Childcare Policies & Procedures

The following pages contain the policies and procedures for Veritas event childcare which have been adapted from the policies and procedures of Veritas Kids. For the safety and wellbeing of our kids and staff, it is imperative that Veritas childcare workers carry out the policies below.

To access a PDF document of the "Childcare Policies & Procedures," visit veritascolumbus.com/childcare.

Childcare Philosophy

The Veritas childcare program is committed to providing excellent care for children by creating a safe, caring environment for kids who are under the care of Veritas childcare staff and management.

Childcare is available at the church through registration for parents attending on-site meetings and events.

Expectations for Parents

Check-in Process
Parents should register their children for childcare prior to arrival for events. Upon arrival, parents should check their children in on the sign-in sheet provided, including signature. Please ensure that parents include their phone number in case you should need to text them. Also, parents should include any pertinent allergy/medical concern information.

What to Take/Leave
Following is a list of items for children to bring and (or) leave at home. Please make sure any items a child brings into the classroom are labeled. Additionally, if a child received a special snack before class, please ask them to finish it before they come into the classroom.

Infants
Bring: A cup or bottle of water or milk (optional)
Bring: A lovie (blankie, stuffed animal, or pacifier), if parents believe it will be helpful
Leave: Snacks of any kind

Toddlers
Bring: Cup or bottle of water or milk (optional)
Leave: A lovie or special toy
Leave: Snacks of any kind

Preschool
Leave: A lovie or special toys
Leave: Snacks of any kind

Elementary
Leave: A lovie or special toys
Leave: Snacks of any kind

Restroom/Diapering Policy
For all classes & events we will utilize an “above reproach” policy. Parents will be expected to take their children to the restroom and/or change diapers before childcare begins. Childcare workers will not be taking children to the restroom or changing diapers; rather, they will notify the parent via cell phone or in person (if caregivers can stay in ratio) if the need arises.

For classes & events over two hours in length: please request that the parents come during breaks to take their children to the restroom and/or change diapers.

Staffing

Screening Process
Before beginning work in any child or youth-related ministry at Veritas, applicants must be an active part of the Veritas community for at least six months. The applicant should be a member (or be currently pursuing membership) at one of the congregations, as well.

Volunteers and workers will be thoroughly screened. As part of the application process, applicants must answer these two questions:

• Are you aware of any current or past claim or lawsuit, or of any situation that could result in a claim or lawsuit in connection with an allegation of abuse or sexual misconduct?
• Have you ever participated in, been accused or convicted of, or pled guilty or no contest to any abuse or sexual misconduct?

Additionally, volunteers and workers will have a background check conducted. This check will consist of a Social Security trace, as well as checking names against the sex offender watch list, global watch list, and national criminal watch list. No worker or volunteer may be a part of a child-related ministry without a current background check in place.

Finally, as part of the application process, interviews will be completed and references will be contacted.

All volunteers who are 18 year of age and older must complete a Veritas Childcare Application which includes:

• Online Application
• Background Check
• Electronic Signature for the Child Safeguarding Guide
• Electronic Signature for Childcare Handbook
• Interview
• References

Ratio
Veritas has chosen to maintain compliance with the lowest legal adult to child ratio of one adult to five children (1:5). Given the small size of our staff team, we may occasionally choose to abide by the legal age group specific ratios in order to appropriately staff large events. These ratios are listed below:

Infants - 1:5
Toddlers - 1:7
Preschool - 1:12
School age - 1:18

However, unless otherwise notified, the ratio childcare maintains is 1:5.

Compensation
Childcare work is a paid position. Childcare staff will be paid $12/hr. for the first four hours worked within a month (approximately two events). Any hours over four hours in that same month will offer an incentive pay of $18/hr.

Expectations for Childcare Staff

General Expectations
Love Jesus - All childcare workers should be in a growing relationship with Jesus Christ and love kids out of an overflow of their love for Christ and His love for them.
Be on Time - All childcare workers should arrive at least 15 minutes prior to the event start time. Additionally, they should be prepared to stay 15 minutes after the event has ended.
Come Prepared - Please arrive to your classrooms fully prepared to care for children, share the love of Jesus, and ensure that parents can focus on the event without concern about their child(ren)’s well being.

Appearance
Veritas childcare workers are encouraged to dress appropriately for interacting with children. Modesty, comfort, and general casual professional dress are encouraged.

Also, when possible, childcare workers should wear their Veritas Childcare t-shirt, as this makes it easy for parents to determine who is working with children at a given event.

Timeliness
As stated before, please arrive 15 minutes prior to the start time of the event for which you are providing childcare. You can expect to stay up to 15 minutes after the event ends, using this time to clean up/sanitize the room. The times of your shift will be outlined when you sign up.

**In the case that childcare staff receive no children 30 minutes after the start time of the event (not the scheduled shift time), staff members may leave upon notifying the childcare director. Staff will be paid for the full hours in this situation.

Childcare Staff Children
Childcare staff/workers may bring up to one of their own children, if they are still within ratio (childcare registrants come first when it comes to filling the classroom); this should be determined before the event, since every child should be registered beforehand. The goal is not to turn away any children because slots are filled by childcare staff kids.

Classroom Presence

All minors present in the building during a Veritas event must either be signed in and present in the classroom with childcare staff, or with their parents at their event so that any risk (safety or otherwise) is mitigated. Children should never be sent out of the classroom alone, even if it’s to use the restroom or to “find” their parents at the end of an event.

Two-Adult Rule

In order to keep all interactions with children and youth above reproach, our church requires at least two, unrelated adults to supervise all child/youth events. No one adult should ever be alone with children.

In addition to this, no counseling should occur in a one-on-one, unobservable context. All interactions with children and youth should be observable and interruptible.

Classroom Checklist

Pre-class:

▢ Sanitize all surfaces with Clorox wipes (found in childcare bin) before the class begins to prevent risk of allergic reactions

▢ Install the kid gate in the primary door that you are using to prevent children from wandering out, if applicable (stored in the Kids office across from classroom at Short North)

▢ Tidy classroom

▢ Prepare activities (set up activity stations); provide as much structure to the evening as possible

▢ Ensure parents fill out a name tag for their child and write the parent’s name, phone, and if the child has any allergies/medical concerns on the tag (in case of emergency such as a building evacuation)

▢ Sign children in and include parent's phone number (sometimes it's not a parent bringing the child, so have the responsible adult include their information), and child's allergies/medical concerns on sign-in sheet

▢ Check and pay attention to name tags for allergies/medical concerns

▢ Ensure child has used restroom prior to being dropped off

▢ Ensure parent is aware that we do not permit them to bring snacks (prevent allergic reactions)

Post-class:

▢ Vacuum room

▢ Take the trash out/replace the bag (in metal cabinets in elementary room)

▢ Sanitize surfaces again with Clorox wipes (found in childcare bin)

▢ Sanitize toys - especially ones that babies/small children have put in their mouths - and tables with Clorox wipes (found in childcare bin)

▢ Put everything back in it’s appropriate locations

▢ Return all supplies to childcare bin

Welcoming Children into the Classroom

A child’s first impression of a teacher or classroom can completely set the tone for their time spent in childcare. Below are some great ways to ensure that kids - and parents - feel comfortable and safe in the childcare environment:

• Creating a warm atmosphere and welcome each kid with a warm smile.
• Greet both the kids and parents by name.
• If a child displays symptoms of sickness (runny nose, cough, etc.), please do not allow them in the classroom. Discuss with parents our Sick Policy (see below for specifics) and stress that we are simply trying to protect all of our kids and families, especially since they all are in small, enclosed areas.

Sick Child Policy

For the comfort of our children and the safety of others, parents are asked to keep their child at home if they exhibit one or more of the following:

• Temperature of 100 degrees or higher within the last 24 hours
• Vomiting within the last 24 hours
• Diarrhea within the last 24 hours
• Severe coughing
• Colored nasal drainage
• Pink eye
• Head lice or bed bugs
• Undiagnosed rash
• Any communicable diseases

Children who appear to be sick, or become ill at church, should be isolated from the other children and their parents should notified immediately.

Sleeping Baby Policy

Sleeping babies will not be accepted into childcare. If a child is asleep, they can be checked into childcare (to count towards ratio) and remain with their parent(s) until they awake.

Process for Discipline

In childcare, issues that require discipline are typically dealt with by the parents. It is the childcare worker’s responsibility to inform the parent of these issues. This differs somewhat from the Sunday Kids Ministry as Sunday volunteers are instructed to implement discipline with spiritual formation in mind.

Depending on your discretion, you may have the opportunity to implement disciplinary action in the following ways:

• Immediate verbal correction with a loving attitude
• Separation of a child from the larger group for one-on-one discussion, encouraging them to love others. (This should never include an childcare worker removing the child from the room.) The discussion should contain the following:
  • A Non-Threatening Posture - Bend down and make eye contact with the child
  • Address the Heart Issue, Not Just the Behavior
  • Prayer (if applicable)
  • Placement in time-out that is accompanied by prayer—both for and with the child (if applicable)
  • Share the situation with the child's parents. Ensure that you honor the child and at the same time, encourage the parents.

If none of these work, it is acceptable to contact the child’s parents to intervene and, if applicable, remove the children from the childcare room for the remainder of the event.

Crying

The inevitable reality of caring for babies and young children is that they will cry. But be aware, kids are smart! If you, as a leader, are visibly unhappy, frustrated, or annoyed, the child will likely reflect that same attitude. Try to stay positive and patient!

If you have tried various methods to stop the crying (i.e. comforting words, distracting with a toy, etc.) , and the crying persists beyond a 15 minute span, it’s best to contact their parent.

Snacks

In order to prevent allergic reactions, “outside” snacks will not be permitted in the childcare classroom.

We will not be offering snacks to children during normal classes & events in which the duration is under two hours.

In the event that children are under the care of our workers for more than two hours, Cheerios may be provided in the following fashion:

• Check the roster for allergies prior to serving Cheerios (most children with allergies/intolerances should be fine)
• Kids should all be seated at a table
• Each child can receive a small handful of Cheerios placed in front of them on a paper towel or napkin

Emergency Situations

First Aid - ​The nature of children and the activities they engage in will occasionally result in accidents or injuries. A fully-equipped first aid kit is available for use at each building. In the event of a medical incident:

• ​First, notify the child's parents.
• If the parent is unavailable, administer appropriate treatment measures based on your discretion.
• Never administer medication of any sort, including things such as ibuprofen or Neosporin. If a child needs medication of any sort, it is the responsibility of the parent to give it to them.
• If there is a spill of body fluid (blood, vomit, etc.) latex gloves must be worn while caring for the child, as well as during clean up.
• Fill out a detailed Incident Report.

Medical Emergencies - ​On the rare occasion that an injury involves broken bones, fainting, convulsing, unconsciousness, or other serious bodily injury occurs, they should be treated as follows:

• Assess the scene to determine if there is an emergency risk situation. If you and/or the child are at risk, immediately move to a safe location.
• Remain calm and keep the injured child as calm as possible. Do not move the child if movement may result in further injury.
• Notify the child's parents and call 911, if necessary.
  Fill out a detailed Incident Report.

Fire - ​In the event of a fire:

• Instruct those around to stay calm, remain silent, and walk while evacuating.
• Count all children in the room and lead the children out of the building in an organized, quick fashion using the locations pre-planned evacuation route.
• All children will be taken to the parking area away from the building. Class role will be taken once again when outside the building.
• As a general rule, a safe position outside is the distance equal to twice the height of the building. So, if a two-story building is 14 feet high, the assembly point must be 28 feet away from the building.
• Do not re-enter the building for any reason until emergency responders have given you the “all clear.”

Power Outage - ​Flashlights are readily available to all classrooms. If a power outage were to occur, children would be entertained and kept secure until their parents arrive. Normal security procedures would be followed.

Tornadoes, Storms, and Severe Weather - ​In case of a tornado or other severe weather:

• Instruct others to remain calm and stay in the building due to emergency. Going outside poses a risk of injury or death.
• Children will be calmly escorted to the hallway outside of the classrooms. They will be taught how to sit with their back against the wall, knees tucked under their chins, arms wrapped around the knees, and heads bent down. All children will be accounted for and efforts will be made to keep them calm and entertained.
• Stay in your safe location until the “all clear” is given.

Earthquakes - ​Veritas Kids volunteers will keep children away from heavy hanging objects, tall or heavy furniture, ruptured hot water heaters, gas lines, flammable liquids and electrical wires. Children will be gathered under a supported doorway or sturdy table and kept calm and secure.

Active Shooter - At Veritas, we value safety and are constantly working to develop better, more effective ways to protect our children. When it comes to the possibility of an active shooter scenario, we believe that prevention is our best line of defense. Our church security teams are committed to monitoring for suspicious activity, and we are continually looking for the best way to secure our children's rooms.

If you hear gunfire, see a person with a gun or other weapon, or become aware of some other physically dangerous situation, take immediate action to protect yourself and others. Additionally:

• Close and lock doors to children’s classrooms.
• Use chairs and any other furniture to block the door.
• Stay away from windows and out of view.
• Turn off lights.
• Take children to the farthest inside corner of the room - that is, the corner of the room that is in line with the door and is hardest to see.
• Hide behind heavy furniture or anything that will hide your location and/or protect you from gunfire.
• Stay in your safe location until the “all clear” is given.

Non-Injury Incidents - ​In the event of a non-injury incident that is cause for concern, please notify the Team Lead. Non-injury incidents may include, but are not limited to:

• Behavior that may indicate possible child abuse.
• Inappropriate talk or touch from children.
• Physical altercations between children.
• Fill out a detailed Incident Report.

Incident Reports

Immediately following any accident, incident, or injury, an Incident Report must be filled out by a volunteer that witnessed the event. The Incident Report also requires a parent signature. All Incident Reports should be turned in to the Childcare Director immediately following the event.

Child Safeguarding Policy

As a people who strongly believe in Biblical mandates to follow God's will in all things, we believe that abuse of any kind - especially sexual abuse - is morally and ethically wrong. It constitutes as mistreatment and/or abuse of vulnerable people groups. Abuse is, at its core, a misuse of the power and authority given by God to those in leadership positions. Additionally, it tarnishes the church's representation of the character of Jesus Christ, and is an abomination to the very heart of God.

Thus, Veritas maintains a strict zero-tolerance policy against child abuse and neglect. Child abuse and neglect includes physical or mental injury, sexual abuse, negligent treatment, or maltreatment.

A separate document, The Child Safeguarding Guide, has been created to address this topic in depth. All volunteers or worker will be required to read and sign this document before serving with any Veritas kid-related ministry.

Special Populations

Children with Special Needs

At Veritas, we believe that all children - including those with special needs - are:

• Fashioned in the image of God (Genesis 1:26)
• Created with unique gifts, abilities, and challenges (Psalm 139:13-15)
• Have had their days ordained by God (Psalm 139:16)

We also believe that the parents and families of those with special needs have the same need to be fed, nurtured, and grown by the church as those parents and families of typical children.

Because of these beliefs, children and young people with special needs are welcome to be a part of childcare during Veritas events. During initial registration for the event, we ask that parents notify us of any conditions that might require additional support and/or help, ensuring that we can appropriately staff the room for the event.

(Please be aware that if we are not able to find adequate staffing, we will notify parents that childcare is not available for that event.)

As with all children, please ensure that you have the parents’ cell phone number and/or information as to where they will be should you need to contact them for anything during the event. If, at any time, the child or young person with special needs has needs outside of what you feel comfortable providing for, please contact the parent immediately for guidance and/or assistance.

Foster Children

Veritas welcomes all children in foster care to be a part of childcare during events. During initial registration for the event, we ask that parents notify us of any circumstances that might require additional support and/or help. (When a child is in foster care, often, the biological family does not have custody and cannot pick up a child. Be aware of these situations.)

When a child is in foster care, there is also a need for added privacy. No photos should be taken of these children. These kids should not be talked about or mentioned by name outside of church. Moreover, staff and helpers should not solicit information about whether foster parents plan to adopt, why the children are in care, where their birth parents live, etc., as this information is typically confidential and sensitive.

Classroom Activities

Within the childcare bin in your room, you will find games and seasonal crafts to utilize during your time. Please prepare for the arrival of the children by looking at the resources you have available and selecting age-appropriate activities. It may be helpful to set up stations or tables with different activities. Try your best to only utilize items in the childcare bin in order to prevent damaging or losing items that belong to Kids Ministry.

It is typically best to limit the number of options kids have. This may mean putting away a portion of toys, inviting them to participate in 1 or 2 activities, such as building with blocks, doing a craft, or playing a game. This will decrease chaos and encourage kids to play and share together.

Supplies

As stated before, please try your best to only utilize items in the childcare bin in order to prevent damaging or losing items that belong to the Sunday Kids Ministry. If anything does become damaged - be it from the childcare bin or from the Sunday Ministry resources - or if you use up supplies from the childcare bin, please notify Allison Sauceda (allison.sauceda@veritascolumbus.com).

Sharing the Gospel with Children

While childcare events do not include a lesson and are more flexible than a Sunday morning class, the chance that a child might engage in gospel conversations is likely. It is important that childcare staff understand basic concepts and are prepared to discuss them, if need be.

Children are sinners in need of grace just like adults. They need the truth of the gospel applied to their hearts. So, what should we do?

1.) Stress the facts of the Gospel- God desires us to be faithful to our relationship with Him. This means knowing Him, obeying Him, and loving Him.

• Deuteronomy 6:4-7a- Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children.
• However, all of us are in rebellion against God. Children, just like adults, are sinful and in need of a Savior.
• Romans 3:23- for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. This is one purpose of the Bible’s teaching. As it shows us the holiness and goodness of God, it also shows us our deficiencies, our rebellion, and our sin.
• Galatians 3:10- All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.”
• Romans 3:20- Therefore no one will be declared righteous in His sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.
  Childcare staff should use teaching about actions and attitudes to kindly point out the deficiencies of children. Ask searching questions. This is an especially helpful tool with elementary school children. In this way, we will help our children understand their need for Jesus and His Gospel.
  Jesus Christ took the punishment for our sin by bearing the wrath we deserve on the cross. He was the substitute for sinners.
• Galatians 3:13- Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.”
• Speak freely and often about the need to repent of sin and to trust in Christ.
• Encourage un-churched children to come to Veritas Kids on Sundays. God saves sinners through exposure to His preached and taught Word. Pray that the ministry of Veritas Kids will influence every child that walks through our doors.
• Trust God to work in the hearts of His children to bring them to Himself through faith, in His time and in His ways.

Children, just like adult sinners, are easily deceived and manipulated (Ephesians 4:14). Just like adults, they may be tempted to find assurance in their own good works or religious practices rather than in the redemptive work of Jesus Christ. So, what should we do?

2.) Speak freely and often about the need to repent of sin and to trust in Christ- Encourage children to confess their sins and ask for mercy, but do not offer false assurances.

• Do not assure them that a prayer for mercy (a “sinner’s prayer”) guarantees their eternal destiny. It does not.
• Human hearts long to find assurance in things that we can manipulate – our own knowledge, emotional experiences, prayers, or our works. We must discourage children from seeking assurance in such things.
• Salvation is a work of God. We must teach children that assurance is found in Jesus Christ and His work alone. Trust that God the Holy Spirit will assure those who are truly changed (Romans 8:16). Trust that He will bring conviction or assurance as He sees fit.
• Do not pressure children for commitments. Rather, trust that God is already at work in their hearts! Your responsibility is to faithfully tell the Gospel to them and leave the results to the Lord.

Signs of true faith are sometimes harder to recognize in children than they are in adults. It can be difficult to tell the difference between natural maturing and a Holy Spirit-wrought change of heart— this is especially true since children naturally want to please adults. So, what should we do?

3.) Express joy, but use discernment- If a child—on his own initiative—says he is trusting in Christ, express joy, but use discernment about validating that expression as one of saving faith. Offer encouragement to him to continue placing his trust in Christ throughout his life.

• If a child from a believing family speaks with you about the Gospel, let his parents know the questions their child is asking. Parents are called to be the primary shepherds of their children, and they should be closely involved when their children are asking these questions. Encourage parents, with the support of Veritas’s pastoral leadership, to discern their child’s heart carefully.
• If a child from an un-churched family speaks with you about the Gospel, let the Veritas staff know so we can explain the Gospel clearly to the child’s parents, let them know about the questions their child is asking, encourage them to continue bringing their child to church, and build a relationship with them. If the Lord is doing a work in the child’s life, we trust that He will be faithful to complete this work (Philippians 1:6).
• Do not be skeptical about a child’s sincerity. Although we want to be careful not to give a child a false sense of security, neither do we want to unwittingly discourage children from believing that God can grant them saving faith as a child. Offer encouragement to children to continue placing trust in Christ throughout their lives.

I have received and have access to a copy of the Veritas Childcare Manual Policies and Procedures. I have read the entire document, understand its contents, and agree to abide by the items stated in this document.

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