ChurchSafety

The six-month rule. Prevent predators from gaining quick access to potential victims by establishing the six-month rule. This rule establishes a length of time that any person must attend the congregation, such as six months, before he or she can volunteer to work with children or youth. This time restriction also allows volunteers to get involved in other ministries of the church. Some churches require staff and volunteers who work with kids to be involved in the church to the extent that other adult members can provide a positive character reference for them.

Use a written application. Requiring a written application for church volunteers serves the same role as it does for paid employees, although the application form can be somewhat different. The goal is to document the selection process and to be able to demonstrate that the church met the test of reasonable care. Remember, the focus is not upon the employment status of the worker, but on the worker's responsibilities. A church can be just as liable for the negligent selection of a volunteer as it can be for a paid employee.

Use the applications included in the Legal Forms and Service Records File included in the Reducing the Risk kit (also sold separately), available at ReducingtheRisk.com.

Conduct reference checks. Once the written application is complete, the church should conduct reference checks. If the threshold requirements are enforced, the application should indicate that the volunteer has attended the church for a minimum length of time, such as six months, and the volunteer should list two or more other church members as references, plus any other references that may be available from other forms of service. Document the reference information in writing and store in a specific folder for each candidate.

Conduct a personal interview. Use the interview as a time to explore more fully why the candidate wants to work with children or youth. It's also a good time to review your church's policies and procedures regarding the supervision of children.

Conduct additional background checks. A criminal records check is recommended for all volunteers who will have unsupervised access to children, youth, the developmentally disabled, senior citizens, or who serve in a counseling position. The phrase "unsupervised access to children" appears on both state and federal legislation to identify individuals requiring a higher level of screening and accountability. If a church decides that some volunteer positions do not warrant this level of screening, that evaluation and its defense should be grounded in a risk management philosophy that can be explained and defended as reasonable if called upon to do so before a jury.

This is an adapted excerpt from Reducing the Risk, Third Edition.

For the complete training on creating child protection policies, download the Step-by-Step resource Creating Child Protection Policies

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