We all like to think that a church is a safe place for children, and that nothing bad could ever happen there. But recent events in the news have heightened our awareness that no place is innately safe. In today’s world, schools, churches, day cares and other places once considered “safe” are realizing that they must take extra precautions to insure the safety of all children.
Cross of Hope has had procedures designed to protect children in place for several years. But for the past few months we have been reviewing those to be sure that they meet our current needs. Our church insurance company has sent out recommendations for such procedures. Several members who are professionals in law enforcement, social services and other areas have provided insight and advice on the needs of our church. Our main objective is simple - to do all that we can to insure the safety of the children that God entrusts to us. And in doing that, we also want to provide a positive environment for adults who work with children.
As a result of our review, we have developed a new application form that ALL people who work with children in any capacity must complete. This includes TNT parents, Sunday Church school parent helpers, and VBS helpers. Those people who are in teaching and leadership roles must also complete a second form that focuses on their previous experience working with children and their interests and gifts. The information on these forms is confidential. The forms and the requirements for their completion were approved by the church council in August.
We want to thank everyone for their patience, understanding and commitment to insuring that Cross of Hope is a safe place for our children.