The Safety System

Overview of a Safety System

The videos below present childcare administrators with the information they need to build a safety system in their programing.  Discussed is the MinistrySafe Five Part Safety System.  Viewers will learn how to design a system to protect the children in their care from the harm of sexual abuse.

An Effective Safety System

Every camp, school, youth program or children's ministry activity should enrich the life of the child, while ensuring his or her safety. Protecting a child from sexual abuse requires an overlapping system of protection. At MinistrySafe, we recommend the implementation of a five part system of protection, including:

•  Sexual Abuse Awareness Training for staff members and volunteers
• Skillful Screening Training, Processes and Forms
• Appropriate Criminal Background Checks
• Effective Policies and Procedures, tailored to individual programs
• Systems for Monitoring and Oversight

Although each element of the system provides a degree of protection, one element alone will not sustain a protective environment for children or teens. Each element is designed to interlock with other elements, creating internal checks and balances within the system. All elements interconnect to provide a protective environment for children and students. 

Sexual Abuse Awareness Training

An important element of the MinistrySafe system is Sexual Abuse Awareness Training.

MinistrySafe offers Sexual Abuse Awareness Training for a myriad of entities and programs including camps, schools, churches, ministries and charities. When staff members and volunteers have an awareness of the basic characteristics of sexual abusers, as well as the grooming process utilized by molesters, they are better equipped to recognize and prevent abuse. To this end, every employee and volunteer should complete Sexual Abuse Awareness Training.

In the State of Texas, this training is required for Youth Camps by the Texas Youth Camp Act.  MinistrySafe is a state-approved provider.

Policies and Procedures 

Every camp, school, church or ministry should operate within carefully tailored policies and procedures which balance the mission of ministry with the risks inherent in children's programming. For every program or activity, risks must be evaluated and addressed in policies and procedures which reduce the likelihood of harm to children or students. Having policy which employees and volunteers do not know or follow is second only to no policy, from a liability standpoint. Sometimes policy exists, but employees and volunteers don't know or follow it, because they haven’t been trained, or don't believe the policy to be practical or applicable to their work. Policies and procedures cobbled together from various sources are rarely effective, because 'patchwork' policies are seldom tailored to specific program activities, physical facilities and program risks. Effective policies and procedures minimize or prevent risk. Staff members and volunteers who are trained to understand and apply effective policy will reduce the risks inherent in children's programming.

Appropriate Criminal Background Checks

MinistrySafe does not provide or sell criminal background checks. An effective criminal background check is an important element of an effective screening process, but does not serve as a ‘stand alone’ safety system. Sexual abuse awareness training, coupled with an effective screening process, can provide valuable assistance in the creation of an effective safety system.

Systems for Monitoring and Oversight

No safety system is complete without accountability. At MinistrySafe, our training modules include checks and balances within the system to monitor compliance and encourage the flow of information from staff members and volunteers to supervisors.