Believing that God is calling me to serve at Georgetown Christian Reformed Church,

·        I will do all in my power to promote the safety and wellbeing of everyone I encounter while performing my duties.

·        I will respect each person’s cultural and ethnic background.

·        When working with youth…

o   My first priority will be to seek their spiritual, psychological, and social welfare

o   I will give the parent(s) of each child or youth full information about the program I am supervising or volunteering in.

o   I will not intentionally harm or betray a child or youth's trust.

o   I will use reasonable means to protect each child or youth from abuse while he or she is in my care.

o   I will report a reasonable suspicion of abuse of a child or youth to a responsible person for a proper investigation.

o   If I wish to talk to a child or youth alone, it will be within the sight and sound of one or more adults.

o   I will answer a child or youth's questions openly and honestly.

o   I will work with the children or youth to set guidelines for acceptable behavior within the group. I will expect children or youth to act based on those guidelines. If a child or youth consistently breaks behavioral guidelines, I will seek help from parents and others to assist me in responding.

o   If a child or youth is distressed, I will try to offer comfort and help, and I will encourage the child or youth to find appropriate help.

o   I will pray for each child or youth regularly and assure them that I care about them.

·        I have accessed and familiarized myself with Georgetown Christian Reformed Church’s safety manual located at georgetowncrc.org/safetypolicy

·        I agree to adhere to the policies outlined in the manual.

·        I realize the policy could result in suspension of my duties and removal from my position related to children within the church if an allegation of abuse or misconduct is made.

·        I understand and agree that the church and its leaders should report all allegations of physical and sexual abuse to the appropriate authorities -- Child Protective Services and local law enforcement.

·        I understand that the church council will make every effort to handle potential issues constructively and in a manner that will facilitate reconciliation if any allegation is found to be false.

·        My signature acknowledges my understanding and agreement to this policy.