| Sunday school should be a safe place where kids can | | | | bright and cheery environment for children's activities. |
| enjoy learning and playing. Unfortunately over the | | | | Security cameras are a great way to attain |
| years it has been found that bad things happen even | | | | accountability. If leaders know they are being |
| in Sunday school classes. Injuries, physical or | | | | watched it is less for an abuse to occur whether it is |
| emotional child abuse, and abduction are just some of | | | | a verbal outburst or something more serious. Data |
| the dangers any Sunday school program must | | | | stored on a digital video recorder (DVR) can easily be |
| address. The good news is that with a properly | | | | referred to should a question arise. Wireless security |
| trained staff, safe facilities, and consistent operating | | | | cameras are easy to setup in existing building, since |
| procedures these issues can be virtually eliminated. | | | | there are no wires to run. |
| The core of any program is people. Do not | | | | Class procedures that address safety and security |
| compromise on selecting individuals to lead and | | | | concerns are the final piece to the puzzle. A two |
| volunteer for classes even if it seems difficult to find | | | | adult class policy and security staff that monitor |
| people. Good leaders will put together a top notch | | | | hallways for suspicious activities or individuals are the |
| program that others will want to be involved in. | | | | best way to deal with abuse. Programs should also |
| Churches are traditionally trusting environments, which | | | | include a registration system where organizers take |
| makes them a prime target for child abuse. A child | | | | children's and parent's information including contact |
| molester cannot simply be identified just by looking | | | | info, medical alerts, and any other pertinent care |
| at someone. Today's churches cannot afford to skip | | | | information. Large churches should consider a security |
| interviews and background checks on leaders as well | | | | checkpoint to get into the Sunday school wing. With |
| as volunteers. A regular leader for each class will get | | | | so many divorced and single parents custody alerts |
| to know parents and kids and become familiar with | | | | are not uncommon. Even though a child |
| their varying needs. Provide introductory and ongoing | | | | acknowledges a parent leaders should still know |
| teaching and training for staff. People are more likely | | | | whether or not that parent is authorized to remove |
| to stick around if they feel they are growing | | | | the child from class. An effective method is to issue |
| personally. This will ensure your Sunday school team | | | | a pickup slip or pager to a parent or caregiver at the |
| and program gets better and better. | | | | time of drop off, which they would present when |
| Special attention should be given to your church | | | | classes are over. This way a leader can keep tabs on |
| facilities. Of course common child safety sense should | | | | each child and scenarios where parents flood into |
| be observed, such as child safe anti-tip brackets on | | | | class rooms and scoop up their child should be |
| shelves and furniture, and child proof doors and | | | | avoided. |
| cabinets. Often church's have placed classes and | | | | The days are gone where children's safety can be |
| nurseries in out of the way rooms or a basement | | | | taken for granted. With proper planning and attention |
| area. These areas commonly have other unused | | | | and some old fashioned elbow grease your kids |
| rooms, or storage and supply closets that could be a | | | | programs can be a fun and safe place that promotes |
| place for abuse to occur. Class rooms should have | | | | and grows the church, while fostering children's |
| windows on doors or viewing windows. The best | | | | development. |
| classes are in all glass rooms; this also provides a | | | | |