Child Care Policy
06/18/04
To help assure members, friends and visitors about our commitment to provide a safe and nurturing experience for their children every Sunday morning, the Christian Education Committee has updated the policies regarding childcare. After discussing and writing this policy, feedback was requested from volunteers in our childcare program and from the parents who have children five years old and younger. This policy will go into effect when posted by the first Sunday in April.
United Church of Christ in New Brighton Childcare Policy
We offer childcare so that individuals and families with children can participate in worship and education opportunities on Sunday morning, confident that their children are being cared for in a safe and nurturing environment.
We offer childcare during worship for children 5 years old and younger. During the education hour, childcare is offered for infants and toddlers; older children are encouraged to participate in Church School classes.
Adults who volunteer in the childcare room will undergo criminal background checks, according to the volunteer guidelines of the Christian Education and Youth Support committees.
Typically, during the program year, there will be two volunteers scheduled for the childcare room for the 9:30 worship hour and one volunteer for the education hour. During the summer, there will be one volunteer scheduled during the 9:30 worship hour. Youth (junior and senior high) are welcome to volunteer, but there will be at least one adult assigned to each shift.
Childcare volunteers will be on duty 15 minutes before worship begins and will stay until parents have retrieved all children. Children should be picked up no later than 10 minutes after the conclusion of the worship service or education hour so child care volunteers can also participate in the morning's activities.
Children will not be left alone in the childcare room either by parents or volunteers.
Adults who bring children to the childcare room will sign in on the clipboard provided by the volunteer, including child's name, birth date and medical concerns (allergies, recent illness); parent's name; where they will be while their child will be in childcare; and who will be retrieving the child.
Volunteers are not allowed to dispense prescription or over the counter medication to children other than their own.
The church does not provide diapers, snacks, etc.; children must come with their own 'supplies.'
Toys to be used during childcare times are located in and on top of the tall wooden cabinet; childcare volunteers will see that these toys are put away at the end of their shift.
A copy of this policy statement will be mailed to all childcare volunteers
and parents of children age 5 and under at the beginning of each program year. Copies will also be posted inside and outside the childcare room each Sunday.
Suggestions, questions or concerns about this policy should be directed
to the Christian Education Committee or the Associate Minister/Christian Education Director.
