Crievewood United Methodist Church
Safe Sanctuary Policy for the Protection of
Children, Youth, and Vulnerable Adults
(updated January 2025)
“God calls us to make our churches safe places, protecting children, youth, and other
vulnerable persons from sexual and ritual abuse. God calls us to create communities of faith
where children and adults grow safe and strong.” –The Book of Resolutions of the United
Methodist Church, 2000, p. 180.
Crievewood United Methodist Church (UMC) takes seriously the call of Jesus Christ to
minister to all people and to seek to meet their needs. We recognize the great problem of
abuse in our culture and the inherent risk of ministry. This document was developed in order
to ensure that reasonable safety measures are taken to safeguard the physical and
emotional welfare of children, youth, and vulnerable adults that participate in the ministries
of Crievewood UMC. It is our desire to respond to any situation in a Christ-like manner.
This policy applies to all volunteers and paid staff who participate in Crievewood UMC’s
children, youth, and adult programs, including church-sponsored events held in any location
in which minors or vulnerable adults are present. The Childcare Center is exempt from the
requirements of this policy and follows its own policies, which are in part determined by
state licensing requirements.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
● Definitions
● Selection and Screening
● Safe Spaces Procedures
● Policy Exempting Persons from Eligibility to Serve
● Reporting of Incidents Requirements
Appendix: Policy for Electronic Communication with Minors
DEFINITIONS
Definition of Age:
● Adult refers to a person 18 years or older
● Child refers to any person under the age of 18
○ Children refers to individuals between the ages of 0 and 12
○ Youth refers to individuals in seventh grade or older
● Vulnerable Adult refers to any adult aged 18 or over who, by reason of mental or
other disability, age, illness, or other situation is permanently or for the time being
unable to take care of him or herself, or to protect him or herself against significant
harm or exploitation
Definitions of Abuse:
● Child Abuse is the harm or threatened harm to a child’s health or welfare by a
person responsible for the child’s health or welfare or by a person in a position of
trust, in which the harm occurs or is threatened through non-accidental physical or
mental injury or sexual abuse.
● Vulnerable Adult Abuse is the harm or threatened harm to a vulnerable adult’s
health or welfare by a person responsible for the vulnerable adult’s health or welfare
or by a person in a position of trust, in which the harm occurs or is threatened
through non-accidental physical or mental injury or sexual abuse.
● Physical Abuse is any deliberate act that inflicts bodily harm to a person or the
failure to protect from physical harm where a duty exists to do so.
● Neglect is failure to provide nutrition, medical, surgical, or any other care necessary
for the well being of the child, youth, or vulnerable adult.
● Sexual Abuse is any sexual contact or sexually explicit language, gestures, or
images by a volunteer or staff person with, or directed to, a participant.
● Child Sexual Abuse occurs any time a child is used for the sexual stimulation of an
adult or older child. A child is powerless either to consent to or resist such sexual
acts. This includes fondling, sexual intercourse, forced participation in sexual acts,
incest, exploitation for the purpose of pornography or prostitution, and/or exposure to
adult sexual activity.
● Emotional abuse is submitting a child, youth or vulnerable adult to verbal assault or
emotional cruelty. Emotional abuse can include closed confinement (being shut in a
small area), making racial remarks, excessive punishment, pervasive use of
profanity in a denigrating or humiliating manner, knowingly permitting drug or alcohol
abuse, and ignoring or encouraging peer abuse.
Definition of Roles:
● Participants are children, youth, or vulnerable adults who are registered, enrolled,
attending, or otherwise participating in an event or activity sponsored by the church.
● Staff includes any clergy person or any paid employee of Crievewood United
Methodist Church.
● Supervision is the ability for a person to be in charge of a group of children, youth,
or vulnerable adults giving direction, setting boundaries, disciplining appropriately,
maintaining safety, and being the adult in all situations.
● Adult Volunteer is a person who has the care/supervision of any participant at an
event. This may include paid staff members of a local church. Such a person should
be eighteen (18) years of age or older and at least 5 years older than the oldest child
in the group with which they are to work. It is strongly recommended that at least one
person serving in this role be at least twenty-one (21) years of age or older. This role
requires local church Safe Sanctuary training based upon the congregation’s policy
and procedures.
● Helper under age 18 is considered a child and, therefore, can serve in no official
role of authority over children, youth, or vulnerable adults.
SELECTION AND SCREENING OF STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS
Careful screening is one way to reduce the potential for abuse (sexual, physical, and
emotional) of children, youth, and vulnerable adults at Crievewood UMC. Screening
includes background checks, informal interviews, and completion of a Safe Sanctuary
training. All screening results will remain confidential.
1. Crievewood UMC shall direct each prospective paid staff or volunteer to complete an
application and consent to having a background check performed.
2. Crievewood UMC shall review the applications and follow through each stage with
each applicant.
a. The Senior Pastor will be responsible for screening all paid staff employees
and all volunteers working with vulnerable adults.
b. The Children’s Ministry Director will be responsible for screening all
volunteers working with children, including nursery staff and volunteers.
c. The Youth Pastor will be responsible for screening all volunteers working with
youth.
d. The Music Ministries Director will be responsible for screening volunteers
working with children and/or youth choirs.
3. Leaders of outside groups are not required to have been screened by Crievewood
UMC. However, Crievewood UMC will review the outside group’s screening policies
regarding working with children to determine their eligibility to use Crievewood
UMC’s facilities. Additionally, outside groups that seek to use church property must
be in line with our United Methodist Social Principles and must be approved by the
Senior Pastor.
4. Crievewood UMC reserves the right to turn away any person for volunteer or paid
service. Persons alleged and convicted of sexual abuse, past or present, will not be
eligible to serve as paid staff or volunteers with children, youth, or vulnerable adults.
5. Re-screening will occur every three years. If a volunteer moves away from the area
for any length of time, a new background check will be issued on their return.
SAFE SPACES PROCEDURES
1. Two Adult Rule: During all church sponsored events, including virtual gatherings,
one adult will not be alone with any number of children, youth, or vulnerable adults.
When possible, two non-related and non-cohabitating adults will be present for all
activities involving children, youth, and vulnerable adults. For small group activities
where one adult supervises a group, all groups are to meet in sight and sound of at
least one other group or an adult floater. The ministry leader may also decide to
combine groups to ensure the safety of all parties. Small group sizes will be
determined by the size of the group but should not exceed reasonable
adult/participant ratios.
2. Rule of Three: In addition to no adult being alone with participants, no two
participants should be alone together in a private space, including the restroom.
There should always be a group of three together, whether that be a group of only
children or youth or a group of minors along with at least two adults.
3. Five Year Older Rule: Persons supervising children and/or youth will be at least 5
years older than the oldest child/youth participant. It is expected that all staff or
volunteers for church sponsored events be at least 18 years of age or older and
have completed a background check, interview with the appropriate staff leader for
that ministry area, and participated in training on the Safe Sanctuary Policy.
4. Adult/Children Ratio: The adult/children ratio will be dependent upon the age of the
children present. While maintaining the Two Adult Rule, the ratio for children ages
0-5 is a minimum of 1 adult for every 4 children. For children, grades 1-6, it is 1 adult
for every 6 children.
5. Adult/Youth Ratio: While maintaining the Two Adult Rule, the adult/youth ratio will
be at least 1 adult for every 8 youth while on the church campus. The ratio for off site
camps and mission trips will be a minimum of 1 adult for every 5 youth.
6. Open Doors: Doors to meeting spaces without windows must remain open when
children, youth, or vulnerable adults are utilizing the space. Doors with windows may
remain closed provided that sight lines to all areas of the room are clear.
7. Medical Release/Registration Form: All persons attending children or youth events
shall have a completed parental permission form, which includes a medical release.
It is expected that a new form will be submitted if a change in medical status occurs.
All forms will be maintained by the appropriate ministry team leader and will be
available upon request for verification during church event check-in.
8. Check-In Procedure: Children and youth ministry leaders should practice clear and
consistent check-in procedures for all events.
9. Check-out/Event Pickup: No child/youth will be released to anyone other than the
parent whose signature has been provided without specific written direction by that
parent and satisfactory identification of the person who will call for the child/youth.
10. Communication with Children: Communication with children should occur through
approved channels, such as an official church email or designated platforms, and
must be transparent, ideally in group formats. One-on-one communication is
prohibited unless prior approval is granted, and parents must approve consent
before contact is initiated. More information on best practices can be found in
Appendix A: Policy for Electronic Communication with Minors
11. Transportation: Volunteers may transport children to and from church sponsored
events if they are 25 years or older, possess a valid drivers license, and have up to
date insurance coverage. No adult should be alone with a minor in a vehicle, unless
the adult is the parent or guardian of the minor. Written consent from a parent or
guardian is required for transportation of minors to and from church events. Parents
should be informed of the transportation arrangements, including the names of the
drivers and the vehicles being used.
12. Lodging for overnight youth events with hotel-style or individual rooms: An
adult and youth will not share a room/hotel/tent unless the adult is a parent of the
youth with whom they are sharing the room/hotel/tent. No adult should share a bed
with any youth.
13. Lodging for overnight youth events with large group sleeping arrangements:
There will be separate sleeping areas/rooms for males and females at all church
sponsored events. If youth and adults are sleeping in the same large space, there
will be at least two adults of the same gender in the room/cabin.
Parent/Guardian Housing Exemption: An immediate family member or
guardian of a young person who is chaperoning an overnight event is
permitted to share a room with his/her child no matter the gender as long as
no other young people are sharing the room.
14. Six Month Rule: Any volunteer working with children must be a member of
Crievewood UMC or attend regularly for at least six months. This shall be confirmed
by the pastor or ministry supervisor.
POLICY EXEMPTING PERSONS FROM ELIGIBILITY TO SERVE
Circumstances or conditions that may exempt a person from eligibility to serve with children,
youth, or vulnerable adults include the following items:
● Individuals convicted by local, state, or federal courts of neglecting, abusing,
molesting or battering a child or an adult.
● Individuals convicted of a violent crime.
● Individuals convicted of a felony
Applicants whose felony conviction is not otherwise mentioned above, will be
considered on an individual basis pending a background check and subject to final
approval by the Senior Pastor.
● Individuals with certain addictions.
Persons with chemical and/or substance abuse within the past three years may be
asked to provide Verification of Treatment from their provider.
REPORTING OF SUSPECTED INCIDENTS OF SEXUAL AND PHYSICAL
ABUSE OF MINORS
Crievewood United Methodist Church will take all accusations and suspicions of abuse
seriously. Under Tennessee Law, any person who suspects abuse, or persons to whom a
report of abuse was made, is required by law to report it to a local law enforcement agency.
Upon a volunteer or staff person receiving a complaint, or suspecting abuse or neglect from
within the church setting, the Director of the involved ministry shall immediately be notified.
This staff person will then notify the appropriate law enforcement agency, as well as the
Senior Pastor. If the abuse happened on church property by church volunteers or staff, the
accused person shall immediately be removed from contact with children, youth, or
vulnerable adults until the incident reported has been resolved. The removal of the accused
person should be handled in the most caring manner for all involved.
Appendix: Policy for Electronic Communication with Minors
Purpose: The purpose of this policy is to ensure the safety and well-being of minors while participating in
church activities and communications. This policy is designed in accordance with Safe Sanctuaries
principles to establish clear guidelines for electronic communication between adults and minors within the organization.
Policy Statement
All electronic communication between adults and minors must be conducted in a manner that is safe,
respectful, and appropriate. This policy applies to all forms of electronic communication, including but not
limited to email, text messages, social media, and any other digital platforms.
Guidelines for Communication
1. Approved Communication Channels
a. Communication should primarily occur through official church email accounts or
designated communication platforms (GroupMe).
b. Personal phone numbers and social media accounts should not be used without parent
permission for communication with minors.
2. Transparency
a. All electronic communications with minors should be transparent and open, meaning they
should be visible to parents or guardians and other appropriate church staff.
b. Group messaging (e.g., group texts or group chats) is encouraged to ensure
transparency.
3. Appropriate Content
a. Communications should remain professional and appropriate at all times. Discussions
should focus on church-related activities, events, and topics relevant to the minors’
spiritual growth.
b. Avoid sharing personal information, engaging in private conversations, or discussing
sensitive topics.
4. Parental Consent
a. Obtain written consent from a parent or guardian before initiating electronic
communication with minors.
b. Inform parents about the types of communication that will occur and the platforms used.
Boundaries and Expectations
● No One-on-One Communication: One-on-one electronic communication between adults and
minors is prohibited, except in exceptional circumstances where prior approval has been granted
by a supervisor and parents have been informed.
● Monitoring and Reporting: All electronic communications should be subject to monitoring. Church
leadership will periodically review communications to ensure compliance with this policy. Any
inappropriate communication or behavior should be reported immediately to church leadership.
Violation of Policy
● Any violation of this policy will result in disciplinary action, which may include termination of
employment or volunteer status, depending on the severity of the violation.
● Serious violations may be reported to the proper authorities, as necessary, in accordance with
legal obligations.