THE SEVEN STONES

Your abuse prevention policies are the guidelines that inform how all interactions between kids and leaders must take place. This document must be achievable, understandable, and comprehensive. Everyone wins when expectations are clear.

Your onboarding strategy should allow the best, most caring and capable leaders to gain access to kids, while also effectively shutting out those who wish to inflict harm. Key components of onboarding include background checks, applications, interviews, and reference checks.

Staff and leaders are your front line of defense for safe spaces in ministry. All personnel working with children should be trained consistently on grooming behaviors, boundary violations, responding to allegations of abuse, and other relevant topics.

Offenders can't groom victims without privacy. False allegations are easily overturned when witnesses are present. Proper oversight in ministry programs helps everyone.

When everyone knows the rules, your church family gets safer. Staff, leaders, parents, and kids should all be aware of prevention guidelines at your church. It takes careful planning and consideration to communicate your safety plan in a way that everyone can understand and remember. 

Your entire church family must know exactly who to go to with suspicions of abuse. Your staff and leaders need to know their ethical and legal obligations for reporting. A well-constructed reporting plan considers both church leadership and the proper authorities.

Disclosing abuse to a trusted leader is a major step for a survivor of abuse. Church staff and leaders must plan in advance how to care for young hearts traumatized by deplorable sin. Adults who care for children must be ready for immediate response, as well as long-term healing.