SAFE RECRUITMENT AND APPOINTMENT, TRAINING, AND SUPPORT:

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Safe Recruitment and Appointment - Paid and Voluntary Church Workers

KCC has a responsibility to ensure that those entrusted with children, youth or vulnerable adult are safe to do so. KCC is committed to ensuring robust recruitment and appointment processes are in place, and are followed, which emphasise the importance of child, youth and vulnerable adult protection, and which ensure that every KCC church worker working with children, youth or vulnerable adults, either directly or indirectly, is safe and suitable to do so.

 

Before making any appointment, KCC will complete a robust safety checking process to ascertain the candidate’s suitability and safety to work for, or at, KCC.  Depending on the role, this process may include, but is not limited to:

• Identity verification check.

• Employment verification check.

• Reference check.

• Professional membership check.

• Criminal history check.

• New Zealand Police vetting check.

• Risk assessment.

• Formal interviews which include questions on child safeguarding.

• Approval by KCC Elders and/or pastoral staff and or ministry leader in consultation with the designated person for child protection.

 

All new church workers of KCC will be made aware of, and provided with a copy of, the Child, Youth and or Vulnerable Adult Protection Policy as part of the induction process.

 

Police Vetting

All church workers, including but not limited to ministry leaders, ministry helpers, and youth leaders, working with children, youth or vulnerable adults, either directly or indirectly, must undergo police vetting. Police vetting will be carried out on all church workers over the age of 18 a minimum of every three (3) years.

 

Until such time as the police vetting has been completed, and the results have been received, all newly appointed KCC church workers working with children, youth or vulnerable adults will be supervised in their role by a Police vetted church worker and will not be permitted to work alone or carry out any alternative duties.

 

In the event of a person under the age of 18 is working as a church worker, that church worker will not be permitted to work alone with children, youth or vulnerable adults and must be supervised by a Police vetted church worker at all times.

 

Training

All church workers of KCC will be required to be familiar with, and adhere to, the KCC Child, Youth and Vulnerable Adult Protection Policy.

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KCC will ensure that everyone in the organisation has adequate and appropriate information about child, youth and vulnerable adult abuse in order to protect children, youth and vulnerable adults and to recognise and respond when children, youth or vulnerable adults are at risk. As a minimum, this will include being provided with an overview of the signs and indicators of abuse, as well as a copy of KCC’s Child, Youth and Vulnerable Adult Protection Policy and the procedure for responding to actual or suspected abuse.

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The Designated Person/s for child, youth and vulnerable adult protection, and all church workers working directly with children, youth and vulnerable adults should receive in depth, regular, and updated child, youth and vulnerable adult protection training to ensure that those roles can be carried out safely and effectively.

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Support

It is recognised that dealing with child, youth and vulnerable adult protection cases and concerns can have an impact on the wellbeing of church workers. KCC will offer appropriate support to any church worker involved with dealing with a child, youth or vulnerable adult abuse case or concern. This support may include, but is not limited to, counselling services and/or referring the church worker to other appropriate agencies.

 

Where practicable, KCC will assist members of the congregation who are victims of child, youth or vulnerable adult abuse by ensuring that they have access to the appropriate support care. 

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SAFE WORKING PRACTICES

A relationship between an adult and a child, youth or vulnerable adult can never be a relationship between equals. This is because there is a potential for exploitation and harm of vulnerable children, youth or adults, therefore adults have a responsibility to ensure that an unequal balance of power is not used for personal advantage or gratification.

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Church workers must, at all times, work for the physical, social, educational, moral and spiritual well-being of the children, youth or vulnerable adults in their care.

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Clear boundaries are important in maintaining professional behaviour and KCC’s Child, Youth and Vulnerable Adult Protection Policy reinforces the need for high standards of behaviour from its members.  These boundaries are in place in order to protect children, youth and vulnerable adults from abuse and at-risk situations, and to protect KCC, and its Church workers from unwarranted suspicion.

 

Church workers should always maintain appropriate boundaries and avoid behaviour which might be misinterpreted by others. Church workers who work with children, youth or vulnerable adults must act in a way that is considered to be safe practice, and within cultural boundaries.  This includes, but is not limited to:

• Avoiding situations where they are alone with a child, youth or vulnerable adult;

• Ensuring that they are visible to others when with a child, youth or vulnerable adult;

• Using an open-door policy where possible;

• Avoiding circumstances where their behaviour (both verbal and physical) may be misinterpreted as hostile, suggestive, inappropriate, offensive, or neglectful.

• Not transporting a child, youth or vulnerable adult other than their own, alone at any time other than in an emergency situation;

• Monitoring visitors to KCC ministry’s when children, youth or vulnerable adults are present;

• Not displaying images of children, youth or vulnerable adults unless they have consent to do so from parents and caregivers;

• Ensuring that all forms of communication with children, youth or vulnerable adults is transparent and open to scrutiny.

 

It is important that in all dealings with children, youth or vulnerable adults, a balance is struck between the rights of the person and the need for intervention. When physical contact is made with a child, youth or vulnerable adult, this should be in response to their needs at the time, of limited duration and appropriate to their age, stage of development, gender, ethnicity and background. Church workers should use a level of contact and/or form of communication which is acceptable to the child, youth or vulnerable adult for the minimum amount of time necessary.

 

Any sexual activity between a Church worker and a child, youth or vulnerable adult will be reported to the NZ Police. 

 

Communication between children, youth or vulnerable adult, by whatever method, should take place within clear and explicit professional boundaries. This includes the wider use of technology such as mobile phones, text messaging, emails, digital cameras, videos, webcams, websites, social networking and blogs. Church workers should ensure that all communications are transparent and open to scrutiny.  

 

Church workers should only share relevant, age appropriate, information. They should not request, or respond to, any personal information from a child, youth or vulnerable adult other than that which might be appropriate as part of their professional role within KCC.

 

Supervision of Children, Youth and Vulnerable Adults

All efforts are made to ensure that a child, youth and vulnerable adult safe environment is provided on KCC premises.

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Unless express permission is otherwise given, children, youth or vulnerable adult visiting KCC premises must be accompanied, and supervised, by a parent or caregiver at all times. The parent or caregiver of any child, youth or vulnerable adult visiting KCC will be solely responsible for that child. Parents and caregivers will undertake all toileting and changing of their own children, youth or vulnerable adults.

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Childhood Ministries

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PLAYGROUP/CRECHE MINISTRIES – These ministries are for children under the age of 5 years and are designed to be provided with or without the presence of a child’s parent of caregiver. Safe working practices will be followed at all times to protect children from the risk of inappropriate behaviour from KCC church workers, and any other adult or child present.

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Where a parent or caregiver is not present, only church workers whose role it is to provide care for a child may do so.

 

Any visitors to the playgroup/crèche must be approved by the appropriate church worker.

 

Where possible, open-door policies should be used for all spaces and no church workers, or visitors to the playgroup/crèche, should be left alone with a child.

 

Except in emergency situations, no child is to be removed from playgroup/crèche by anyone other than the child’s parents or caregivers, without express written permission.

 

Except in emergency circumstances, all children will be signed in by a parent or caregiver and should either be signed out by a parent or caregiver, or delivered directly to a parent or caregiver by a church worker at the end of the session unless expressly authorised by the parent of caregiver otherwise. 

 

The parent or caregiver of the child must provide the playgroup/crèche with updated contact details.

 

PRIMARY MINISTRIES – These are for children aged between 5 and 12 years and are designed to be provided without the presence of a child’s parent of caregiver. Safe working practises will be followed at all times to protect children from the risk of inappropriate behaviour from KCC church workers, and any other adult or child present. 

 

Where a parent or caregiver is not present, only church workers whose role it is to provide care for a child may do so.

 

Any visitors to the ministry must be approved by the appropriate church worker. 

 

Where possible, open-door policies should be used for all spaces and no church workers, or visitors to the ministry, should be left alone with a child.

 

Except in emergency situations, no child is to be removed from the ministry by anyone other than the child’s parents or caregivers without express written permission.

 

Except in emergency circumstances, all children will be signed in by the approved church worker, parent, or caregiver, and should be either signed out by a parent or caregiver or delivered directly to a parent or caregiver at the end of the session unless expressly authorised by the parent or caregiver otherwise.

 

The parent or caregiver of the child must provide the ministry with updated contact details.

 

YOUTH MINISTRY – These are for children aged between 11 and 18 years and are designed to be provided without the presence of a youth’s parent of caregiver. Safe working practices will be followed at all times to protect youth from the risk of inappropriate behaviour from KCC church workers, and any other adult or youth present.

 

Any visitors to the youth ministry must be approved by the appropriate church worker.

 

Where possible, open-door policies should be used for all spaces and no church workers, or visitors to the youth ministry, should be left alone with a youth.

 

KCC should hold contact details of the youth’s parent or caregiver in case of emergency.

 

KCC HUB MINISTRIES– These can be for a range of ages between 5 and older and are designed to be provided without the presence of a child, youth or vulnerable adults, parent of caregiver. Safe working practices will be followed at all times to protect children, youth or vulnerable adults from the risk of inappropriate behaviour from KCC church workers, and any other child, youth or adult present.

 

Any visitors to the KCC Hub ministries must be approved by the appropriate church worker.

 

Where possible, open-door policies should be used for all spaces and no church workers, or visitors to the KCC Hub ministries, should be left alone with a child, youth or vulnerable adult.

 

KCC should hold contact details of the children, youth, or vulnerable adults parent or caregiver in case of emergency.

 

Trips and Transportation

Taking children, youth or vulnerable adults out of the KCC physical environment must be carefully planned and preparation is needed to minimise risks and make the activity a positive experience for each child, youth or vulnerable adult.

 

Before any trips parents and caregivers will be informed by written notice of the planned trip and the details of same, including but not limited to:

• The venue;

• The method of transport;

• The date;

• The time.

 

Parents and caregivers must give written consent for their child, youth or vulnerable adult to attend the planned trip or visit. 

 

Additional helpers and volunteers involved in any KCC trip must be appropriately safety checked prior to the trip taking place.

 

KCC will take all precautions to ensure that when transporting children, youth or vulnerable adults, their safety and wellbeing is paramount.

 

Only approved and Police vetted church workers will be responsible for transporting children, youth or vulnerable adults for purposes.

 

Children, youth or vulnerable adults will not be transported alone with a church worker.

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ALLEGATIONS AGAINST CHURCH WORKERS

Concerns may be raised regarding Church workers. These may be as a result of behaviour within KCC, or of behaviour within their home environment.

 

All Church workers have a responsibility to understand what constitutes appropriate behaviour towards a child, youth or vulnerable adults and to maintain this behaviour at all times.

 

Allegations, suspicions or complaints of abuse against Church workers will be taken seriously and reported to the designated persons for child protection who will deal with the allegation, suspicion or complaint immediately, sensitively and expediently within the procedures outlined in this policy.

 

Any concern of abuse of a child, youth or vulnerable adults will follow the child, youth and vulnerable adult protection procedures outlined in this policy. In the event of an allegation of abuse by a Church worker, a report of concern will be made to the Police and Oranga Tamariki.

 

When there are suspicions of abuse by a Church worker, both the worker’s and the child, youth or vulnerable adult’s rights are to be attended to. This means that the safety of the child, youth or vulnerable adults is of first concern, and that the Church worker should be encouraged to obtain appropriate professional advice.

 

If Church workers become aware of an allegation of abuse, or they form a reasonable suspicion of abuse, by another worker, that worker shall be suspended from all activities of KCC immediately. A risk assessment must be undertaken without undue delay to determine what level of access that Church worker should have, if any, to KCC and/or participate in activities of KCC. In all circumstances the welfare and best interests of all children, youth or vulnerable adults will be the paramount consideration.

 

In all child, youth and vulnerable adult protection cases, it is important that no internal investigation is to be undertaken, and no evidence is to be gathered, as these might prejudice an official Police or Oranga Tamariki investigation.

 

In all child, youth and vulnerable adults protection cases, KCC will co-operate fully with both Oranga Tamariki and the Police in their investigations and assessments.