Volunteer Screening Procedures
While the local church is essentially operated by volunteer workers, there is a mixture of paid or compensated staff and laypeople that share leadership positions. The church is therefore a team of both paid and volunteer staff working together with God in the work of God. The pastor and church leadership team goes through great lengths to evaluate and process both paid staff and volunteer staff. All paid and volunteer staff that work with children and teenagers must pass a rigorous screening process and a state certified criminal background check. This is our best effort to create the safest possible environment within Fellowship Baptist Church.
General Policies And Procedures
All youth and childcare workers are required to take prudent measures not to be alone with any teenager or child of the opposite sex. This includes giving rides to and from church services and church activities.
Contact With Children And Teens
(a) Male workers are never approved to embrace or caress a child.
(b) Female workers take caution to avoid unnecessary physical contact with the children.
(c) Older children are not permitted to sit on a worker’s lap for extended periods. While this may often be necessary with very small children, ministry workers are trained to understand the increased risk of these actions.
(d) As a general policy, children should not be hugged or kissed by church workers.
Communication With Children And Teens
(a) No worker is ever allowed to be alone with a child or lead a child into a private place. At least two (2) adults are always required to be present. Teachers are assigned in teams of two or more per church nursery, Sunday school class, junior and beginner church classes, and youth meetings. Concerted effort is made to recruit sufficient numbers of volunteer teachers to permit such team teaching. Other church-sponsored groups of children or youth, whether they meet at the church or elsewhere, are required to have two or more adult sponsors present. When a church-sponsored children’s youth group has both male and female participants, both male and female adult sponsors must also be present.
(b) No worker is ever allowed to invite a student to stay overnight alone at his or her home unless the child is a close personal friend of the worker’s child.
(c) Workers are encouraged to do everything possible to keep the parents informed about and involved in their child’s activities
.
(d) Children and youth workers are not to go into a child’s home during visitation while their parents are not home.
(e) All counseling is to be done according to the official counseling policies of the church. Failure to do so could result in removal from the ministry opportunity of service.
(f) The church does not tolerate assault, threats, harassment, or abuse against church or school personnel or students. Verbal or written threats, racial/ethnic cultural harassment, physical and/or sexual harassment, or abuse perpetrated by anyone in the church or school, whether intentional or unintentional, is condemned as unacceptable. The church supports efforts designed to protect the welfare of staff and students. In dealing with matters of alleged assault, threats, harassment or abuse, the dignity and rights of all are preserved and respected. The church staff and volunteer workers are “Mandatory Reporters” and follow all legal reporting requirements. The staff members are to immediately report to the pastoral staff and police incidents involving sexual assault, or serious injury. The church is characterized by a safe and harmonious working environment in which the needs and well-being of every individual is paramount.
(g) Electronic Communication - Any electronic communication between paid staff or volunteer staff with children/teens must be group communication (mass text) or copied/paste text with parents or guardians. Ex: Ministry leader (and or wife) communicating with children/teen.
(h) Children/Teens under 18 are not allowed to be posted (photo’s) on FBC website, or workers personal apps: FB, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok etc.. without the parents’ consent.
(i) Driving Policies
The designated leader of all Children/Teen events must know each person designated to provide automobile or van transportation to or from church. The driver must:
(1) Be at least 25 years old; (Church insurance policy guidelines)
(2) Have a valid state driver’s license, qualified for the vehicle being operated;
(3) Have no record of convictions for the past five years for drunken driving, driving under the influence,
driving with a suspended or revoked license or reckless endangerment;
(4) Have proof of insurance; and never be alone in a vehicle with a child not his own.
(j) Overnight Trips
Situations where staff members are taking children or young people out of the area for long periods of time or for overnight outings are to carefully planned. Only known, proven staff, who have passed certified background checks, are permitted to sponsor/chaperone the trips. New staff or volunteers may be used as additional sponsors but shall not be left alone with the children or young people in a situation where
there are no other staff to observe. In no circumstance will one adult be allowed to take children or youth on an overnight outing.
(k) Gifts
No staff, either paid or volunteer, are permitted to give personal gifts to individual children or young people without prior knowledge of the parent(s) or responsible leadership. Because gift giving can be a form of buying loyalty or silence, gift giving must be done on a group basis or for special occasions only. Gifts may not be elaborate but should be modest and appropriate to the occasion.
Church Provided Transportation
(a) Bus/Van Routes No children under the age of 5 years old are permitted to ride to or from church or a church sponsored event without their parent or legal guardian.
(b) All children riding our buses/vans for any church/bus route activity are required to have a permission slip for that particular activity. This form must be signed by his/her parent and/or guardian.
(c) Every bus activity must be chaperoned by his/her bus captain, as well as a male and female worker.
(d) Any adults we provide transportation for on our buses/vans must be seated in the front row of that bus/van.
(e) Written permission is required to be given to a bus captain or worker (and turned into office) when there is change of transportation home for a rider other than the bus/van that transported the child/teen.
Church Nurseries
Birth though Age 2
1.1 A minimum of two adult female caregivers must be present in each nursery regardless of how few children are in attendance. Over 10 children, three workers must be present.
1.2 Every worker and every child must be electronically signed in through our Planning Center check-in station before being allowed into the nursery. Our nurseries are both SAFE SPACES and CLEAN SPACES.
1.3 Our nurseries are a SAFE SPACE. Electronically secure check-in is required. Every worker has passed a certified background check. Each nursery is video and security team monitored, and only approved workers are permitted in the nursery.
1.4 Our nurseries are a CLEAN SPACE. No street shoes are permitted in the nursery. The goal is to minimize germs and the spreading of diseases in this child safe environment. The monitoring of this is not intended to offend but to create as germ free and as sterile of environment as possible. The nursery is disinfected regularly with the use of non-toxic cleaning supplies.
1.5 The windows or door of the nursery will remain uncovered to allow a clear view of all activities.
1.6 Children will be released to their parents at the nursery window/door. We ask that parents respectfully not enter the nursery or at the minimum to observe all CLEAN SPACE guidelines. Persons, other than the
child’s parents or guardians, must be authorized to pick up the child through written permission not word of mouth.
1.7 Only assigned workers are permitted to stay in the nursery or to be in the nursery area during sessions. No female under 16 (must complete background ck, volunteer app & signed safety procedures) are permitted as workers in nursery.
1.8 When possible, children will be encouraged to take care of their own bathroom needs. Should assistance be required, the outer bathroom door must remain ajar while the teacher assists the child.
1.9 Church nursery workers who deal with babies still in diapers must be ladies and must adhere to the following procedures:
(a) Approved Sr. High girls may work in Toddler & Beginner Bible hour only under ministry leadership.
(b) Only lady workers may take children to the restroom. The restroom door would be left open discreetly, so the nursery worker can stand in the doorway enabling her to supervise the child using the restroom as well as maintaining a posture that would safeguard against any accusations.
1.10 A positive approach to discipline will be practiced. Clear, consistent, age-appropriate limits will be established to help the children function appropriately. Corporal discipline is never allowed.
1.11 To abide by North Carolina law, young people who work as helpers in the nursery under adult supervision cannot work more than three hours on a school day and not more than eight on a non-school day. If a young person works more than four consecutive hours, they must have a 30-minute break.
1.12 Photos of children may not be taken during any time the children are in the care of Fellowship Baptist Ministries. We are careful to protect our children, so no unwanted photos of children are posted to Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Messenger, etc… We want our children protected.
1.13 Parents are not permitted to leave the premises after dropping off their children to the care of our nurseries.
Children’s Ministry
Age 3 through 6th Grade
2.1 No male workers (6 years old through adults only) may participate in children’s ministries 2 yrs—5 yrs old. Only assigned workers are permitted to stay in these ministries’ areas during sessions.
2.2 Photos of children may not be taken during any time the children are in the care of Fellowship Baptist Ministries. We are careful to protect our children, so no unwanted photos of children are posted to Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, etc… We want our children protected. This includes no photos taken while on bus routes or bus activities.
2.3 Beginner, Primary & Junior Church - A requirement of one female and one male worker, or two females (over 18 yrs old) must be present at all times. All workers are required to have passed a state approved, certified background check.
Teen Ministry
7th Grade to 12th Grade
3.1-Over-night events that are attended by students of both genders must also be chaperoned by adults of both genders who have passed a state approved, certified background check.
3.2 Every teen must have an activity permission form sign by a parent/guardian in order to participate at any teen event.
3.3 A minimum of two adults (male & female workers) must be present (Activities, SS Classes, Teen Church) regardless of how few students are in attendance.
3.4 The pastor or one delegated by the pastor, must be informed in advance of all activities held on or off the church campus. All activities for students, on or off the church campus, must be scheduled on the official church calendar.
Child Abuse Awareness And Action
4.1 If Fellowship Baptist Church receives an allegation of child abuse, it will respond with the utmost concern to the victim, parent, or other party making such an allegation. The accused will be treated with dignity and support. Without clear and convincing evidence to the contrary, Fellowship Baptist Church personnel will assume that such complaints are made in good faith. Persons making such complaints should have no doubt that Fellowship Baptist Church takes them seriously and will take appropriate action.
4.2 When it becomes necessary to report suspected child abuse or neglect, the protection of children is the most important concern. It is the legal responsibility of any person responsible for the care of children to report all cases of child abuse they observe, and further, to report visible signs of alleged abuse. Failure to report is not tolerated by the church. Fellowship Baptist Church has determined that it is the responsibility of the program staff to report all cases of suspected child abuse to the proper legal authorities. While the confidentiality of the pastor/parishioner relationship is very important, reporting reasonable suspicion of child abuse has the potential for helping individuals receive help of a previous problem and may prevent further harm to a child.
4.3 Any child or youth worker with the firsthand knowledge of child abuse or reasonable cause to believe that a child has been or is being abused has a state-mandated duty to report the abuse to state officials. The child or youth worker must immediately report the suspected abuse to the pastor (or ministry leader) so together they can file a joint report concerning the matter with state officials as required under state law. If the child or youth worker and pastor (or ministry leader) do not report the incident together, they should notify each other in writing, within 24 hours after making the report that the report has been made.
Responding To Reasonable Suspicion
5.1 Staff and volunteers are advised not to prejudge the situation, but to take the allegations seriously and reach out to the alleged victim and his or her family. This is especially true if the alleged abuse involves a family member or friend of the victim.
5.2 The church representatives will show care and be supportive to help to prevent further hurt. Staff or workers are instructed to extend whatever pastoral resources are needed. Remember that the care and safety of the alleged victim is the first priority.
(1) Treat the accused with dignity and support. If the accused is a church staff or volunteer worker, that person will be relieved temporarily of his or her duties until the investigation is completed.
(2) If the media or other parties contact church officials about a pending allegation of child abuse, they are referred to the pastor and ministry leadership team. The care and concern the church has is for all parties involved. The privacy and confidentiality of all involved shall continue to be of primary concern.
