• Secure check in and check out procedures
• Age appropriate curricula, toys, activities, and snacks
• Cleaning procedures implemented before, during, and after each event
• Easy opportunities for updating each child’s information including allergies, medical conditions, and other issues in which caregivers need to be made aware
• First Aid Backpacks in each classroom and quick access to communication with the security team
• Staff and volunteers who have completed policy and procedure training according to the Advent Employee Handbook, a background check, and other certifications including Child Abuse Awareness training through Protect My Ministry and CPR/First Aid through the American Heart Association

We ask that parents and guardians respect the health of all families by keeping children at home until being 24 hours of symptom-free without the use of medications from the following:

• Fever higher than 100F
• Unexplained fatigue
• Chills
• Vomiting or diarrhea
• Excessive coughs or sneezing
• Runny nose that is greenish or yellow
• Persistent cough
• Sore throat
• Persistent headaches or body aches
• Unexplained rash
• Highly infectious illnesses and issues such as flu, strep throat, pink eye, lice, etc.
• Please follow all guidelines provided by the CDC in relation to being in contact with a Covid-19 positive person.

We strive to protect all of those who participate in activities at or with Advent Cordova. In keeping with that commitment, we have created polices and procedures that we feel help shield all participants from inappropriate or abusive situations, unsubstantiated claims, and legal liability of Advent Presbyterian Church. These include volunteer background checks and training, specific policies against child abuse, and guidelines for protecting all persons involved.

You can read our policies and procedures in our Advent Employee Handbook.

Students Serving With Minors

Students may serve in Advent Kids beginning in the 6th grade. If at any time the student is no longer helpful to the adult leaders in the room, we may revoke the right for that student to serve at any time for any reason.

These additional guidelines apply to students:

• Students must follow the instruction and leadership of adult leaders at all times.
• Students should not bring unapproved friends to volunteer with them.
• Students should not escort children to the bathroom alone.

Policy Against Child Abuse

Advent Presbyterian Church will make every effort to ensure that all minors are safe from any kind of abuse while in our care. We train our volunteers on how to recognize abuse and report it properly. The following information is from the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services.

https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/dcs/documents/TN_DCS_Family_Resource_Guide.pdf

Possible Indicators of Abuse and Neglect

• The child has repeated injuries that are not properly treated or adequately explained. 
• The child begins acting in unusual ways, ranging from disruptive and aggressive to passive and withdrawn.
• The child acts as a parent toward his or her brothers and sisters or even toward their own parents. 
• The child may have disturbed sleep (nightmares, bed wetting, fear of sleeping alone, and needing a nightlight).
• The child loses his/her appetite, overeats, or may report being hungry. 
• There is a sudden drop in school grades or participation in activities.
• The child may act in ways that are developmentally inappropriate, such as sexual behavior that is not normal for his/her age group.
• The child may report abusive or neglectful acts. 

Note: The above signs can indicate something is wrong but do not necessarily indicate abuse or neglect.

Reporting Procedures: Everyone in Tennessee is a mandated reporter under state law. Any person with reasonable cause to believe a child is being abused or neglected must, under the law, immediately report to the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services or to local law enforcement. The reporter can remain anonymous. (Advent Presbyterian Church will assist in filing the report.)

If at any time there are concerns or suspicions about the well-being of the children in our care, it is absolutely necessary that a member of the Advent Staff is notified.

Guidelines for Volunteers

• Reports of child abuse should be made promptly, thoroughly, and taken seriously.
• In addition to contacting the appropriate Law Enforcement, please immediately contact the Advent Presbyterian Director with whom you are associated or serving under. It is important that we protect any other area of ministry that might be affected.
• Treat any incident of abuse and all information about it with strict confidentiality and privacy.
• Do not discuss it with anyone else except law enforcement and the appropriate church leadership. The situation should not be the subject of gossip or discussed with friends or others until law enforcement has completed their investigation.
• Discuss your concerns, observations, or information you receive with the Advent Presbyterian Director of the area in which you are serving.

Volunteer/Child Protection

Advent Presbyterian Church desires to ensure the health, safety, and well-being of everyone involved in ministry with and for children and students. The following rules are set up to protect minors, volunteers, and the church. As a precaution and to ensure strict accountability from one adult to another, these rules must be followed:

Two-Adult Rule: The two-adult rule states that there must always be two non-related adults present when supervising one or more children/students. This rule is designed for the safety of the adults as well as the minors, and is required across all ministry areas with few exceptions (see guidelines for these cases below). Compliance with the two-adult rule includes the following:

• There must always be two adults present when supervising one or more children/students.
• The adults must not be related family members (such as a married couple).
• The adults should be in sight of each other at all times.

Exceptions to the Two-Adult Rule: The purpose of the two-adult rule is to ensure that the actions of any one leader are known to at least one other leader and to support leaders in ministry. Guidelines for exceptions to the two-adult rule follow this intent — that even if only one leader is present temporally, the actions of that leader are known and visible to others. This is accomplished by the adult choosing to be in visible and public locations, and by communication with other ministry staff.

Classroom doors should remain open at all times.

Bathroom Rules

Young Children: Volunteers should help young children use the restroom only if the child is three years or younger. If a child is three years or younger, the volunteers should leave the outer door of the restroom open at all times.

Children: If a child is over the age of three, a class should go to the restroom together with two volunteers accompanying the children. Check the restroom before child/children enter and then wait outside.

Students: Students may go to the restroom without adult supervision.

Extracurricular Church-Sponsored Activities or Events: The Advent Kids/Students Director must approve all extracurricular activities. Special attention will be given to planning and carrying out church-sponsored activities that involve children and/or students, on or off church property. Adequate adult supervision, appropriate separation of sexes, and other precautions will be taken. Adult chaperones must be Advent Kids staff or volunteers who have completed the necessary screening and background checks. On overnight events, sleeping arrangements will be made to avoid one adult and one child being in a room alone except for family members. Minors participating in overnight church-sponsored activities will be required to furnish a parent or guardian consent and release form.

General Guidelines

• Private conversations should take place in public settings where others can observe but not hear.
• Leaders are prohibited from possessing any sexually-oriented materials (magazines, cards, videos, films, clothing, etc.) on property or in the presence of children or youth except as expressly permitted as part of a pre-authorized educational program.
• Physical punishment is prohibited for discipline of children and students, including but not limited to spanking, slapping, pinching, hitting, or any other physical force.
• Physical force may only be used to stop a behavior that may cause immediate harm to the individual or to a child, youth, or others.

Appropriate Touch: Appropriate touch is part of a healthy ministry. These are the guidelines for when, where, and how to use appropriate touch. Using good judgment, the following are examples of appropriate touch:

• An arm around the shoulder
• Walking hand in hand with small children
• Carrying small children (no piggy back rides or carrying elementary-aged children)
• Short congratulatory or greeting hugs
• Brief, assuring pat on the back or shoulder
• Handshakes and high-fives

The guidelines for actions you should never take as a volunteer are listed below.

• Never touch a child in anger or disgust.
• Never touch a child in any manner that may be construed as sexually suggestive.
• Never touch a child between the belly button and the shins.
• Never touch a child’s private parts (with exception of diaper changes following the diaper policy).
• Children over the age of first grade should not sit in the laps of volunteers.
• Playing rough with children or letting children play rough with each other is not appropriate. The safety of everyone is of utmost importance.