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Fair Oaks Presbyterian Church
Oak Park, Illinois
Safe Practices Policy
September 2002
I. Purposes of this Policy
Fair Oaks Presbyterian Church is committed to protecting all children who participate in the programs sponsored by the congregation from physical, emotional, and sexual abuse and harmful neglect. Fair Oaks also is committed to protecting the integrity of the people who are called to work with our young people. This Safe Practices Policy is intended and designed to meet those goals. It establishes standards and procedures for selecting, training, and overseeing youth leaders. It also sets forth the methods for effectively responding to matters of concern.
Fair Oaks’ Safe Practices Committee will be principally responsible for assisting the Session in administering this Policy.
II. Definitions
It is important to define certain terms used in a policy of this type to assure that persons guided and affected by the policy understand all of its provisions. It is difficult, however, to define some terms exactly without lengthy and technical writing. Accordingly, the users of this Policy should responsibly apply each term defined in this Section and be guided by the context within which the term appears and by the purposes and goals of this Policy.
“Activity,” “event,” and “program” each mean, generally, a gathering of children sponsored by Fair Oaks and for which Fair Oaks has responsibility for, or oversight of, leadership staffing. These terms generally are used collectively in this Policy, but when one word is used separately for convenience, it is meant to be inclusive of the others.
“Adult” means a person 21 years old or older.
“Child” and “youth” are used interchangeably and refer to a person until that person graduates from high school. The words also mean any person without regard to age who is specially challenged and requires special attention.
“Child Advocacy Team” means the group of persons designated by Fair Oaks’ Session from time to time to address reports of incidents and acts of child abuse. The Child Advocacy Team shall consist of the Pastor of Fair Oaks, Fair Oaks’ Director of Christian Education Ministries, and one person currently serving on Fair Oaks’ Session. The Child Advocacy Team also may, in its discretion and from time to time, within or outside of the church membership other persons with special expertise, including, for example, a social worker, psychologist, or counselor with expertise in the area of child abuse, an attorney, or an insurance advisor.
“Incident” and “child abuse” mean a non-accidental injury or pattern of injuries to a child. “Child abuse” is injury to a child for which there is no reasonable explanation, which may include non-accidental physical injury, neglect, sexual molestation, and emotional abuse. The abuser may be an adult, an adolescent, or another child. Child abuse may be sexual in nature and such abuse includes behavior that involves touching and non-touching aspects.
“Leader” means any person who works with children in any activity, event or program sponsored by Fair Oaks and for which Fair Oaks has responsibility for, or oversight of, leadership staffing and meets the qualifications set forth in Section V. below.
“Leader Application” means the application form prepared by the Committee that must be completed by each person who wishes to be selected as a Leader.
“Member” means a member of the Fair Oaks congregation.
“Outing” means an activity that occurs away from Fair Oaks.
“Policy” means this Safe Practices Policy.
“Safe Practices Committee“ and “Committee” mean the three-person committee appointed by the Session principally responsible for implementing the provisions of this Policy. The Committee shall consist of one person from the pastoral staff, one person currently serving on Fair Oaks’ Christian Education Committee, and one person currently serving on Fair Oaks’ Personnel Committee. Each member of the Committee shall qualify as a Leader.
“Supervisor” means a person who qualifies as a Leader, who has been designated as an on-site supervisor for Sunday School, Logos, or a youth group, and who has the authority to act as a Supervisor pursuant to this Policy.
III. Applicability of this Policy
This Policy protects children who are participating in, and applies to all persons, whether volunteer or paid, who are selected by Fair Oaks to act as leaders of education programs and other activities and events that are sponsored by Fair Oaks and for which Fair Oaks has responsibility for, or oversight of, the leadership staffing.
IV. Confidentiality
It is the intent of this Policy that all personal and sensitive information shall be held in confidence, shall be reviewed only by those persons having the responsibilities established by this Policy to do so, and shall be shared only as required and then only with persons of authority. It also is the intent of this Policy that information shall be gathered and reviewed only as necessary to fulfill the purposes of this Policy or to comply with applicable law.
Thus, all information obtained in connection with the application or enforcement of this Policy shall be kept confidential and in a secure location and used for the sole purpose of determining the application and enforcement of this Policy and for no other purpose. All information gathered about Leader applicants, including applications, reference and interview reports, background checks, and all related notes and information, shall be managed solely by the Committee. All information relating to a report of an incident and the response to that report shall be managed solely by the Child Advocacy Team.
V. Selection of Leaders
Leaders shall be selected from among all of the qualified persons who have been recommended by the Committee in accordance with this Policy.
Each Leader shall have completed and submitted to the Committee a Leader Application. Except as specifically provided otherwise in this Policy, each Leader shall be:
At least 21 years old; and
A member of Fair Oaks or the spouse or child of a member of Fair Oaks; and
An active participant at Fair Oaks for at least six months preceding service as a Leader.
Fair Oaks provides certain opportunities for participation in youth activities by persons who do not meet all of the criteria listed above. Those opportunities include the positions described in Section VII. of this Policy.
The Committee shall recommend a qualified person to be a Leader by undertaking the following: (1) review completed Leader Application, (2) two reference checks, (3) a background check with the assistance of the local police department to determine any record of sexual assault, physical assault, sexual abuse, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, or any other incident involving misconduct toward a child, and (4) a personal interview.
Members of the Committee shall interview at least two of the personal references (other than an employer or a relative) provided by the applicant, using the questions provided in the Reference Interview Form, generally in the form attached to this Policy, to substantiate the information set forth on the Leader Application.
One member of the Committee shall review the report obtained from the local police department solely for the purpose of verifying that the applicant’s background is consistent with the standards and goals of this Policy.
Each Leader must update her or his Leader Application annually so that Fair Oaks knows that all information in the Application, and the Leader’s commitment to service, is current. It is not necessary for the Committee to review a Leader annually, but instead the Committee shall undertake a review at any time when two or more members of the Committee believe that circumstances warrant such a review.
VI. Leader Training
Each Leader must attend one training session each year hosted by the Committee. The training session will be designed to teach Leaders (1) how to recognize physical, emotional, and sexual abuse and harmful neglect, (2) what constitutes acceptable and appropriate behavior for youth helpers, (3) when and how to report incidents, and (4) about the provisions of this Policy. The training session also shall include basic first aid training.
VII. Staffing
Except as specifically provided in this Policy, each Sunday School class, each Logos class, and each Fair Oaks-sponsored youth group shall be led by at least two Leaders.
In the event of a short-staffing emergency, a class may be staffed by one Leader provided that a Supervisor or another Leader without specific responsibility is present in the building, visits the short-staffed class or event periodically, and is generally available to assist as needed.
A group comprised mostly of senior high school-aged youth and meeting at Fair Oaks may be led by one Leader, if a second adult is present in the building, visits the meeting area periodically, and is generally available to assist the group as needed.
Transportation provided in connection with a Fair Oaks-sponsored outing shall comply with Section IX.B. of this Policy and shall begin and end at the church building. In general, parents are responsible for arranging transportation to and from church. However, simply as a convenience to parents when it would be substantially inconvenient or impossible for a parent to transport a child home, the parent may ask the driver to drive his or her child home if the permission slip for the outing expressly contains the parent’s permission, the driver leaves directly from the program or event with the purpose and intent to take the youth directly to their homes, and the driver contacts a parent of the youth immediately before leaving the program or event.
Nursery helpers shall be governed by the Nursery Supervision Policy, generally in the form attached to this Policy.
For occasional events that are limited in time, such as congregational meetings and dinners, Second Gathering services, and similar events, teams of two youth each at least 12 years old may be used as babysitters, so long at least two adults are present in the building, those adults visit the babysitting areas periodically, and both adults are immediately available to assist the babysitters as needed.
Exceptions to this Policy may be made on a case-by-case basis by Fair Oaks’ Director of Christian Education Ministries after consultation with the leader of the affected program or activity after all reasonable attempts to comply fully with this Policy are made. Cancellation of a program or activity for non-compliance with this Policy is a last resort.
VIII. Registration
Each child who will participate in Fair Oaks’ Christian education programs must be registered by her or his parents annually. Fair Oaks will provide a registration form for that purpose, generally in the form attached to this Policy.
IX. General Guidelines and Standards
Fair Oaks will endeavor to have a Supervisor available during regular program hours for Sunday School, Logos, and youth group meetings to assist Leaders. Among other duties, the Supervisor will visit classrooms, restrooms, and hallways periodically.
Each driver who drives youth in connection with an outing shall have a valid driver’s license and current automobile insurance providing acceptable limits. A copy of each driver’s current insurance card must be on file in the church office. The driver must be between 25 and 70 years old.
The number of persons in a car shall never exceed the number of functioning seat belts in that car. Seat belts must be worn at all times.
Overnight activities conducted by Fair Oaks at the church building shall be supervised by at least two unrelated Leaders and sufficient additional adult chaperones. The optimal student-to-adult ratio is 6 to 1, and a diligent effort should be made to achieve that ratio for every event. If that ratio cannot be achieved, then a higher ratio is acceptable provided that the ratio shall never exceed 10 students to 1 adult.
Overnight outings shall be supervised by at least two unrelated Leaders and sufficient additional adult chaperones so the student-to-adult ratio is not more than 6 to 1.
Each youth who participates in an overnight activity or outing shall deliver to a Leader, before the start of the event, a copy of the Youth Covenant, generally in the form attached to this Policy, signed by the youth and by a parent or guardian.
A first aid kit shall be available in all classrooms and carried on every outing. Ice for ice packs shall be available in the church kitchen.
Each injury and accident involving a child that requires first aid must be reported by the Leader to the Supervisor, if one is available, and to the child’s parent as soon as practicable.
If the circumstances warrant it, minor first aid will be administered immediately by a Leader. Additional medical attention, including a call to “911,” will be considered if a parent cannot be located.
The Leader involved in the incident will enter the incident in a log maintained in the church office, identifying the persons involved, the time and nature of the injury or accident, the person or persons who administered first aid, and the person who reported the matter.
The Supervisor or Leader shall endeavor to make a follow-up telephone call to a parent of a injured child within 24 hours after the injury.
Each classroom door must have a window or panel affording a clear view into the classroom.
Routine "bathroom breaks" shall be instituted to minimize disruption caused by youth visiting the bathroom during classes. The breaks shall be scheduled to occur before the start of classes. It is recommended that an adult escort children aged 4 years or younger to the bathroom. Adults may choose to remain outside of the bathroom after first checking the safety of the room. When a pre-school child or a child who needs assistance uses the bathroom, an adult may enter to assist. In that circumstance, the door for the bathroom must be left open while the adult is assisting.
Physical punishment of all kinds is strictly prohibited. In general, discipline must be administered carefully and sparingly, with careful consideration of a child’s dignity and psychological and social development. Gentleness, respect, and understanding must guide all acts and words of discipline. Discipline will be carried out through instruction, training, and verbal corrections.
The Session may amend this Policy from time to time. An amendment will be effective immediately upon its approval. The Committee may revise any of the forms used in conjunction with this Policy; provided, however, that any change to a form that effects a substantive change in this Policy shall require the approval of the Session.
X. Incidents
Fair Oaks is committed to avoiding all incidents and acts of child abuse in its programs. Fair Oaks also is committed to achieving 100% compliance with this Policy’s reporting requirements and to a timely and thorough response to each such report. To those ends, all Leaders shall be taught that abuse may be committed by anyone, including adults and youth, and that the best and essential response to an incident or to abuse is prompt and proper reporting.
Notably, it is not the responsibility of a person reporting an incident or an act of child abuse, or the responsibility of the person receiving the report, to substantiate any allegation or suspicion.
Every adult working with youth in an activity shall report any suspected or alleged incident or act of child abuse observed in connection with that activity as soon as possible to a member of the Child Advocacy Team.
Each report and all circumstances that lead to a report are highly sensitive and strictly confidential information. No person, including Session members and the person initially reporting the incident, may disclose any such information to any person outside of the Child Advocacy Team.
The member of the Child Advocacy Team who receives a report shall convene the Child Advocacy Team promptly to review the report and to determine the appropriate response to the report, including gathering the facts and circumstances related to the allegation.
The Child Advocacy Team shall notify the Session promptly about an investigation. That notice shall not describe the facts or circumstances related to the report and shall not identify any individual involved in the matter.
The Session, with the assistance of the Child Advocacy Team, shall determine whether any communication shall be made to the congregation, church authorities or the media about any report or investigation.
The Child Advocacy Team shall determine whether to advise any law enforcement officials or any state or local agencies about any report.
No person who is the subject of a report of an alleged incident may serve on the Child Advocacy Team in any capacity until all aspects of that incident are resolved. Any resulting vacancy shall be filled by the Session.
The members of the Child Advocacy team shall:
Know the provisions of this Policy; and
Be knowledgeable of Illinois laws relating to the reporting of child abuse; and
Review all reports made to the Child Advocacy Team and gather such facts as needed to decide what further action is appropriate to respond to the report; and
Assure that an objective, effective, confidential, and caring response to an initial report is made to all interested parties; and
Notify such authorities as required; and
Write an incident report including the information listed in Section X.D. below; and
Seek additional sources of expertise that members of the Child Advocacy Team determine are needed.
Each incident report of the Child Advocacy Team must include:
The names of all persons involved, including the accused, victim, and the person who reported among any others; and
The allegations made by the person who reported the incident; and
The response of the accused; and
The names and reports of witnesses and others with information about the incident; and
A copy of each relevant document; and
Recommendations for further action or assistance if any.
A person who is the subject of a report of an alleged incident shall withdraw or be suspended from all involvement in programs, activities, or events sponsored by Fair Oaks until the matter is fully resolved. In addition, if a paid staff member is the subject, the Child Advocacy Team shall make a recommendation to the Session concerning the suspension of other duties and the continuation of salary and benefits while the matter is pending. Reinstatement will be considered only after final action is taken by all appropriate authorities.
Members of the Child Advocacy Team shall maintain confidentiality in all of their activities. All information about a report shall be managed exclusively by the Child Advocacy Team and shall be kept in a secure location for so long as required by the applicable legal statute of limitations. Such information shall be disclosed only to persons who are required to have it to fulfill the purposes of this Policy or to comply with applicable law.
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