ChurchSafety

See also: Assessment: Are We Keeping Track of Our Kids?  

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Your nursery's procedures speak volumes to parents—even if you don't communicate them. By establishing good policies, you don't have to tell parents how important their children are—you show them.

When Stacey arrived at the nursery door, she was greeted by a woman who asked her child's name, welcomed Jermaine warmly, and gave him a colorful nametag to wear during the church service.

She asked Stacey to fill out a short form that asked, among other things, if Jermaine had any food allergies or medical conditions the staff should know about. Then, she gave Stacey a pager and said Jermaine would only be released to the person with the pager.

It was Stacey's first visit to Southside Christian Church, but she had no hesitation about leaving her child in the nursery. It was evident that the church put a priority on safety and had procedures in place to ensure it.

A visitor can tell how your nursery is run in just a few minutes. A nursery that selects good workers, follows safe practices, and requires ongoing training stands in sharp contrast to one that doesn't. Compare Stacey's experience with Pam's:

Pam visited First Community Church while vacationing in another state. The teenage girl staffing the nursery door didn't ask for her name, her child's name, or any other information. Instead, she grabbed the child and his diaper bag and plopped him on the floor with 13 other children and no other help in sight. "He'll be fine," she said with a dismissive wave. "Go on. He'll be here when you get back."

Your nursery's procedures speak volumes to parents—even if you don't communicate them. By establishing good policies, you don't have to tell parents how important their children are—you show them.

Your nursery program is only as good as its workers. Because volunteers can be scarce, it's tempting to allow anyone who professes a love of children to serve in the church nursery. However, doing so opens the door to people who might neglect, or even abuse, the children in their care. That's why you should carefully screen all nursery staff and volunteers. Here are five steps you can take:

1. Require applicants to attend your church for at least six months.
   
   
2. Review written applications.
   
   
3. Check references.
   
   
4. Conduct personal interviews.
   
   
5. Perform criminal background checks on people who'll have frequent, close contact with children.
   
   

Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California, performs a criminal background check on every person, paid and unpaid, who works in the nursery. Even the youth pastor's wife must be interviewed and fingerprinted, said Becky Downs, Saddleback's nursery coordinator.

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See Related Assessment:

Are We Keeping Track of Our Kids?

Next: Step-by-Step—Implement a Practical Plan