Policy For Working With Children | pleasanthillmilford

Pleasant Hill Baptist Church Policy For Adults Working With Children

Preamble

We believe that children are a gift and blessing from God. It’s our desire to work alongside parents and guardians to help children see the love of God and receive faith in Jesus Christ. Children are created in God’s image and as such they’re due dignity and respect. While children are in our care we pledge to show them love, protect them from all harm, and serve them as Christ serves us.

Article I. Children Defined

For the purposes of this document children are defined as minors, below the age of 18.

Article II. Policy For Adults Working With Children

All children are to be properly supervised by adults at all times while at Pleasant Hill Baptist Church.
Proper supervision means that no fewer than two adults are within sight of one another at all times when children are present so that no adult is ever alone with children for any length of time for any reason.
Pleasant Hill Baptist Church follows the recommendations produced by FellowshipOne:
1. For infants, there will be a minimum of one adult for every two children.
2. For toddlers, there will be a minimum of one adult for every four children.
3. Children who are walking through Pre-K, there will be a minimum of one adult for every five children.
4. For children Kindergarten to middle school, there will be a minimum of one adult for every eight.
5. For children in grades 7-12,there will be a minimum of one adult for every 8-10 kids.
All adults who work with children shall complete an annual background check. Once completed the background check shall be filed with the church clerk and kept in the church office for review at any time.
All adults will complete training videos recommended by the church prior to working with children and sign a letter attesting that they’ve watched them. All signed letters will be filed with the church clerk and kept in the church office for review at any time.
If, while in the care of Pleasant Hill Baptist Church, a child needs help going to the restroom, the adults who are working with those children will make all reasonable attempts to get in touch with the child’s parent or guardian to take them to the restroom. If they’re unavailable, then two adults must be present while the child uses the restroom.
If a child needs his/her diaper changed, the adults who are working with that child will make all reasonable attempts to get in touch with the child’s parent or guardian to change their diaper. If they’re unavailable, then two adults must be present while the child’s diaper is being changed.
Any adults present with the child who has to use the restroom should only help or assist when help is asked for by the child.
It is recommended that adults who work with children who are not infants should not place children in their laps unless absolutely necessary to soothe them or comfort them. Once they are comforted or soothed, children should no longer sit on an adult's lap.
Although there are cameras placed in all children’s areas and several other areas throughout the church, there are blind spots. Adults should be aware of any blind spots and avoid them while working with children. The cameras are there for the adult’s accountability and the children’s protection.

Article III. Accusations of Abuse

Policy and Procedures Once Abuse Allegations Are Made

When an accusation of abuse is made towards anyone who serves at Pleasant Hill Baptist Church, is employed by Pleasant Hill Baptist Church, or is in any way affiliated with Pleasant Hill Baptist Church, the accused will immediately be removed from all service and contact with children, other than their own children, until an investigation is completed by the elders/pastors of the church.
If any adult or child sees something that they believe is inappropriate, or that a reasonable person would deem inappropriate for adults who work with children at Pleasant Hill Baptist Church, they must report what they saw to a pastor/elder immediately.
Ohio state law requires anyone who observes, or knows of any abuse towards a child to report it to law enforcement and Children’s Protective Services within 24 hours. Pleasant Hill Baptist Church also requires any adult working with children to do so.
The process for internal investigation once accusations are made known to an elder/pastor are:
1. The person who is accused will be immediately removed from working with or serving children and families.
2. The elders will discuss the accusations with the person who is making the accusation to ensure all details are received accurately.
3. The elders will ensure that the law has been followed regarding reporting allegations of abuse and/or neglect.
4. Once an accusation is made, the elders will inform the child’s parent or guardian of the accusation as soon as reasonably possible.
5. The elders will interview all adults that were present during the incident.
6. The elders will interview any/all children involved or who witnessed the incident in the presence of his/her parent or guardian as long as they’re allowed by law and in cooperation with CPS. If the elders can’t interview the child based on the request or recommendation from police or CPS, they will accept the findings of the police and/or CPS regarding the accusation.
7. The elders will interview the person who is being accused as long as they’re permitted by law enforcement.
8. The elders will make a determination based on the collection of facts of whether the accusations are true, merited and factual or untrue, unmerited and not factual. If the accusation(s) is/are found to be true, merited and factual, then the adult(s) will be permanently removed from all service with children and families at Pleasant Hill Baptist Church. Church discipline in accordance with our constitution will be followed and reports will be made with CPS and the police if they’ve not already been made. If the accusations are found to be untrue, meritless and not factual, then the person/people who was/were accused will immediately be restored to service, and allowed to work with children and families.
9. In cooperation with the Southern Baptist Convention’s recent recommendations on reporting anyone accused of abuse towards children, the elders will create a report of the facts and submit it to the Cincinnati Area Baptist Association Office to keep on file. The report will be generated by the elders and sent regardless of whether the accusation is found to be merited or unmerited as a way of creating a formal record of the event. A copy of the report will also be submitted to the church clerk and saved in the church office as a record.
10. Once the accusation is made, all efforts will be made to investigate and come to a conclusion in as timely manner as possible.
11. Once an accusation is made, the elders will investigate it fully regardless of whether the accuser or the accused leaves the church.
12. If the allegations made are against any paid staff member or pastor, their pay will be withheld from the time they are removed from duties pending the conclusion of the investigation. If the accusations are unmerited all back pay will be paid at that time. If the accusations are found to be merited they will not receive back compensation.

Article IV. Addendum

The procedure for reporting abuse allegations towards children is the same procedure for reporting abuse towards anyone at Pleasant Hill Baptist Church (male, female, child or adult). If any sexual, physical, verbal, mental or emotional abuse takes place, or is accused of any pastor, staff member, volunteer or anyone affiliated with Pleasant Hill Baptist Church, then the procedures listed above in Article III items 4A through 4L will be followed as applicable.

If the accusation involves a pastor, in accordance with Article II Section 4 of our church by-laws, he will immediately be removed from all pastoral roles and duties until the conclusion of the investigation. If the accusation is unmerited, all duties will be restored immediately. If the accusation is merited he will be asked to submit his resignation immediately. If he refuses to resign, in accordance with our constitution, a formal charge will be brought before the church body with a recommendation for immediate dismissal to be voted on in a special or regular called business meeting.

Regardless of whether a pastor resigns, all formal merited findings will be made public to the church at a regular or specially called business meeting.