Stronger Together: Creating a Safe Sanctuary
As we enter the “Back to School” season, it’s a crucial time for churches to reflect on the safe spaces we offer to our children and youth through programs like Sunday School and Yo…
Safe Sanctuaries is an overt expression in making congregations safe places where children, youth, and elders may experience the abiding love of God and fellowship within the community of faith.
Safe Sanctuaries® is a “social structure that is consistent with the gospel” (¶122) allowing our sanctuaries, classrooms, mission encounters, camps and retreats, and all spaces where we gather to worship and serve God to be places of trust. Discipleship Ministries has created a series of videos that can be used to introduce the more difficult aspects of Safe Sanctuaries®, individually to open up conversations in small groups or during training, and as a way to share information with the congregation as a reminder or in the midst of a crisis.
Policies
- NIC Abuse Prevention Policy for Conference/District Events (Note: This policy was passed on the Second Consent Calendar in Plenary on June 9, 2005. It is posted here for ease of reference.)
- NIC Basic Policy Statement on Sexual and Gender Harassment and Misconduct of Sexual Nature (Note: Safe Sanctuaries policies and sexual misconduct policies are NOT the same thing - and local churches need both. This conference policy passed in Plenary on Saturday afternoon, June 8, 2002)
- Abuse Prevention Policy Development Guide (Note: This sample is provided by Discipleship Ministries and is for general guideline use only; some sections may or may not apply to your local church setting. Your church policy should be written to address your local church and community safety issues.)
- Sample policies and documents From the Discipleship Ministries website
- Electronic Communication Recommendations - This list of recommendations for communication via such means as social media and text messaging was compiled by members of the IGRC Connectional Ministries staff team and is based in part on similar recommendations from other Annual Conferences in the United States.
- Three Simple Rules for Social Media
Trainings and Studies
- Safe Gatherings (online training and background checks)
- Online DCFS Training on Recognizing and Reporting Abuse - As of January 1, 2020, ALL workers directly responsible for caring for children under the age of 18 years in churches, both paid and volunteer, along with all other mandated reporters (which includes all clergy), are required by Illinois law to be trained by DCFS. This free online training meets that requirement. It does not, however, eliminate the need for training in Safe Sanctuaries in person or through Safe Gatherings.
Contacts
- Online Child Abuse Neglect Reporting
- DCFS Regional and Field Office Directory
- Area Agencies on Aging (look for your county)
- Background Checks through Trusted Employees
Downloads
Resources from UMC Related Organizations:
- Larger Membership Congregations Policies & Guidelines (Discipleship Ministries)
- Smaller Membership Congregations Policies & Guidelines (Discipleship Ministries)
- Responsible Social Media for Churches and Youth Groups (Discipleship Ministries)
- Special Events and Traveling with Youth: Abuse Prevention Strategies (Discipleship Ministries)
- HIPAA Privacy Rule and Local Churches (a 2004 statement from GCFA)
- Protection and Integration of Known Sexual Offenders (Discipleship Ministries)
Brochures from Government Services:
- Child Abuse
- Child Abuse Prevention Resource Guide (2021/2022)
- Child Sexual Abuse Raising Awareness and Protecting Children
- Preventing Child Sexual Abuse Within Youth-serving Organizations
- Reporting Child Abuse and Neglect: Care Enough to Call
- Signs and Symptoms of Child Abuse and Neglect
- Acerca del Abuso y Descuido de Niños: Interésese lo suficiente para llamar
- Elder Abuse
- CDC Brochure on Policies and Procedures
- Guide for Developing High-Quality Emergency Operations Plans for Houses of Worship
Safe Sanctuaries books and DVDs:
- Safe Sanctuaries Reducing the Risk of Abuse in the Church for Children and Youth (Anniversary Edition) By Joy Thornburg Melton
- Santuarios seguros Prevencíon del abuso infantil y juvenil en la iglesia by Joy Thornburg Melton
- Safe Sanctuaries for Children and Youth DVD Reducing the Risk of Abuse in the Church By Joy Thornburg Melto
- Safe Sanctuaries in a Virtual World By Joy Thornberg Melton, Michelle Foster
- Safe Sanctuaries - Older Adults The Church Responds to Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation of Older Adults By J. Melton
- Safe Sanctuaries for Ministers Best Practices and Ethical Decisions By J. Melton
Many Safe Sanctuaries materials, including a training DVD, may also be borrowed from the United Media Resource Center.