REDUCING THE RISK

Sugar Grove Church of Christ Meadows Place, Texas It is the goal of this congregation to reduce to the very minimum any risk of an incident where harm occurs to a minor in conjunction with any Sugar Grove activities. The following rules have been established to ensure, to the best of our ability, the safety of our children: A. The Two Adult Rule. Two adults will be present at all church activities sponsored by the Childrens or Youth Ministries, including Bible classes and activities outs ide the classroom. If the two adults are a married couple a third person will also be present. In the case of activities outside the classroom, both adults should be over 21 years of age and be persons known to the elders or staff. B. Parental Permission. Children/youth should have parental permission for involvement in church sponsored activities outside the classroom. Written permission should be obtained for th any activity involving children 5 grade and under or for youth activities that require an overnight stay. C. Parental Consent. Staff or volunteers must obtain the consent of the child/young persons parent or guardian before spending time with the child/young person in an informal setting. D. Regular Education of Children/Youth Workers. There will be regular meetings for all children/youth workers for the purposes of educating them concerning the safety and well being of the children/youth. (I.e. information regarding child/youth sexual abuse, basic first aid, fire drill, as well as information on child development) E. The Overnight Rule. The Two Adult Rule (Rule A) must be strictly applied to all churchsponsored overnight activities. Adult sponsors will be aware of the following: -There will be no display of photos or video showing any nudity -Movies will be approved by the Youth Minister or Childrens Ministers prior to the event -Sexes should be segregated at bedtime but otherwise the group should stay together at all other times. F. Nursery Identification. All children brought to the nursery will be clearly identified and released only to the childs parent or guardian or to someone specifically authorized by the parent or guardian. G. The Six-Month Rule. All volunteers working with youth or children must be members of the Sugar Grove Church of Christ for a minimum of 6 months. H. Report Incidents Immediately. Any incident involving the safety of any child/youth should be reported immediately to one of the ministers or elders. A form will be made available to report incidents. This policy has been put in place by the elders and ministers of the Sugar Grove Church of Christ to ensure that all children/youth at Sugar Grove receive the best possible protection from any harm. It is our hope and prayer that every child and young person is kept safe. We will make every effort to give our children and youth the care and protection they deserve. All staff and volunteers who work with children and youth are asked to read and abide by this policy statement. Please sign this document as an indication of your intent to follow this policy. This signed form will be kept in your membership file. I have read the above policy and agree to follow it.

Signature_____________________________________________Date___________________ Print Name____________________________________________ Rev. 1/27/99