First Unitarian Church of Victoria

Guidelines When Working With Children

The First Unitarian Church of Victoria (FUCV) strives to provide the best and most loving kind of ministry possible in our community. We are committed to ensuring the safety and care of our vulnerable members, especially children. For these reasons, the following guidelines have been established for our Children's Religious Education Program, based on recommendations from Volunteer Canada's Screening in Faith and our current FUCV policies.

These guidelines are intended to provide a general overview of how adult-child or teen-child interactions should occur at FUCV and during all church- related on-site and off-site services, RE classes, childminding, special events and field trips.

Parental Responsibility

All families are asked annually to complete or update the RE registration form for their child/ren and to read and support these guidelines as well as the behaviour guidelines. Parents are to ensure that the registration information is kept up-to-date. A parental permission form for off-premise activities will need to be completed each year, Only children registered in the program are permitted to participate in off-site events, field trips and sleepovers. An annual RE prospectus is provided to every family. Parents are to have the primary responsibility for their children at all church-sponsored events and activities.

Teachers, Childminders and Volunteers

All volunteers in the RE program and the nursery will complete an application/interview process provided by the Director of Religious Education (DRE), or designated supervisor, and will participate as fully as possible in orientation, training and evaluation as offered. Volunteers must be 19 years of age to teach in the RE program and must have been attending FCUV for at least 6 months.

All RE teachers and childminders will be provided abuse prevention training where these guidelines, the Duty of Care Policy and Sexual Misconduct Guidelines from the church's Policy Manual will be read and discussed. Part of the training will also include ways to recognize signs and symptoms of abuse and molestation. Teachers will also be given resources and training in classroom management skills.
RE teachers and childminders will sign a Code of Ethics Statement indicating their understanding and agreement to follow our guidelines and policies.

Operational Procedures

There must be a minimum of one teacher/group leader and one assistant in every classroom or group activity.
During summer services, a minimum of two volunteers will lead the summer program each week. At least one of these must have undergone the screening and training process. Parents/guardians will be required to sign their children in each week, informing the leaders of any special needs that their child may have.
Adults who form or maintain a friendly relationship with a child through this faith community's activities, i.e., The Secret Buddy Program, should inform the child's parent/guardian of all "off-site", non-FUCV -related interactions with the child, and there should be mutual consent for any extended relationship.
No adult may transport an unrelated child, alone, in a vehicle. All volunteer drivers must sign an agreement form stating how many seatbelts their vehicle has (and therefore how many children they can transport) and affirming at least $1 million third party insurance.
Illegal drugs and alcohol are not permitted at events for children. If alcohol is served at a family or intergenerational event, it is the responsibility of parents, teachers, caregivers and sponsors to ensure that it is not served to minors.

Guests to the Program

Children's Program classes, events and programs are designed primarily to benefit and engage the children of FUCV members and friends. Parents are requested to register their children annually to attend our church-sponsored activities.

Guests (children who are not registered) are welcome to visit 3 times. Parents/guardians are expected to complete a Visitors Registration form available from the ushers or DRE before taking the child to the classroom. The completed form is to be given to the teacher or childminder.

Guests are expected to conform to the same policies, procedures and behaviour guidelines as those registered for the FUCV Children's Program.

Classroom Management and Discipline

Families will be informed of the Behaviour Guidelines at the beginning of each year and each class will develop their own classroom covenant.
Classroom management techniques are included in the Teacher Manual and are a component of the annual teacher orientation.
The respect of personal space and appropriate level of physical contact is important to create a safe place for those in our care. Permission must be obtained from a child before hugging them or holding their hand.
Any form of discipline which honours and respects a young person's inherent worth and leaves their dignity intact is acceptable and encouraged. Such discipline measures are outlined in our Behaviour Guidelines pamphlet which is also included in the Teacher Manual. Our program has zero tolerance for any form of corporal punishment, threatening or violent behaviour, or verbal abuse.

Health, Safety and Sanitation Issues

Infants under 18 months remain in the care of a parent or guardian while in the nursery.
The childminder should not change diapers. Parents/guardians are to be retrieved from the sanctuary to change and then dispose of soiled diapers and clothing.
Parents of toddlers are asked to sit near the back of the sanctuary so that they can be easily found.
Children in the nursery are signed in when they arrive and are released only to the care of the person who brought them.
Children are in the sanctuary for the first part of the Sunday service. At the Arch of Honour, they are accompanied by their teachers and assistants to their classrooms. At the end of the RE session, children under the age of 6 are picked up by their parent/guardian at the classroom. Older children rejoin their parents in the Sanctuary or Fellowship Hall.
One parent/ guardian, or a designate, must be in the church building whenever their child is attending in case of a health emergency or accident.
When classes are not in session, children are not to gather or wander in the RE space unless they are supervised by a parent/guardian, childminder or teacher.
Adults and teens working with children must avoid activities or situations that place them alone with a child.
In the event of a sleepover, there must be one adult supervisor for every 5 children. At least 2 adults must remain awake and on patrol after lights -out and until morning activities resume. This is best achieved with rotating teams.
Fire exit instructions are posted throughout the RE wing and are also clipped to the class attendance clipboards, as well as being included in the Teacher Manual. Fire drills are held at least once a year.
· Earthquake instructions are also included in the Teacher Manual and are attached to the class clipboards. Emergency procedures are outlined as part of the annual teacher orientation.

Injury and Accident Prevention and Response

A large well-stocked first aid kit is kept in the RE kitchen; it is well-marked with a red cross symbol. Its contents are replenished as needed. Access to the first aid kit is readily available during RE class time.
All RE employees are required to have up-to-date first aid training.
Emergency phone numbers, as well as information about the location of the church, are posted near the church phone in the RE entrance hall and in the RE office upstairs.
Toddlers and young pre-schoolers are requested not to bring toys with small parts into the nursery.
Toys and supplies in the nursery are reviewed, sorted and cleaned at least once a year. Those which are broken or unsafe are discarded.

Occasionally, accidents and injuries do occur despite close supervision of children. In such cases, the following steps shall be taken by the teacher, childminder or assistant.

Determine if the injury is an emergency (i.e., severe bleeding, possible neck or spine injury, compound fracture, difficulty breathing, etc.) If so, call 911 as quickly as possible. Do not move the victim in cases of possible head, neck or spine injury.
Administer first aid.
In cases of serious injury, notify the parent/guardian or designate immediately. The parent/guardian will make the decision regarding how to handle the injury (i.e., they will come to get the child, they will request transport to a hospital or doctor, etc.)
In the case of a head injury, please notify the parent even if the child seems to be okay.
Complete an Accident/Injury Report form. Give one copy to the parent/guardian and one to the DRE or designate.
Be aware that teachers, assistants or childminders, as well as the church, may be liable if response to an injury is not reasonable and prompt.

Documentation

All employees and volunteers in the children's RE program are asked to sign an annual Code of Ethics Statement showing that they understand and agree with FUCV policies and procedures.
A personal file will be kept for each employee and regular volunteer in our programs. This file will include the application form, the interview record, criminal/police records check, information from background checks and the signed Code of Ethics Statement as well a record of trainings attended.
Incident reporting forms will be available in the RE office for recording accidents and injuries as well as for suspected cases of abuse (if required by the Sexual Misconduct Committee)

Physical Space

All nursery and religious education classrooms will have windows in their doors to allow people in the hallway to view activities in the classroom, thus lowering the risk potential to all parties.
The DRE or a designated RE supervisor will be available to circulate periodically for surveillance and to protect against any allegations. All RE spaces shall be checked, whether in use or not.
During RE class time, children are asked to use the washroom located in the RE kitchen and the one next to the Pumpkin room. This will minimize the chances of a child meeting with an unknown adult and children will not have to leave the RE wing.

Response to Allegations or Complaints:

The DRE and the Minister should be notified immediately of any case involving children in our program. The Ministry of Children and Family Development requires all cases of suspected abuse or neglect to be reported to them; their abuse hotline is posted in the Teachers Manual, given to everyone who attends the abuse awareness and prevention training and can be found in the Blue Pages of the Victoria area phone directory.
The Sexual Misconduct Committee has procedures in place to handle such alleged incidents. These are in the church's Policy Manual kept in the church office. A copy of these will also be given out and discussed at the abuse training held each year. A suspected abuse reporting form may also be drafted by this committee and made available.

Screening Practices
We seek teachers, childminders and assistants who promote our spiritual, moral and ethical principles, and demonstrate personal integrity. We seek individuals who nurture, care for, and support children, and who are worthy of our trust.
With these statements in mind, the following procedures are used to screen possible candidates:

Assessment of risk:

Low-risk-anyone who has indirect or only casual, occasional contact with the children- the general congregation and staff( office manager, music director, custodian, maintenance person) members of the Board of Trustees, visitors

Medium-risk-personnel who are never left alone with children but who have contact by virtue of their positions or responsibilities- classroom assistants, volunteers at special events and children's worships, secret buddies, kitchen volunteers, intergenerational event volunteers, RE committee members, Minister. Screening procedures for these people include: a 6 month waiting period and a personal interview. A background check may also be done at the discretion of the DRE.

High-risk-personnel who have opportunity to be alone with children or who have power or a position of trust — the DRE, childminder, children's choir director, classroom teachers, youth advisor, snack person.
Screening procedures to be used with high-risk employees are an application form, background reference check, criminal/ police record check, personal interview by a team consisting of someone from the personnel committee, the RE committee chair and the DRE or Minister
Screening procedures for high-risk volunteers include: a 6 month waiting period, personal interview/application process that may include a background check at the discretion of the DRE

These guidelines were drafted 2003-06-29.

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First Unitarian Church of Victoria 5575 West Saanich Road Victoria, B.C. V9E 2G1	Phone	(250) 744-2665
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