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Covenant Church Safe Church Guidelines

PLEASE NOTE : All volunteers who are helping out with the

vulnerable sector (children under 18, the disabled or the

elderly) will need a vulnerable sector police check. Please

submit your original form to Carolyn Schilstra (admin@covenant-church.ca) or let her know if you need to apply for one.


DEFINITIONS OF ABUSE

 PHYSICAL ABUSE: non-accidental injury inflicted on

another person.


 NEGLECT: failure to meet the basic needs of someone

dependent on another for care.


 SEXUAL ABUSE: any experience forced on one person by

another which may or may not involve physical contact.



 EMOTIONAL ABUSE: any attempt to control another

person’s life.


 HARASSMENT: any interaction with a person that makes

them feel attacked, demeaned, intimidated or manipulated.


 SPIRITUAL ABUSE: the exploitation, coercion, or control of

a person by a leader with spiritual authority.


Reporting Abuse


 abuse of a child under the age of sixteen must be reported

to Family and Children’s Services.


 abuse of an adult will be reported to the Pastor who will

inform the Chair of Council and the Safe Church Team.



Gen Alpha, GEMS, Cadets, Youth


 those working with children & youth will use positive

techniques of guidance, such as redirection, positive

reinforcement and encouragement rather than competition,

and criticism.


 they will have age-appropriate expectations and establish

an environment that minimizes the need for discipline.


 they will refrain from any behaviour that could be considered

abusive.


 they will make sure that the children and youth in their care

are always supervised.


 they will not use, possess or be under the influence of

alcohol or drugs while working with children or youth.


 they will monitor bathrooms at all times.


 any one-on-one meetings must be pre-arranged with the

consent of the leaders and the parents.


 when transporting children or youth there will always be

two adults or other people in the vehicle.



CHILDREN’S WORSHIP


 All children in Children’s Worship (CW) should be toileted

before CW starts. If a child needs to go to the toilet during

CW, a parent will be notified and will need to come to take

their child to the toilet. Children over the age of 6 can go to

the toilet on their own.



NURSERY VOLUNTEERS

 only assigned nursery attendants are to be in the nursery.


 no married couples or parent/child volunteers will be

scheduled at the same time, in the same room.


 only parents or designated care-givers can sign a child

in/out of the nursery.


FRIENDSHIP

 volunteers are not to help with the personal care of the

participants.


 volunteers are not expected to transport the participants

and to and from the meetings.


 volunteers are not expected to deal with any behavioural

issues.


PASTORAL MINISTRY WORKERS

(including ministers, elders, deacons and pastoral care workers)


 try to meet in public places if possible or ensure that a third

person is present at any visits or meetings.


 all pastoral ministry workers need to report all pastoral

visits to their respective co-ordinating bodies.



Download the Full Policy
Request a Vulnerable Sector Check
Complete the Safe Church Training

Services Sunday at 10:00 a.m.

Christ’s Family Transforming Lives and Culture

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admin@covenant-church.ca
+1 905-937-3942
278 Parnell Road
St. Catharines, Ontario L2M 6P8
Canada
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