Best Practices and Resources in Hiring, Prevention Training for Abuse, Investigatory Protocols, and Survivor Care

Guide for Churches:

1. Hiring (prior to employment or volunteering)

• Federal Background Check
• State background check for all states of residence
• Legal requirements for PA churches 
  • www.dhs.pa.gov/keepkidssafe
    • Mandatory Reporter training
    • Child Clearance
    • State Police Criminal Check
    • FBI Fingerprinting
• Legal Requirements for NJ churches
  •  www.nj.gov/dcf/reporting/how
  • Every New Jersey Resident is a mandated reporter
  • Should a NJ church seek affiliation with the BRN, the Senior/Lead pastor (elder) will be required to provide a current background check during the affiliation process.
    • There are many background check options. A few are, www.protectmyministry.com and https://www.lifeway.com/en/shop/services/church-administration/background-checks
• Search National Sex Offender Registry (www.nsopw.gov)
• Search Megan’s Law list (www.meganslaw.com)
  • PA Megan’s Law (www.pameganslaw.state.pa.us)
  • NJ Registry: (https://nj.gov/njsp/sex-offender-registry/index.shtml)
• Church should have a code of conduct for staff and volunteers to agree to
• Secure references from prior employers and vet them
• Caring Well free hiring guide (www.caringwell.com/hiring)

2. Prevention Training

• Develop and implement a Children’s Ministry Protection Policy and use this as a training piece for workers with minors.
• Pennsylvania Family Support Alliance to provide training to school personnel, child care staff, clergy, law enforcement, public and private social service agencies, and social service professionals
• Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics to provide training to physicians, school nurses, hospital staff and Emergency Medical Service providers
• The University of Pittsburgh’s Child Welfare Resource Center to develop a free, web-based training. This training is approved in accordance with Act 126 of 2012 and Act 31 of 2104, for mandated and permissive reporters
• View a PA list of additional approved courses for child abuse recognition and reporting training for mandated reporters
• New Jersey Mandated Reporter Training (https://reportingchildabusenj.org)
• Brotherhood Mutual Child Safety Resources (www.brotherhoodmutual.com/resources/child-safety)
• Though the above trainings are for children, many of the concepts and teachings will also apply to adults

3. Investigative Protocols

• Take all situations seriously and do not dismiss anything that you hear
• Follow mandated reporter notice to the state for child abuse
• Define internal processes about gathering information about abuse allegations which should include notifying the police, confronting parties where appropriate, recording information on the events, and appropriate legal counsel involvement.

4. Survivor Care

• Utilize the Becoming a Church that Cares Well for the Abused Handbook in the local church
• Counseling Care (or find a local counselor that can assist the abused):
  • Enduring Hope Counseling, Doreen Weiss LPC: (412) 760-7757, [email protected]
  • SafePlace Ministry, Bethann Miller BCBC: (516) 581-5183, [email protected] 
• Love the victim well and do not dismiss them upon hearing about their abuse
• Help the abused move from victim to survivor
• Empower and equip a person within the church to be a champion for survivor care

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