It is against the law and against SVCC policy for any volunteer or employed staff, male or female, to physically, sexually, or mentally abuse or neglect any child.

SVCC kids reserves the right to exclude from affiliation with SVCC kids any person who is or has been convicted of child abuse or neglect of any child.

SVCC Kids Will neither Condone nor Tolerate:

• ‍Infliction of bodily injury upon any child or physically abusive behavior towards a child
• Physical neglect of children, including failure to provide adequate safety measures, care and supervision in relation to church activities
• Emotional mistreatment of children, including verbal abuse and/or verbal attacks

Reporting and Investigating Child Abuse

Child abuse is a serious crime and as a volunteer you are under the following obligations:

Reporting

All volunteers and employees shall immediately report and document any incident of abuse which they have observed. Any person making such a report shall keep the information strictly confidential

Incident of Abuse Defined

• ‍An “incident of abuse” means any occurrence in which any person:
• Has threatened to inflict or has inflicted physical injury upon a child, youth, or vulnerable adult other than by accidental means, or is reasonably expected to have done so.
• Commits or allows to be committed any sexual offense against a child, youth, vulnerable adult, or is reasonably suspected to have done so.
• With respect to a child, youth, or vulnerable adult, makes any kind of sexual advance, or makes a request for sexual favors, or engages in sexually motivated physical contact or is reasonably suspected to have done so
• Exposes a child, youth, or vulnerable adult to verbal, visual, or physical conduct of a sexual nature, or is reasonably expected to have done so.

Imminent Threat

In all cases where an imminent threat of continued or actual abuse or neglect exists, any witness shall immediately contact the SVCC Staff member to request that immediate steps be taken to ensure the safety of the alleged victim. After the safety of the alleged victim has been secured, the person witnessing or with knowledge of the incident shall complete a written report and submit it to the SVCC Children’s Pastor.

Obligation to Report to Law Enforcement

In all cases where any volunteer or staff person has reasonable cause to believe that a child or youth, known to volunteer to staff in a professional capacity, has been or may be bused or neglected (inside or outside of SVCC Kids) the person shall make a report to the local law enforcement agency’s child abuse investigators. If the volunteer or staff member is in doubt regarding where a report would be made, he or she shall telephone the agency anonymously and discuss the situation with an investigator to determine whether the report should be made. The volunteer or staff member shall make a written record of the name and title of the investigator with whom he or she spoke and the recommendation made by the investigator and submit a copy of the written record to the Director, Executive Director or Lead Pastor.

Internal Reporting Procedure

The person reporting an incident of abuse shall contact the SVCC Staff member. The report shall provide information regarding all relevant facts with respect to the incident. Upon receiving a report, the person receiving the report, together with the reporter, shall complete a written report of the incident and submit a copy to the Team Leads. In a case where the alleged wrongdoer is the person to whom the report should be made, he or she shall be considered absent for the purposes of this reporting procedure and report should be submitted to another appropriate SVCC representative.