Church Safety and Safe Conduct

Healthy boundaries are essential to church safety and safe faith communities.  

     It is important to create safe spaces which are bound by covenant and demonstrate  our core Christian values in every congregation. The problem of sexual abuse of children is not someone else's problem. Providing a safe place for all vulnerable populations - of children, youth, and those who are elderly or developmentally vulnerable, and the church leaders who supervise them - is a core value of our mission and ministry.

Scroll down for information on:
     Mandated Reporting
     Sex Offender Resources
     Responsibilities of Church Staff & Volunteers
     Church Safety Resources
     Church Safety Policies
     Active Shooters
     Anti-Bullying
     Youth and Mission Trips
     Behavioral Covenant
     Keeping Children Safe
 

Mandated Reporting

Training for mandated reporters is required under Connecticut and Massachusetts law.
Even though training is not provided by the state of Rhode Island, it would be prudent to undertake the training it recommends in order to address the state’s reporting requirements.

• Connecticut
  Clergy are mandated reporters under Connecticut law. Mandated reporters are required to make an oral report within12 hours, and a written report within 48 hours. Privileged communications are protected by Connecticut law if made to a “clergyman,” including a minister or priest, in his/her/their professional capacity. Connecticut child reporting laws do not specifically address privileged communications to clergy. This leads to ambiguity as to which law controls (child reporting or protection of privileged communication). In Connecticut, mandated reporting is also required for elder abuse.
  Training:  CT.GOV Mandated Reporter Training
                         Mandated Reporting for Elderly and Mental Retardation
  Other Links:
  CT.GOV Reporting Child Abuse and Neglect FAQs
  CT.GOV Report Form for Suspected Child Abuse or Neglect

• Massachusetts
  Clergy are mandated reporters under Massachusetts law. Mandated reporters are required to immediately make an oral report, followed by a written report to be submitted within 48 hours. Privileged communications are protected by Massachusetts law if made to a “clergyman,” including a minister or priest, in his/her/their professional capacity.
  Training:  Recognizing and Reporting Child Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation
  “A mandated reporter who is professionally licensed by the commonwealth shall complete training to recognize and report suspected child abuse or neglect.” G.L. c. 119, §51A(k).
  Other Links:
  MA DCF’s Guide for Mandated Reporters
  MA.GOV Report Child Abuse or Neglect
   
• Rhode Island
  Mandated reporting laws apply to “any person.”
  The privilege of communication between clergy and parishioners is denied in situations of child abuse:  Clergy must still report.
  Rhode Island has a dedicated phone line for reporting of child abuse and neglect:
       1-800-RI- CHILD (1-800-742-4453)
  The calls are recorded and may be made anonymously.
  Training:  The RI government does not offer a free training program, but private companies provide training.
  Other links:
  RI Child Protective Services
   
• All 50 States:  Summary and Links for Mandated Reporting Laws
   

Sex Offender Resources  

• Connecticut: Connecticut Sex Offender Registry Unit
• Massachusetts: Public Records for the Sex Offender Registry Board
• Rhode Island: Rhode Island Sex Offender Registry
• New York: The Official New York State Sex Offender Registry
• National sex offender website from the US Department of Justice
   

Responsibilities as a staff or lay person serving a church

The Southern New England Conference strongly recommends that all  conference churches conduct state and national background checks of all employees and volunteers who have contact with children (i.e. Sunday school teachers, youth group leaders, choir directors, etc).
 

Connecticut: DCF Background Checks

The historic  Connecticut Conference adheres to the Department of Children & Family's Child Protective Services (DCF-CPS) background check.

Massachusetts: iCORI background checks

Massachusetts state law requires all volunteer organizations that provide activities or programs to children to conduct CORI background checks of the volunteers. The law also requires CORI checks any time there is a potential for someone to have unmonitored contact with a child. The historic  Massachusetts Conference adheres to the state's CORI policy established by the Department of Criminal Justice Information Services.

Rhode Island: BCI background checks

In 2017, Rhode Island's General Assembly gave its approval to legislation requiring all adults who seek employment or volunteer opportunities with routine contact with children in churches or religious organizations to submit to a national criminal background check via the state's BCI system. The historic  Rhode Island Conference adheres to the state's BCI model.

Church Safety and Safe Conduct Policies

• Start here for an overview of church safety resources and policy development: 
  A video & reading overview plan for church leaders and committees

• The United Church of Christ Insurance Board (UCCIB), which provides property and liability insurance to UCC congregations, has written to its policy holders about the need for child protection management policies and procedures in local churches. The UCCIB program's current underwriter will be requiring that churches have such a policy to be eligible for Abusive Acts Liability Coverage.

  • The UCCIB SafeConduct™ Workbench provides tools to help you develop and participate in your ministry’s abuse prevention program. These include access to services and other reference materials:
  • Safe Conduct Policy Template
  • Know Your Score (KYS) - a self assessment tool for congregations to identify gaps in abuse prevention.
  • Online Trainings - from Praesidium
• Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) "Guide for Developing High-Quality Emergency Operations Plans for Houses of Worship" (The section beginning on page 23 addresses active shooters.)
• Church Safety and Anti-Bullying resources from the UCC
• UCC links to a sample policy and forms for youth ministry.  Disclosure Forms, Adult and Youth Covenant Templates, Medical Release Forms, and Media Release Forms.
  More guidelines from the Southern New England Conference (see pp. 27-34)
  Supervision guidelines for non-binary youth from 4-H
  Mission trip safety from The Insurance Board (search "mission trips")
• Guidelines for Handling Disclosures
• Definitions of Child Abuse and Neglect
• Sample abuse prevention policy from the UCC
• A basic Behavioral Covenant from Gill Rendle

 

Keeping Children Safe

• Presentation video (56 minutes)
• Presentation slides
• Steps Toward Child Abuse Prevention manual
• Sample Self-Audit form
• Handling a Child's Disclosure activity sheet
• Hot Chocolate Talk® - age-appropriate resources to help parents talk with their children about abuse, before and after
• SafeKidsThrive.org