Child and Youth Protection Policy

Preamble

We, the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Stanislaus County, as an institutional body of religious community, recognize the importance of creating a community where everyone, and especially our children and youth, are safe. We recognize that religious communities - which should be dedicated to the creation of safe environments for all their members - are particularly vulnerable to incidents of abuse because of the high level of trust, the welcoming spirit and the strong need for volunteers, especially in children and youth programs.

We recognize the importance in a religious community of those very factors of trust, welcome and volunteer commitment, and the necessity to adopt requirements, with explanatory guidelines, to guard against incidents of abuse. We further realize that institutions operating in the best manner possible with all due concern still cannot guarantee an absolutely risk-free environment.

We recognize that to adequately address the need for safe enjoinments, it will mean change and sacrifice of some convenience, yet we know our responsibility to respond to the reality of our situation and to our children and youth.

In this spirit, we endorse the following requirements for church events.

I. Screening and Selection of Workers with Children and Youth

Workers who provide direct care or supervision to children or youth at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Stanislaus County (UUFSC) events or programs must meet the following criteria:

• Advisors for youth and volunteer Religious Education teachers must be active participants at the UUFSC or another Pacific District UU Church for at least six months. Active participants are church members or contributing friends who are involved with church committees, activities, and/or events.
  
  
• Advisors for High School Youth must be at least 21 years old; advisors for Middle School Youth must be at least 21 years old and all other volunteer religious education teachers, nursery, and childcare supervisors must be at least 18 years old.
  
  
• Workers under 18 years old may be used as paid helpers for nursery and event childcare as long as they have completed the Red Cross Babysitter's Training or equivalent course and are on the church's baby-sitters list. An adult meeting the above criteria will supervise them throughout the event.
  
  
• All compensated workers and volunteer religious education teachers and volunteer youth advisors and sponsors must complete an application form, read the policy, and sign the code of Conduct included in this policy.
  
  
• Occasional volunteers, parents or church members who serve as classroom helpers or who substitute in the classroom or program occasionally, must read and sign the UUFSC Code of Conduct before assuming their duties. The DRE and volunteer religious education teachers will supervise these volunteers.
  
  
• All compensated workers must meet the UUFSC Personnel Policy requirements that include a criminal background check.

II. Definitions

A "group" is defined as those children who have been assigned to a nursery, preschool, or individual elementary class or specific program or activity within the context of that class, as well as youth who are taking part in a planned, organized component of their program.

"Supervision" is defined as the reasonable exercise of thoughtful action and responsibility by adults working with their respective age groups, realizing that the immediacy of such direct supervision will vary with the ages of those in a group and the context of the activity.

III. Supervision Guidelines and Policies

There will be minimum of two adults scheduled to supervise each group. The Director of Religious Education (DRE) may make exceptions to this two-adult rule on a case- by-case basis.

If any adult is alone with a group of children at the church, the window coverings will be open and/or the door to the classroom will remain open and the DRE or her/his designated representative will check-in with the group.

Corporal punishment or abusive/disrespectful language will not be used under any circumstances.

Two adults will be present during all disciplinary meetings. Disciplinary meetings between a teacher, adult sponsor, advisor or other volunteer and a child must include another worker or the Director of Religious Education. If such a meeting is necessary, the parents will be informed and the contents of the meeting will be discussed with them as soon as possible or when they pick up their child.

If an adult other than a parent or guardian (see also the section below "Counseling by Minister or DRE"), has a private on-site, one-on-one meeting with a child or youth, the Director of Religious Education or another member of the Religious Education Committee should be immediately notified of the meeting and its purpose. Such meetings are strongly discouraged and must be conducted in a room with a window or open door. At church-sponsored events, no adult volunteer or compensated employee, other than the parent or guardian, is to be alone with a child or youth offsite without prior parent arrangement approved by the DRE.

Counseling by Ministers or DRE

UUFSC professional staff, the Minister or DRE, counseling (counseling is defined as meeting(s) to provide emotional support and/or referral for outside counseling) children or youth must inform the other member of the professional staff or, if unavailable, the Chairperson of the Religious Education Committee, of the meeting and the name of the counseled. Advanced scheduling is strongly encouraged, but notice immediately after counseling is permissible if prior notice is impossible. Standard rules of ministerial confidentiality will be respected. Parents will be informed of the meeting, again respecting rules of confidentiality, unless it is deemed that to do so would endanger the child or youth.

Transportation to, from, and during Church or District Events

It is the responsibility of parents to provide safe transportation to and from UUFSC for Church and District events. Volunteers and compensated employees are not allowed to pick-up or drive children and youth home from UUFSC or to be alone in a car with one child or youth except by prior parental arrangement or notification of DRE.

Sh3ecial Cases

For children with special needs, it may not be possible to serve a child's needs through the classroom setting with two volunteers and other arrangements may be made. In such cases, the DRE and the child's parents will try to work out a reasonable supervision arrangement. Such arrangement will be agreed to in writing between the DRE and the child's parents. The Religious Education Committee will approve the arrangement.

IV. Conduct for Adults Working with Children and Youth

Adults who work with children and youth at UUFSC are expected always to have the best interests of children and youth at heart. They are expected to nurture their physical, emotional, and spiritual growth by fostering an environment of kindness, trust, respectfulness, and hopefully, fun. No one's enjoyment should ever be at the expense of another person's health or self-esteem. Their charge is to encourage kindness and genuineness among the children and youth, and to discourage unkindness and falseness. In this manner, we hope to create an environment in which children and youth will be able to explore the spiritual and religious nature of their lives, both as individuals and as communities. To accomplish this, the following specific expectations will apply to UUFSC employees and volunteers.

"Friendship" with Youth

Although we hope that youth and adults will have genuine fondness for one another, any adult who looks to youth for friendship is not sufficiently mature to be in a position of responsibility over them. A "friendship" is reciprocal, where neither person has more responsibility for the health of the relationship than the other does. This is antithetical to the adult/youth relationship, where the adult is the one who assumes primary responsibility for maintaining appropriate boundaries and cultivating an atmosphere of health and trust. Therefore, it is the adult volunteer or compensated worker's responsibility to avoid or discourage inappropriate friendships.

Unofficial Contact with Youth

Sometimes a genuine mentoring relationship will develop between a youth and an adult. These relationships can be healthy and transformative for both. However, it is our concern that someone, who might not have the best interest of the youth at heart could try to disguise an unhealthy relationship with a youth as mentoring relationship. Therefore, if an adult wishes to be in contact with a youth outside of the normal channels of church events, it is imperative that their behavior both be and appear to be "above reproach". Any relationship developed between an adult and a youth outside of UUFSC activities must take place with the knowledge and consent of the youth's parents. This is for the protection of the youth and the adult. Adults will best protect themselves from false accusations of misconduct by keeping the parents informed of their actions.

Sexualized Behavior

It is never appropriate to engage in any manner of sexualized behavior with a child or youth. This refers not only to explicitly sexual behavior, but also to sexually provocative behavior or language. It is inappropriate to tell jokes with sexual content, for instance, or to make "double entendres." Physical expressions of affection such as hugs certainly have their place, but it is best to allow the child or youth to initiate them and the adult must be sensitive not to allow them to be prolonged.

Confidentiality

Adults who work with children and youth under the aegis of UUFSC are responsible first to the children and youth, but to the church as well. Sometimes an adult will learn that a child or youth is the victim of abuse, is suicidal, has a serious drug problem, etc. It is UUFSC's policy that information be communicated to the Church's professional staff immediately. For this reason, please try never to give children or youth the impression that you will keep secrets for them. CONFIDENTIALITY IS NOT SECRET KEEPING, For the most part; a covenant of confidentiality will mean that you do not repeat information told to you in confidence. However, when the information is of major, crisis nature, encourage the child or youth to seek help from a parent or other authority figure. Consult with a person of greater authority in the church, the minister, or the DRE, about an appropriate course of actions.

Acceptance with this Policy and Code of Conduct

Any church employee or volunteer working with children or youth who disagrees with any provision of the Policy or the Code of Conduct is free to discuss their opinions with the leadership of the church, but must abide by the Code as written. Signing the Code indicates the signatory has read the Policy and the Code and agrees to abide by them. The signatory further acknowledges that failure to abide b the Code or the provisions of the Policy will result in dismissal from either paid or volunteer positions involving children and youth at UUFSC.

V. Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Stanislaus County's Code of Conduct

Statement of Position: Adults and older youth in leadership roles in this congregation are in a position of stewardship and play a key role in fostering the spiritual development of both individuals and the community. It is, therefore, especially important that those in leadership positions be well qualified to provide a positive sense of self and a sprit of independence and responsibility. The relationship between young people and their leaders must be one of mutual respect if the positive potential of their relations is to be realized. Respect on the leader's part must include recognition of the absolute right of children and youth to the privacy of their bodies and minds.

Statement of Expectation of Behavior: As specified in the UUFSC Child and Youth Protection Policy all compensated and volunteer staff are expected to adhere to the following behavior.

• Religious Education Workers shall not engage in behavior with children or youth that constitutes verbal, emotional, or physical abuse; this includes behavior or language that is personally threatening or demeaning.
  
  
• Religious Education Workers shall neither indulge in sexually harassing behavior nor engage in sexual, seductive, or erotic behavior with children or youth.
  
  
• Religious Education Workers shall not allow the use of tobacco, drugs or alcohol or any illegal activities among children or youth.

VI. Reporting and Response Procedures

If a worker, volunteer, or any other adult suspects abuse of a minor during a UUFSC program or event, the adult must immediately report it to the DRE or the Minister. California State Law (Section 11166 of the California Penal Code and section 15632 of the California Welfare and Institution Codes) requires that a person suspecting the abuse of a child report these suspicions immediately or as soon as practically possible to a child protective agency, or a local law office. The minister and/or DRE will need to prepare and send a written incident report within 36 hours of receiving the information concerning the incident. Workers or volunteers must report such suspicions to the DRE or Minister in addition to contacting the authorities.

If the DRE or Minister ascertains that a child or youth is in a situation of risk, the responsible person should immediately remove the allegedly abusive adult (or the child) from the situation and take any other steps necessary to protect the minor.

The Minister or DRE will alert the President of the Board of Trustees and the CYRE chairperson that an abuse situation has been reported. Otherwise, the matter is to remain confidential. Release of information could interfere with successful prosecution, could result in unwarranted damage to the reputation of the accused, or may endanger the child.

If the reported abuse involves a worker or volunteer at UUFSC, the supervisor of that person will immediately relieve that person of any duties involving supervision, care or teaching of children and youth at UUFSC until the matter is resolved. The supervisor will keep a written record of who reported the suspected abuse and any circumstances.

Responding

If the media contact UUFSC about an alleged abusive situation involving UUFSC, only the President of the Board of Trustees or his/her specific designee will speak for UUFSC. In general, the following guidelines apply for these situations with the public media:

Because of the issue of confidentiality, in the best interests of the child, we cannot discuss specific cases in a public context. It is important that we protect the interests of the child and UUFSC, particularly if litigation seems possible. The designated spokesperson will freely discuss what steps we have taken to guard against abusive situations.

Awareness and Implementation

The UUFSC Board of Trustees approved this policy in June 2005. It will be communicated to the congregation and implemented as follows:

1. Announcements about the new Child and Youth Protection Policy (Policy) will be made in the order of service for two consecutive Sundays and copies will be made available to the congregation in the back of the Sanctuary.
   
   
2. Upon implementation, parents, teachers, and volunteers will be mailed a copy of this policy along with a letter from the Board of Trustees and appropriate forms to sign. Subsequently, parents, teachers, and volunteers will receive a copy of the Policy each year at registration and be asked to sign a form indicating that they have read and understand the Policy. As new children enroll in the RE program their parents will receive copies of the policy and be asked to sign a form indicating that they have read the Policy.
   
   
3. The Policy will be included in all new member information packets.
   
   
4. A summary of the Policy will be distributed to all members and friends through the FocUUs.
   
   
5. The DRE will discuss the Policy in her newsletter article in the month following its approval.
   
   
6. The Policy will be provided to and discussed with all workers and volunteers who supervise or care for the children and youth of our community. Current volunteer staff will be asked to fill out an Application and sign the Code of Conduct as soon as practicable after adoption. New volunteer workers, must complete and Application and sign the Code of Conduct before assuming their duties. The DRE will keep application forms in a locked file.
   
   
7. "Occasional volunteers" must read and sign the Code of Conduct before assuming their duties. Forms will be kept on file by the DRE.
   
   
8. At least once a year an Adult RE program will focus on the UUFSC RE program and include a discussion of the Policy and information on child abuse awareness and prevention.
   
   
9. Mandatory teacher training on child sexual abuse awareness and prevention will be conducted annually.
   
   
10. The Policy will be provided to and discussed with all compensated workers who supervise or care for the children and youth of our community. Current workers will be asked to fill out an Application and sign the Code of Conduct before assuming their duties. All employees and volunteers will be required to agree to a criminal background check. The minister will keep all application forms and background checks in a locked file.
    
    
11. The Religious Education Committee will include information on this Policy and its implementation as part of its annual repot to the UUFSC Board of Trustees.