We believe that church should be a safe place for kids!
One of the most important responsibilities that all church leaders have is to protect the people in their care from abuse, particularly those who are most vulnerable, our children. This moral and ethical responsibility is augmented by the requirement of insures, requiring that churches have in place an approved abuse prevention policy as a prerequisite for liability insurance. All churches regardless of size are a potential target for people who seek to abuse children and must take proactive action. At Bridgewater Baptist Church we want to have all of our volunteers and employees to have training to ensure that our children are safe. This page was created because some people have had the Abuse & Protection training course at one time or another and now are requiring, as per our policy, a refresher or renewal. To expedite this process, we have placed this online so each may complete in their own time and in the comfort of their homes. We hope and anticipate this will streamline the process.
Following is a quick review of the most important points such as the rights and responsibilities of the child. This is followed by our Church Abuse and Protection policy. Finally, there is the Volunteer Ministry Covenant.
By reading this website and clicking on the button below, you confirm that you have reviewed the provided information and wish to continue in this much-needed service within the Church. For those that seek to explore this area further, enclosed is the address for a Federal Government site that provides in-depth information on the topics that were discussed in training. You may browse the site and study individual topics or go through all the chapters. Again, there are some portions that you would need to pay for but there is a lot of good information that is provided for free. Once you have finished your review, please fill in the form below so that our records may be fully updated.
You will need to have audio if you wish to visit this site. The site is: https://www.protectchildren.ca/en/
WARNING: THIS WEBSITE IS NOT Christian and at times becomes very graphic, it will provide extra details that you may wish to know.
RIGHTS of the CHILD
- Be treated fairly and with respect
- Belong
- Feel Safe
- To be included
- To learn
- To seek help
- To be heard
- Make decisions
- Use the Law
- Say NO to unwelcome behavior
- Be protected from emotional, physical and sexual abuse and all forms of harassment.
RESPONSIBILITIES of the CHILD
- Treat others with respect
- Not exclude anyone
- Help protect others
- Respect personal boundaries and honor NO’s
- Tell the truth
- Listen
- Not misuse any powers nor dominate others
- Control their anger
- Not harass nor abuse anyone
- Get help as needed
GUIDING PRINCIPLES FOR RISK REDUCTION
- Two deep rule (try to never be alone with a child).
- Keep in sight of others. If you need to speak quietly to a child, step aside from the group but stay in visual contact.
- Touching should be avoided; if you need to touch, ask the child if it is OK first and restrict touching to the “safe” areas of the body.
- Keep parents informed of your interaction with their child ——– where you are going, what you are doing, when you will be back, etc.
- Avoid contact or conduct that may be interpreted to have sexual connotations.
- Ensure that the children are supervised at all times.
- Respect the dignity of all leaders.
Please click on the following documents to download and read offline.
CONGRATULATIONS!
You have now completed the review. Please fill in the following form so that our records may be fully updated.