Protecting Our Most Valuable Asset
Our most precious asset in the Church is not money, talent, or staff. Our most precious commodity is our children – especially those who are Nursery or Children’s Church age. As such, they require special attention by those in leadership to ensure they are properly cared for and protected.
Unfortunately, many Churches look at this group of attendees as those whom attend, but cannot add much to the service. Therefore, this age group becomes those who receive less attention, and less money spent to provide proper ministry.
Improper or Unskilled Nursery Staff
Many Churches use volunteers for these ministries, regardless of their capabilities. This results in many unqualified individuals watching children, which may result in some serious issues for the Church and Pastor.
Unskilled Nursery Staff may mishandled children, not properly care for their needs, and may not properly screen those who pick up the children after Church. As bad as these situations are, the worst-case scenario is child molestation, which occurs in Churches more than we can imagine.
This may easily occur if proper precautions are not in place to sufficiently screen the workers with background checks and references, or have an electronic check-in/check-out system for parents to adhere.
Steps Churches Should Take
Churches should do extensive background checks on anyone that will be alone with the children of the Church, regardless of the age group. This should include criminal background checks in addition to obtaining several references.
Churches should install Electronic Check-In for Church Nursery and Children’s Church. Should an unauthorized individual remove a child from either of these two rooms, it would result in an unwinnable lawsuit for the Church – and rightly so. Parents can endure a lot, but seeing their children not properly cared for or mistreated will ignite their ire quickly.
We Have the Solution
Chitwood & Chitwood has prepared a Child Protection Policies and Procedures Manual that will provide electronic check-in as well as offer guidance in operating a safe environment for children of Nursery and Children’s Church ages.
Go to www.cmtc.org product page to purchase your copy of this vital resource. It will place parents at ease, who attend your Church, and it is very impressive for first time visitors who have children in these age groups.
Our 78 years of experience protecting Churches make us the number one Church and Clergy Management Firm in America. Why not follow the lead of thousands of other Churches across America and trust us with your Ministry needs. You will be glad you did.
Remember, for us this is “A Ministry – Not A Job!”
