Instructions:

  • First Impressions or Worship Team - You only have to watch the introduction and the general safety & security section (until timestamp "3:50"), but you are free to watch the entire video!

  • Everyone else - You must watch the entire Safety Video that includes general safety & security and all the other sections that pertain to child & youth safety.

IMPORTANT:  After watching the video, please submit your name & how much of the video you watched below the video. THANK YOU!

Everyone please submit:

By filling out the below information, you affirm that you watched & paid attention to the content of the video:




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Lists from the video:

Common Indications of Abuse
  • Bruises, burns sprains, dislocations, bites, cuts
  • Improbable excuses are given to explain injuries
  • Injuries that have not received medical attention
  • Injuries that occur to the body in places that are not normally exposed to falls, rough games, etc.
  • Repeated urinary infections or unexplained stomach pains
  • Refusal to discuss injuries
  • Withdrawal from physical contact
  • Arms and legs kept covered in hot weather
  • Fear of returning home or of parents being contacted
  • Showing wariness or distrust of adults
  • Self-destructive tendencies
  • Being aggressive toward others
  • Being very passive and compliant
  • Chronic running away
  • Prolonged change in normal behavioral disposition
  • The most important: the totality of the circumstances

Guidelines for Responding to a  Disclosure of Abuse:
  • Do not let a child swear you to secrecy before telling you something.  You may need to report, which the child will view as breaking your trust in them. 
  • If a child asks to speak with you, try to find a neutral setting where you can have quiet and few interruptions. 
  • Do not lead the child in telling.  Just listen - letting him/her explain in his/her own words.  Don’t pressure for a great amount of detail. 
  • Respond calmly and matter-of-factly.  Even if the story that the child tells you is difficult to hear, it is important not to register disgust or alarm. 
  • Do not make judgmental or disparaging comments about the abuser-it is often someone the child loves or with whom he/she is close. 
  • Do not make promises to the child that things will get better. 
  • Do not confront the abuser. 
  • If the child does not want to go home, this should be considered an emergency—report and handle it immediately by contacting the local authorities.  Do not take the child home with you. 
  • Respect the child’s confidence.  Limit the number of people that you discuss the issue with. 
  • Explain to the child that you must tell someone else to get help 
  • Try to let the child know that someone else will also need to talk with him/her and explain why. 
  • You are not investigators: Your role is to listen and respond to disclosures to determine the next step for the child to get the help they need.

Reasons Why Children/Youth May Not Want to Disclose Abuse: 
  • They might be afraid of getting someone they care about in trouble.
  • They might believe that whatever has happened is their fault.
  • They might believe that they will get in trouble for whatever action took place.
  • They might be very embarrassed about what occurred.
  • They might not understand that what happened was wrong.
  • They may have trust issues from previous incidents that they have witnessed or had done to them.

Best Practices When Working With Children/Youth: 
  • Two deep leadership 
    • You must always have two ADULTS present when working with children and youth 
  • Open doors or windows 
    • Always leave doors open when counseling children and youth 
    • Only meet with children and youth in a room that is visible to others 
  • Bathroom breaks 
    • Adults should NOT accompany children on bathroom breaks unless absolutely necessary. 
    • If necessary use the two deep concept.
  • Trips 
    • Adults should not make trips alone with a child other than their own.   
  • Car rides 
    • Do not transport children or teens other than your own by yourself. Refer to the two-deep leadership model 
  • Phone calls/texts/emails/social media 
    • Adult leaders should not have direct one-to-one communication with children/teens in private messages/posts/emails/phone calls or other social media outlets. 
  • Enforce no-phone zones
    • People very rarely look to see what is in the background or foreground of a photo and this can cause a seemingly harmless act to become very embarrassing to an unsuspecting person. 
      • Bathrooms 
      • Dormitory/sleeping areas 
      • Changing areas 
      • Showers 
  • Avoid touching the “swimsuit” areas 
    • Side hugs 
  • It is the adult’s responsibility to set and respect boundaries.
    • When a child attempts to involve an adult in inappropriate behavior, the adult must reject the overture. 
  • Documentation 
    • If you are made aware of a situation or believe that a situation needs to be documented, there are incident forms in the church office that should be completed.