Recommended Sexual and Child Abuse Prevention Policies

The Mid-South Baptist Association humbly asks churches to adhere to the following recommendations
and implement sexual and Child abuse Prevention Policies which, at a minimum, requires the Church to: 

  1.   Conduct background checks and obtain personal reference checks on all members working with
    preschool, children, and youth. 
  2.   Use a check-in and check-out system for children.
  3.   Require all volunteers that work with preschool, children, and youth to be members in good standing. 
  4. Incorporate and design rooms and doors with lights, openness, cameras, half-doors, and windows.
  5.   Provide orientation for all new volunteers and conduct annual sexual abuse prevention training for all
    volunteers and leaders.
    a.   Include warning signs to look for in abused children.
    b.   Emphasize the requirement of mandatory reporters who must report to local law enforcement
    authorities, any abuse involving a minor. Everyone in Tennessee is a mandated reporter under
    state law. Any person with reasonable cause to believe a child is being abused or neglected must
    immediately report to the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services or to local law
    enforcement. The reporter can remain anonymous.
    c.   No one should ever be alone with children, and adult childcare workers must not be related.
    d.   Update Church constitution to disallow those struggling with gender confusion or same-sex
    attraction from working with children. 
  6.   Provide written policies and checklists for all adults who work with minors. 
  7.   Use online safeguards and monitoring for computers.
  8.   Utilize policies and procedures to prohibit male and female Church employees from being alone in
    cars, restaurants, etc.
  9.   Establish guidelines for responding to and investigating all accusations of sexual abuse using a third-
    party investigative group.
    10.    Provide compassionate care and counseling for every victim, striving to balance confidentiality with
    transparency.
  10. For more information, see churchcares.com and ministrysafe.com

Download and Print for your church to consider:


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