I’m going to assume that you already have safety and security measures in place, but here are three ways you can improve what you’re already doing.
1. Keep Your First Aid Training Up to Date
You’ve probably gone through basic first aid training but, odds are, you haven’t had to use that training. I would highly encourage you to make first aid and CPR training at least a yearly commitment and, ideally, more frequent. Don’t go based on how long your certification is valid – go by how long you can retain the training and be prepared to use it (which is often a much shorter interval than the certification would indicate).
Also, consider providing an opportunity for your volunteers to come in on, say, a Saturday for first aid and CPR training. If you are able, cover the cost out of your ministry budget to incentivize your volunteers. The more people equipped to respond in an emergency, the better.
2. Have a “Never Alone” Policy
Never let your volunteers be alone with a child. I know that can be so hard to enforce – depending upon the number of children and volunteers you have. But this matters. If a child needs to use the restroom – and needs help – make sure there are two volunteers present. If a parent is taking a particularly long time to pick up their child, and all the others have gone, make sure you hold back at least one volunteer so you’re not alone with a child.
This is for the protection of the child, but also for your protection and that of your volunteers.
3. Don’t Be Afraid to “Fire” Volunteers
I know, I know. You need volunteers. There are gaps every single weekend. It’s hard to imagine letting anyone go. We once had a volunteer who was incredibly faithful. He served as a small group leader for 2nd and 3rd grade girls. He was a sweet hearted man who just connected with the girls better than he did the boys. That, in and of itself, was not a cause for concern. But we had a policy in our ministry about physical touch. Children were not allowed to sit in their leader’s lap. It was for the protection of the children and for the volunteer. This particular volunteer just refused to adhere to that policy. He was warned several times about letting the girls sit in his lap, but nothing changed.
We eventually had to ask him to stop serving. That may seem harsh, but we were dogged about the safety of our kids and our volunteers. Violating a safety measure was non-negotiable, so we let him go. It was hard. I honestly don’t believe he had any malintent – he just had a hard time telling those sweet girls no. But the safety of the children won the day in a landslide.
