Leadership & Serving Commitments - Grace Kids Handbook & Training Manual

For the safety of each child attending Grace Kids Ministry, for the safety of our volunteers and for the protection of our church, Grace Church San Diego, each person working in any Children’s Ministry department (Nursery-5th grade) must have an Application For Children’s Ministry completed and approved by ministerial staff and on file at Grace. Each volunteer must be familiar with and agree to abide by the Grace Kid’s Ministry Adult/Child policy:   Grace Kids Volunteer Requirements I. General Policy Involving Grace Kids Ministry Adult/Child Interaction   a. All classrooms must include two adults. No adult should ever be alone with any child   b. There is to be No physical contact for disciplinary reasons (spanking, pinching, etc.). All discipline should follow guidelines outlined in the Discipline Procedures.   c. There is to be No physical contact with private parts of any child or adult. No physical contact includes: children sitting in an adult’s lap, no stroking of the child, no front hugs, no children hanging onto adults, no picking up of children in the Elementary classrooms. If a child initiates any of these physical contacts immediately but gently remove the child. Our goal is for our children to become involved in the classroom activities as soon as possible.   d. Any observation of inappropriate physical contact must be reported to a Children’s Director.   e. Parents and Children’s Ministry Staff are to be notified as soon as possible in the case of any accident, illness, physical distress or emotional trauma of any kind to any child, and a Concern/Incident Card completed and turned in.   f. Any parental complaints about suspected or alleged mistreatment/abuse of their child are to be reported to a Children’s Director immediately.   g. There is to be no administration of any medication or remedies to children at Grace Kids Ministry. Minor injuries may be attended to by volunteers, including the cleaning with soap and bandaging of minor cuts, etc. ANY injury or illness requires the completion of an incident report, turned in to Children’s Director.. There is a First Aid Station located by the checkin station (next to the boys restrooms) All head injuries must be reported immediately to a staff member.   h. If a parent is needed, the child will remain in the classroom and the parent will be contacted to come to the room by a staff member.   i. There is to be no photography or audio taping of any children without permission from the child’s parent(s) and the Children’s Director.   j. All Grace Kid’s volunteers must complete all application and screening requirements, and receive approval from the Children’s Director, before assuming responsibility and care of children.   k. Each elementary age child left in the care of Grace Kids is to be signed in according to the appropriate guidelines. It is essential that no child be picked up without the matching badge being verified. Each badge must be checked at every check out time.   l. No child is to be left alone at any time for any reason while under the care and supervision of the Grace Kids Ministry team. Any incident with a child or volunteer must be reported immediately to a Children’s Director who will notify parents and the incident will be documented within 24 hours.   II. Bathroom Policy   a. Children using the restroom should include the following:   Elementary - Children in 4th or 5th grade are allowed to use the restroom alone with an adult's permission and a bathroom pass. Children must go one at a time. In the case the adult in charge needs to check on the child they must remain outside the restroom and call the child. Pre-K through 3rd grade— An adult should walk the child to bathroom wait outside of the bathroom. Boys and girls must use separate restrooms. If a Pre-k Child needs assistance leave the stall open and have another adult nearby(only women can assist, men cannot go into the girls or boys restroom). Encourage them to use the restroom on their own. At no time may a team member be alone with a child in a stall.   b. Rule of 3: No adult is to be alone with any child at any time. If assistance is needed two adults or an adult plus 2 children must be present. III. Child Abuse Policy   a. It is our intent to follow state regulations in the reporting of child abuse. If any Grace team member suspects that a child is being physically abused, sexually abused, or harmfully neglected, this concern should be reported immediately to a Children’s Director. There should be NO DISCUSSION of the concern among anyone else. b. By law, any suspected cases of abuse must be reported to authorities. In such cases, the appropriate staff from Grace Church San Diego will work closely with the family and any of the helping agencies involved. Our desire is to provide protection for any children, and support for the family. c. Any suspected or alleged child abuse by staff or volunteer can result in temporary or permanent removal from ministry, pending the outcome of an investigation