:

All Clergy, employees, and volunteers must follow state specific mandatory reporting requirements. They should be trained to be aware of and understand their legal and ethical obligation to recognize and report suspicions of mistreatment and abuse. They will:

a. Be familiar with the symptoms of child abuse and neglect, including physical, sexual, verbal, and emotional abuse.

b. Know and follow organizational policies and procedures that protect youth and vulnerable adults against abuse.

c. Report suspected child abuse or neglect to the appropriate authorities as required by state mandated reporter laws.

d. Follow up to ensure that appropriate action has been taken.

Clergy, employees, and volunteers will report concerns or complaints about other employees, volunteers, adults, or youth to St. John’s United Church of Christ, Bellefonte, PA’s Pastor or President of Consistory as appropriate.

St. John’s United Church of Christ, Bellefonte, PA cooperates fully with the authorities to investigate all cases of alleged abuse. Any Clergy, employee, or volunteer shall fully cooperate possible in any external investigation by outside authorities or internal investigation conducted by the organization or persons given investigative authority by the organization. Failure to cooperate fully may be grounds for termination.

VIII. Suspected Elder Abuse Awareness and Policies

Pennsylvania has several laws in place to protect older adults from abuse and exploitation. The Older Adults Protective Services Act (OAPSA) is one such law that safeguards Pennsylvanians aged sixty and above from physical, emotional, or financial abuse, as well as exploitation, neglect, or abandonment. The act mandates reporting requirements on suspected abuse, and any employee or administrator of a facility who suspects abuse is mandated to report the abuse to the local Area Agency on Aging and licensing agencies.

In Pennsylvania, Clergy are not considered mandatory reporters. Abuse reports can be made on behalf of an older adult whether the person lives in their home or in a care facility such as a nursing facility, personal care home, hospital, etc. The reporters may remain anonymous and have legal protection from retaliation, discrimination and civil or criminal prosecution.

Common signs and symptoms of abuse may include:

Isolation

Weight loss

Bruises or broken bones

Increased confusion

Unusual withdrawals from any account

Signing over one’s home to another.

In Centre County, PA, any concerns such as emergencies should call 911, for concerns such as Elder Abuse, Neglect, Financial exploitation, or other serious or time sensitive concerns, should call 814-355-6716 during office hours of 8:30am-5:00pm Mon.- Fri. or during after-hours should call 1-800-479-0050.

Aging 24-hour Emergency After Hours phone number is (800) 479-0050.

IX. Congregational Awareness

We are dedicated to a policy of open communication and education for the benefit of the children, parents, and vulnerable adults we serve. They are entitled to know what to expect of church.

This entire policy shall be posted on the St. John’s United Church of Christ website.

At the time children or vulnerable adults are enrolled in St. John’s United Church of Christ programs, parents or legal guardians shall be provided:

· A copy of the St. John’s United Church of Christ Safe Church Policy

· An invitation to visit programs in progress at any time at their convenience.

Parents/guardians shall be encouraged to report violations of policy, boundaries or suspected abuse to the Pastor or Member of Consistory. Anonymous reporting is permitted in the same manner . If for any reason, a parent/guardian believes that the primary contacts have failed to respond or have not given credibility to the parent’s/guardian’s concerns, the latter may contact a second member of Consistory to report those concerns.

X. Registered Sex Offender Policy

As a community of faith, serving by the example of Jesus Christ, we also seek to attend to the needs of all who seek healing, redemption and fellowship among us. We shall be prepared to accept in our midst those who have violated the most sacred mores of our society at large, in order to provide them with refuge, peace, example and support in their recovery and penitence. We commit to doing so with utmost care for the welfare of our congregation, collectively and individually, and the community we serve.

We accept that there are risks to be born in our deliberate association with and ministry to sex offenders who are considered a pariah among the community-at-large as evidenced by the many constraints placed upon their interaction with the community. We agree to honor the needs of the congregation and our community to have reasonable assurance that a sex offender in our care will not have an opportunity to re-offend as a result of lapses in our management of the offender.

We shall consider limited participation or membership of a sex offender in our congregation with utmost care which shall include the following elements:

· Document understanding of the statutory limitations applying in the State of Pennsylvania to the movement and activities of a sex offender, taking into account the programs of the church. (Examples: Sunday school, church nursery care, and associations which serve children and “vulnerable adults”.)

· Consider and understand the character of the crimes which have resulted in requiring an individual to register as a sex offender, and the risk and opportunity of re-offending that is presented by the particular programs of our congregation.

Document the individuals and church leaders (i.e., Minister and Consistory members, etc.) understanding of limitations and probations placed on the offender by the courts and/or probation. In all cases where probation is in force, we will obtain explicit approval of, and conditions of participation specified by the probation officers. A recommendation by probation officers/mental health professionals and/or law enforcement to deny participation to an offender shall be honored in all cases.

Understanding that, with respect to a person who is an employee, volunteer or in a position of church leadership, who has previously been conviction for acts of sexual misconduct as defined by insurance contracts, knowledge by church leaders and managers of such prior conviction will have the effect of voiding coverage for the individual employee, volunteer or church leader and for the church for future acts of sexual misconduct by that person.

Given that criminal convictions are a matter of public record, there shall be no expectation of secrecy on the part of the offender. As a condition of participation in our faith community, the offender must agree that the leadership of the church shall make it known to the leadership of the church (including all Consistory members ) that we have accepted among us a registered sex offender.

In all cases, the conditions of participation by a registered offender shall be defined by a “limited access agreement” executed by the offender and church. Such an agreement shall be approved by probation authorities as may be necessary according to para. 3., above. The agreement shall be reviewed annually to validate on-going eligibility. Violation of the agreement by the offender shall be considered as grounds for immediate cancellation of the agreement.

The following additional considerations shall apply:

1. Victims in the congregation – In such case as the victim of a RSO (registered sex offender) is a member of the congregation, employee or is a client of other services provided by the congregation, the RSO shall not be permitted to attend the church or church activities.

2. Clergy-penitent privilege – “Clergy-penitent privilege” is a “Rule of Evidence” defining or limiting information which clergy may reveal in a court of law only. “Clergy penitent privilege” does not prevent clergy from informing the congregation of matters which may be relevant to their safety; it does not require clergy to hold information in secrecy.

3. Ordained clergy shall assume responsibility and take extraordinary care to understand the scope and limitations of clergy-penitent privilege in the State of Pennsylvania, and the parameters of confidence and privilege as defined by our denomination. Authorized clergy shall inform the leadership of the church of the general principles of confidence and privilege under which (s)he performs his/her clerical duties.

4. Escorts – Conditions of limited access for an RSO will commonly require that the offender have an escort while on the church premises or at church events elsewhere. A person serving as an escort shall not be a spouse, partner or relative of the offender.

Approval & Supervision

With the advice and prior approval of Consistory, a Limited Access Agreement with a known RSO may be signed by the Pastor or President of Consistory. The Pastor (or President of Consistory ), in association with other “authorized escorts”, who shall be named in the Limited Access Agreement, shall be responsible for the general supervision of the Petitioner in all of the latter’s activity in relation to the church. Elements of supervision shall include the following:

· Knowledge of the terms of the Limited Access Agreement, including activity limitations placed upon the Petitioner.

· Knowledge of the Petitioners offense history sufficient to understand the risks of association with the church and its ministries.

· Willingness to assert activity limitations and to report any violation of restrictions placed upon the Petitioner.

· Willingness to intervene in any onset of risky or problem behavior.

· Willingness to report all cases of non-compliance to the Pastor (or President of Consistory)

The Pastor (or President of Consistory) shall assess, prior to selection, whether a proposed is willing to escort fulfill the above elements of supervision.

Professional privacy – Members who are employed in certain occupations may have a statutory obligation to maintain privacy around the criminal history of their clients who may also be parishioners. Such members shall decline to accept leadership roles which may put them in a position of decision-making regarding individuals who may be their professional clients.

See Appendix B. for Sample Limited Access Agreement.

Appendix A.

Acknowledgment of Safe Church Policy and Procedure

I have read and agree to comply with St John’s United Church of Christ’s policies in regard to working with youth and/or vulnerable adults.

I understand my responsibilities in regard to reporting in my position as:

A. Nursery Volunteer

B. Sunday School Teacher

C. Confirmation Instructor

D. Church Employee

E. Pastor

F. Member of Consistory

Name ______________________________________________________

Date________________________________________________________

Appendix B

E. Sample Limited Access Agreement

This Limited Access Agreement is executed between: St John’s United Church of Christ, Bellefonte, PA referred to below as “we”, “the congregation” and “clergy”.

And (Petitioner Name), referred to below as “you” and “your”.

St John’s United Church of Christ is an “open and affirming congregation” and as such affirms the dignity and worth of all persons as expressed in our Welcome Statement. We are committed to being a religious community open to those who worship with us, especially in times of distress and serious personal troubles.

However, based on your background, we have concerns about your contact with children and youth in our congregation. The following guidelines are designed to reduce the risk to both you and them of an incident or accusation. We welcome you to our congregation and our membership, but your participation will be limited to ensure the safety of our children and youth and to assure that you will not be subject to future accusations.

Within these guidelines, the congregation welcomes your participation in worship services, coffee hour, meetings, adult education, and all adult social events. Do not enter any youth classroom. You are to avoid all contact with children and youth on church property or congregation-sponsored events. This includes the following:

1. Do not talk with or approach children.

2. Do not volunteer or agree to lead, chaperone or participate in events for children and youth including such things as religious education classes, stories or talks for worship, youth group events, driving or otherwise transporting children and/or youth.

3. You will remain in the presence of an escort (who knows your situation) at all times. You will be introduced all of the people who may be an escort.

4. If a child or youth in the congregation approaches you, either at church or in a community place, politely and immediately excuse yourself from the situation.

5. Avoid being in the church or any church-owned building or church-rented space at any time without an approved escort with you at all times.

6. Do not ask for, seek access to, nor remove from the church any materials, files, directories, etc. listing members and friends of the church.

7. We ask that you limit your time in coffee hour to about ten minutes.

As a part of this agreement, it is understood that you will have members of this congregation, approved by the clergy, who know thoroughly your history and are willing to serve as your Parish Associates. You will be welcome on church property and at church-sponsored events but must be accompanied at all

times by one of the escorts named below:

(Name all who may potentially serve as an escort. It is preferred - but not limited to members of Consistory)

To engage your integration into the congregation and to assist you in maximizing your experience with the church it is agreed that you will meet on every 6 months basis with the pastor and at least one approved escort together to discuss matters of mutual interest and concern. These meetings will also serve as an ongoing review of the implementation of this agreement.

Implementation of this agreement is based upon a review by the clergy of the most current supporting documents as follows:

1) A report of your Crime/Conviction

2) Any recent documentation from the court, a therapist or parole officer in regard to your status.

·

REASONS FOR EXCLUDING A PERSON FROM ALL CONGREGATIONAL ACTIVITIES INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO:

1. Refusal to sign a Limited Access Agreement.

2. Refusal to comply with the requirements of the Limited Access Agreement.

This agreement will remain in effect until/unless:

1. You fail to honor the terms of the agreement, thus nullifying it.

2. It is superseded by any policies and procedures put in place by the church’s Consistory. Consistory in consultation with the Pastor is the body responsible for providing you with guidelines, support and counsel for your participation in the life of the congregation.

3. You, the Pastor, and Consistory mutually agree to change the terms of this agreement.

Signed _____________________________________________Date:____________________

Pastor _____________________________________________Data:___________________

Appendix C

NURSERY SAFETY REQUIREMENTS

· Ensure proper screening of all workers in accordance with the Safe Church policies. This is the single most important safety measure you can take.

· Have a procedure for communicating with parents as needed during services.

· Only allow screened workers to enter rooms, with the exception of nursing mothers or when a parent or guardian(approved by the parents) has been called to assist with a child.

· Maintain working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms and fire extinguishers.

· Provide nursery doors that can be locked from the inside in the event of a lockdown.

· Provide diaper disposal containers, and empty regularly.

· Follow recommended procedures for disinfecting toys and diaper areas.

· Cover outlets.

· Install child safety locks.

· Ensure all cribs and other equipment are compliant with federal regulations.

· Workers should change diapers only when absolutely necessary. If required workers should ensure the genitalia is covered at all times. Touching is limited to what is absolutely necessary to clean up the child.

Safe Church Policy

St. John's UCC seeks to provide a safe and secure environment for the children, youth, volunteers and staff who participate in our programs and activities. A Safe Church Policy has been implemented most importantly to protect children and give parents peace of mind. Per our policy and in compliance with state law, all volunteers and staff who work with children have been cleared and their background checks are secured in the church office.

You can view our Safe Church policy below.