At Alpine Community Church, our desire is to create a safe and secure environment for all of our kids. With the rising risk of abuse to children in every sector of life, it is increasingly important that as a church we do everything possible to promote a safe and secure setting for our kids. With this in mind, we have created the following policies which are to be followed by anyone working with children at Alpine Community Church.

1. All adults working with children will fill out a Kids Church Ministry Application and will submit to a criminal background check. Anyone with a criminal conviction relating to a violent or sexual act will not be allowed to work with children.
2. Ministry settings for children will be staffed by a minimum of two qualified workers at all times.
3. In any ministry setting, adults are never to be alone with a child/children.
4. Physical contact with children should be age and individual appropriate, demonstrating the pure and genuine nature of God’s love. Inappropriate physical contact including:
   • Kissing a child or coaxing a child to kiss you.
   • Extended hugging and tickling, or prolonged physical contact of any kind.
   • Touching a child in any area that would be covered by a bathing suit (exceptions: diaper changing and properly assisting a child in the restroom).
   • Carrying an older child or sitting him or her on your lap.
   • Treating a child in a rough manner, including yelling, intimidating, threatening, grabbing the arm firmly, shaking him, sitting him in a chair forcibly or striking him.
5. Workers should help a child use the restroom only if the child is three years or younger. In this case, a class should go together with both volunteers, or there should be two volunteers accompanying the child. If a child is three years or younger, the volunteers should leave the outer door of the restroom open. If a child is between three years old and 2nd grade, the volunteer should check the restroom before the child enters it and then wait outside for the child.
6. A security tagging system is used for all children in the infant nursery through the 2nd grade classes. Upon a child’s arrival, the adult responsible for check-in will clip a name/number tag on the child and give the corresponding security number tag to the parent. The parent must return the tag for release of the child. There is no tagging system for 3rd-5th grade children. Parents should accompany their child to the classroom where children sign in upon arrival. Children may be released from their classroom only to a parent or family member over the age of twelve.
7. All volunteers working with children 0-18 years of age will immediately report any items of obvious concern regarding suspected child abuse. Volunteers will report such suspected abuse to an Alpine Community Church staff member who will notify the proper authorities.
8. All volunteers working with children will read and agree in writing to the above stated policies.