Safe Congregations Policy
Westminster Unitarian Church
Safe Congregations Protocol and Policy
1. Safe Congregations Committee
2. Safeguards for Children and Youth
3. Nursery Care
4. Classroom Protocol
5. Field Trip Protocol
6. Class Protocol for Senior Youth Group
7. Sexual Abuse Prevention Programs
8. Sexual Conduct and/or Abuse Response Policies
2. Safeguards for Children and Youth
3. Nursery Care
4. Classroom Protocol
5. Field Trip Protocol
6. Class Protocol for Senior Youth Group
7. Sexual Abuse Prevention Programs
8. Sexual Conduct and/or Abuse Response Policies
Forms:
Field Trip Permission Form (Not yet posted)
Westminster Unitarian Church
Safe Congregations Protocol And Policy
Approved by the Board of Trustees:
1. Safe Congregations Committee:
The Westminster Unitarian Church will have a standing Safe Congregation Committee, which will include: the Minister, the Religious Education Coordinator, the President of the Board of Trustees (or his/her designee), and at least two members of the congregation, at least one of whom shall be a licensed mental health professional. Recommendations for participation on the committee will be made by the committee and approved by the Board of Trustees.
Members of the congregation will be advised of the members of the committee, annually, and invited to approach them or the Minister with any concerns about sexual misconduct or harassment by other members.
Janet Searles chairs the Safe Congregations Committee. Members of the committee are Rev. Barbara G. Fast; Dee Lovecky, Ph.D.; Renee Pierre; Janet Searles; and Michael Werle, Ed.D.
Members of the congregation will be advised of the members of the committee, annually, and invited to approach them or the Minister with any concerns about sexual misconduct or harassment by other members.
Janet Searles chairs the Safe Congregations Committee. Members of the committee are Rev. Barbara G. Fast; Dee Lovecky, Ph.D.; Renee Pierre; Janet Searles; and Michael Werle, Ed.D.
Any person in the congregation who has a concern or knowledge of sexual abuse or sexual harassment involving a congregant of the Westminster Unitarian Church is urged to contact a member of the committee.
2. Safeguards For Children And Youth
As appropriate, all RE volunteers, teachers, teen volunteers and nursery caregivers, will do the following:
Sign the Code of Ethics for Adults and Older Youth Working with Children and Youth at the time they sign up to teach (See Code Of Ethics For Adults and Older Youth Working With Children and Youth);
Sign the Agreement to Teach Form for Religious Educators and Youth Group Leaders (See Agreement To Teach Form For Religious Educators and Youth Group Leaders);
As of September 1, 2009, all persons working with children and youth will have a RI CORI (background check). Any information or accusations connected with the CORI will be kept in a locked file. Background checks for those already on file will be completed again every three years.
All new volunteers will have a RI background check (CORI) completed before working with our children or youth.
All adults and teens working with children or youth will attend Westminster Unitarian Church for at least one year prior to volunteering unless prior experience and recommendations allow the Religious Education Coordinator, in consultation with the chair of the Safe Congregations Committee, to determine otherwise.
Complete the Screening Form for Religious Educators and Youth Group Staff and Volunteers (See Screening Form For Religious Educators and Youth Group Staff and Volunteers);
Sign the Code of Ethics for Adults and Older Youth Working with Children and Youth at the time they sign up to teach (See Code Of Ethics For Adults and Older Youth Working With Children and Youth);
Sign the Agreement to Teach Form for Religious Educators and Youth Group Leaders (See Agreement To Teach Form For Religious Educators and Youth Group Leaders);
As of September 1, 2009, all persons working with children and youth will have a RI CORI (background check). Any information or accusations connected with the CORI will be kept in a locked file. Background checks for those already on file will be completed again every three years.
All new volunteers will have a RI background check (CORI) completed before working with our children or youth.
All adults and teens working with children or youth will attend Westminster Unitarian Church for at least one year prior to volunteering unless prior experience and recommendations allow the Religious Education Coordinator, in consultation with the chair of the Safe Congregations Committee, to determine otherwise.
3. Nursery Care:
The RE Committee, with consent of the Safe Congregations Committee, will develop a plan related to educating and approving teenage babysitters for Sunday morning services, as well as non-Religious Education Program congregational events.
4. Class Protocol
Class Protocol for Pre-K through 8th grade will include:
Rotation through classes each Sunday morning by the Religious Education Coordinator or his/her assistant;
Staffing of two teachers in all RE classrooms at all times. This may require a parent volunteer staying if one of the adult teachers is not present;
Staffing of two teachers in all RE classrooms at all times. This may require a parent volunteer staying if one of the adult teachers is not present;
5. Field Trip Protocol includes the following:
a) A signed Field Trip Permission Form must be completed (Not yet posted)
b) Copies of valid driver's license and insurance coverage for all drives to RE activities must be on file.
c) All drivers must be 25 or over.
d) All children must wear seat belts and use seating appropriate to age in accordance with RI State laws.
e) Two unrelated adults must be in any car transporting unrelated minors. If this is not possible, there will be at least two unrelated children in a single driver's car.
f) Rest stops will be coordinated with other drivers.
b) Copies of valid driver's license and insurance coverage for all drives to RE activities must be on file.
c) All drivers must be 25 or over.
d) All children must wear seat belts and use seating appropriate to age in accordance with RI State laws.
e) Two unrelated adults must be in any car transporting unrelated minors. If this is not possible, there will be at least two unrelated children in a single driver's car.
f) Rest stops will be coordinated with other drivers.
6. Class Protocol For Senior Youth Group to be developed.
7. Sexual Abuse Prevention Programs:
Sexual Abuse Prevention Programs will be developed and may include the following:
Annual training for RE teachers;
An adult workshop on child sexual abuse prevention held annually;
Age-appropriate information on child sexual abuse for K-6th grade children, yearly;
Age-appropriate information on child sexual abuse for 7th and 8th grade students through OWL or Junior Youth Group, yearly;
Age-appropriate child sexual information at least every other year for high school youth groups.
An adult workshop on child sexual abuse prevention held annually;
Age-appropriate information on child sexual abuse for K-6th grade children, yearly;
Age-appropriate information on child sexual abuse for 7th and 8th grade students through OWL or Junior Youth Group, yearly;
Age-appropriate child sexual information at least every other year for high school youth groups.
8. Sexual Misconduct and/or Abuse Response Policies
It is expected that a member of the congregation or a potential member/participant with a history or active accusation of sexual misconduct/abuse/sexual offense, will make that history known to the Minister.
Any person accused of a sexual offense of any kind will be placed on a Limited Access Agreement (See {glossSub ("3LtdAccessAllegation.pdf", "Limited Access Agreement In Cases of Allegation")}) without prejudice and the following procedure will be followed:
Any person accused of a sexual offense of any kind will be placed on a Limited Access Agreement (See {glossSub ("3LtdAccessAllegation.pdf", "Limited Access Agreement In Cases of Allegation")}) without prejudice and the following procedure will be followed:
- The Safe Congregations Committee will be convened within 10 days of such a person being made known to the Minister, the Religious Education Coordinator, or any member of the Safe Congregations Committee to develop the agreement (which may be subsequently revised upon more information).
- Person(s) will not continue to attend or participate in any programs or services of the Westminster Unitarian Church until a Limited Access Agreement is prepared and signed.
- The Limited Access Agreement will remain in effect until all charges are dropped or confirmed (in which case see below).
Any person convicted of a sexual offense or who has a history of known sexual offenses will be placed on a Limited Access Agreement without prejudice and the following procedure will be followed:
The Safe Congregations Committee will be convened within 10 days of such a person being made known to the Minister, the Religious Education Coordinator, or any member of the Safe Congregations Committee to:
a) Consult with the person's parole officer, treatment provider, or others as appropriate in order to:
b) Prepare a Limited Access Agreement if it is determined that they can participate in the adult life of the congregation safely.
Any person accused, convicted, or with a history of known sex offenses who will not sign the Limited Access Agreement will be denied access to any programs or services at the Westminster Unitarian Church.b) Prepare a Limited Access Agreement if it is determined that they can participate in the adult life of the congregation safely.
The Safe Congregations Protocol and Policy will be posted on the Westminster Unitarian Church web site, conveyed at the annual meeting, be reviewed annually with all RE volunteers, be reviewed annually by the Safe Congregations Committee, presented in the annual report to the congregation, including notice of the number of persons currently attending who have signed a Limited Access Agreement.