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  CONDUCT WITH CHILDREN
 
    

Our Diocese has been participating in the Volunteer Canada - Screening in Faith (http://dioceseofalgoma.com/Screening/screening_in_faith.htm) initiative. All congregations and leaders have been asked to co-operatively review their structures and programs to enhance the safety of our children. We know from painful experience that conscientious and responsible measures are warranted. Although these measures involve extra effort, they also help to raise the trust level for children’s programming, as well as to enhance the morale and safeguards for those who are working with children.

It is important for all people involved in professional ministry to live above suspicion. Professionals will exercise their judgement to create and build a climate of such trust. It will be important to avoid circumstances that will be open to misunderstanding and misinterpretation. The example you give will set the tone as well for your volunteers.

Here are some guidelines that you might want to think about and incorporate:

1) Do not spend extended time alone with children without the consent of their guardian.

2) Do not seek out opportunities to spend time with children off-site or "outside of regular activities".

3) Overnighting activities should have wide approval, parental consent, and sufficient parents and chaperones so that no young person is alone with an adult. Arrange rides so that adults are not alone with children and never arrange rides without the consent of the parent.

4) Physical contact between adults and children should occur "in public" and should never make other adults present feel uncomfortable.

5) Parents should be fully informed about children’s activities.

6) Get other adults involved in service programs, children’s choirs, and children’s programming and make sure the spaces where you are meeting and talking are open and accessible.

7) Recently when our cathedral choir went on a tour of England, there was a requirement that each child participant had to bring a parent or guardian. The parents had a great trip and no one had to worry about who was supervising and disciplining their children a long way from home.

There is no set of rules that will apply to the many settings in which clergy and church leaders work and operate. Every professional and every church group need to do some thinking about common guidelines, a safe open climate, adequate adult participation and good communications with parents.

Item XXXIX

©2002 Ronald C. Ferris



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