Ok so recent on goings in the media have me re-visiting a topic that I broached earlier in the year. That was the idea of Churches urging parents, and some demanding, that children be separated from their families during church services.
Well with the death of 3 yr. old Serenity and the sexual abuse several young children suffered at the hands of a person (allegedly Jerry Sandusky) with whom they should have been safe . I want to bring the subject up again. The sad truth of the matter is that there are very few places and very few people that you can actually leave your children around.
Sad to say it but the Church is full of broken people seeking restoration. I say this as a word of caution. While your children might not sit still and you might have to tiptoe out of service for a little while, BE CAREFUL WHO YOU LEAVE YOUR CHILDREN WITH. The three year old girl was not beaten to death by strangers when she urinated on the floor. They were people that the mother thought could be trusted. Jerry Sandusky wasn’t an old bum who looked like the boogeyman and smelled like him too. He was a well respected football coach. I am a former Penn State Student and worked for the Athletic Department. I know some of these men. I know children who were in the Second Mile Program and it could have been them. I say that to say this. Any one of these people could have been in the church. Any one of them could have been the Youth Director or the Sunday Daycare person.
I believe that things have gotten so far gone that it is now time that we take more preventative measures when it comes to ensuring the safety of God’s Children.
Churches if you have any type of Childcare, please for the safety of the children do the following:
Please make sure that background checks have been conducted on each hire or volunteer.
Put in place a plan on how young children are to get to the Bathroom.
Stop ignoring the fact that there are damaged parishioners at your church and if you know they have suffered sexual abuse in their lifetime, PLEASE get them help.
Be Open enough for your congregants (young and old) to come to you for help.
Put brochures out or information on your websites for other organizations to help in the event that you are not equipped.
Talk to your children about appropriate vs inappropriate touch and stranger/not so stranger danger.
Let them know that just because a person is not a total stranger, does not mean they should trust them.
I by no means claim to be an expert on this topic. I would love to get some feedback from you. What measures have you taken at your churches childcare to ensure the safety of your little one’s?
Be Blessed and I look forward to hearing from you!
RiverAngel42
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