Screening Church Leadership & Volunteers
The risk to the local church today is too high not to take all of the precautions necessary and rely on the data available to alert them about harmful individuals.
Screening is the “filter” to allow continued care, teaching, and ministry to take place. Screening is a means to end the anxiety and speculation involved with enlisting persons to serve. It will also help to prevent/avoid:

1. The trauma to victim of sexual misconduct. The church is not immune to the risk and when it does occur, the shock and anger intensifies when it is learned that the church leaders did not avail themselves to information and resources to prevent the crisis.
2. The emotional and spiritual impact on the congregation. These result first in disbelief, which later gives way to shock, anger, and disillusion. The trust level between church staff and congregation is affected and the trust level between congregational membership is affected. This can divide or split a church congregation and sometimes the congregation never recovers.
3. The negative news media coverage. The church congregation becomes embarrassed to admit where they attend and often relocate or transfer their membership to other churches. Loss in membership and financial support weakens the congregation.
4. The stress of litigation and investigation process. The depositions, the amount of business conference time and energy takes its toll on the staff and congregation.
5. The financial cost. Litigation costs for sexual misconduct is among the most costly trials/settlements of all tort activity. The amount of attorney costs and testifying result in major ministry funding to be spent in defense/settlement of a claim.

Churches must show due diligence to protect all pastors, leaders, volunteers, and, especially, the youth. SECC Youth Ministries will be implementing a primary screening and background check procedures for leaders and volunteers. Because of the impacts listed above, it is suggested that the church be responsible for the fees for the background check and not the leader or volunteer.

Information gathered in the screening process for leaders and volunteers is to be considered highly confidential. A church can be brought into litigation if they fail to contain documentation and its intentionally, or inadvertently, accessed by persons without proper authorization.

Volunteer screening files need to be kept indefinitely. All information should be retained in a locked cabinet. It would be best that a list of all screened volunteers be kept as a reference without having to go back through the files each time they are enlisted. Files kept on volunteers who were denied enlistment to a position should be kept absolutely confidential or reviewed by the Senior Pastor and kept in a locked file.

Screening is a very important administrative process that requires dialogue and continued accountability by a number of church leaders. It must be continued from year to year. All volunteers must be screened to keep the system consistent and secure the credibility of the church.

SECC YOUTH MINISTRIES SEXUAL MISCONDUCT POLICY

Purpose: To establish proper preventative measures to protect individuals against sexual misconduct as well as to specify courses of action in the case of allegations or an actual incident regarding sexual misconduct.

Standard of Conduct: All volunteers, whether leaders, extended or basic, of SECC Youth Ministries are expected to comply with the established policy on Sexual Misconduct. Any actions contrary to the policy will be dealt with swiftly and may include disciplinary measures up to and including termination, as well as legal ramifications when applicable.

Definitions

• Child Sexual Abuse – any sexual activity with a child – whether in the home by a caretaker, in a day care situation, a foster/residential setting, or any other setting, including on the street by a person unknown to the child. The abuser may be an adult, an adolescent, or another child, provided the child is four years older than the victim (National Resource Center on Child Sexual Abuse, 1992).
• Sexual Misconduct – inappropriate behavior relating to or involving a sexual nature.
• Sexual Activity – may be violent or non-violent, touching or non-touching, and is an exploitation of a child’s vulnerability and powerlessness. It involves children in sexual behaviors for which they are not personally, socially, and developmentally ready.

1. All Pathfinder & Adventurer leaders will fill out an application and a primary screening for volunteer workers application.
2. All other leaders and volunteer workers, extended or basic, will fill out a primary screening for volunteer workers application.
3. All leaders and volunteer workers will provide a valid form of ID (i.e., state driver’s license, social security card, or other acceptable form of ID).
4. All leaders and volunteer workers will provide at least two (2) professional/personal references upon application to be conducted prior to any service with the church. The references are to be conducted by an authority within the church. The authority should note any information they tried to secure by could not verify or obtain.
5. All leaders and extended volunteer workers will submit an online background screening and awareness training, Sterling Volunteers,  every three(3) years for those 18 or older.
6. No leader or volunteer ever convicted of a sexual related crime is eligible for service in a position with direct relation to children.

Common Supervisory Policies and Procedures

1. Two Adult Rule – minimum of two (2) adults in any setting or activity regarding children. In cases where an adult has a legitimate reason to be alone with a child (i.e., counseling, visitation), all leaders or volunteers workers should obtain the consent of the child’s parent or guardian prior to being alone with the child.
2. Always provide appropriate supervision of children/youth; never leave children/youth alone without supervision.
3. Have adults (age 18+) present with teenage volunteers. The law does not allow criminal background screening on anyone under age 18.
4. Leaders/volunteers will not touch students in ways that “annoy or molest” them within the meaning of the California Penal Code (647.6) or in ways that are reasonably offensive.
5. Ask a child/youth permission before physically touching him/her when responding to an injury or problem (especially if it is an area that would normally be covered by a T-shirt and/or shorts) and, if at all possible, only in the presence of another adult.
6. Any supervisor is responsible to address suspicious behavior or any behavior that may be contrary to church policy and to document and report such occurrences to the proper authorities.

Please review the Youth Supervision Guidelines provided by Adventist Risk Management.

1. All allegations must be taken seriously.
2. All allegations should be reported to the established authority as immediately as possible.
3. The established authority will notify the parents or legal guardian.
4. All situations will be handled forthrightly with due respect for people’s privacy and confidentiality.
5. Full cooperation will be given to civil authorities when applicable.
6. No accused will be addressed by anyone other than the established authorities until the safety of the child or victim is secured.
7. No victim involved in an allegation or anyone responsible for reporting an allegation will be retaliated against.

1. All allegations will be investigated expeditiously by established authorities.
2. Any accused leader or volunteer worker will be relieved temporarily of his or her duties until the investigation is completed.
3. All details, interviews, and information will remain confidential to those legitimately involved in the investigation. Any individual or group responsible for a breach in this confidentiality is subject to disciplinary action up to and including termination.
4. No individual involved in an allegation or anyone responsible for investigating an allegation will be retaliated against.