Child Protection First!

Child Abuse Prevention Policy and Vulnerable Adult Abuse Prevention Policy for Dawson Memorial Baptist Church

PURPOSE: It is the purpose and intent of Dawson Memorial Baptist Church to provide a safe, secure environment to teach and care for the children, students, and vulnerable adults of our community.

GOAL: Our goal is to protect children and vulnerable adults from sexual abuse, molestation, or any type of inappropriate sexual behavior by employees or volunteers in this church and also to protect employees and volunteers from false accusations.

STATEMENT OF RESTRICTION: Any person who may pose a threat to children, youth, or vulnerable adults will be prohibited from working in any ministry involving children, youth, or vulnerable adults.

DEFINITION OF CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE: The National Resource Center on Child Sexual Abuse defines child sexual abuse as "any sexual activity with a child, whether in the home by a caretaker, in a day-care situation, in any organized ministry, whether at the main facility (church) or away, or in any other setting, including on the street by a person unknown to the child. The abuser may be an adult, an adolescent, or another child...."

Child sexual abuse can be violent or non-violent. It is criminal behavior of a sexual nature that involves children. Child sexual abuse can involve fondling; penetration of the oral, genital, and anal areas; sexual intercourse; and forcible rape. Other forms of abuse can include verbal comments, any exposure to pornographic materials, obscene phone calls, exhibitionism, or allowing children to witness sexual activity.

DEFINITION OF A MINOR: A minor is any individual under the age of 19 years.

The policy and procedure set forth below will apply to all people who provide supervision or have custody of minors or who have opportunity to have contact with minors in church facilities or church sponsored activities.

This policy will address 8 areas that are critical for the protection of the children, vulnerable adults, our employees, and our church: screening, training, prevention, identification, reporting, investigation, protection, and response.

I. SCREENING

A. Employee – anyone who is paid by the church on a full-time or part-time basis, whether or not they work directly with preschoolers, children, students, or vulnerable adults.

Every applicant for any paid position of Dawson Memorial Baptist Church shall complete a confidential application form and a consent form to release confidential information, to perform a criminal records background check, and to perform a DHR records check or the applicant will not be considered for employment by the church. Criminal records checks will cover all counties the applicant has lived in for the previous 7 years. A criminal records background check and a child abuse and neglect check will be performed every 3 years on all Dawson employees.

No one who has been convicted, pleaded guilty, or otherwise adjudicated guilty of sexual or physical abuse, sex related offenses, crimes of violence or offenses related to child pornography will be permitted to work at Dawson Memorial Baptist Church in any capacity. No one with pending charges of sexual or physical abuse, sex related offenses, crimes of violence, or offenses related to child pornography will be permitted to work at the church in any capacity. Anyone who has been previously charged with but acquitted of sexual abuse or physical abuse, sex related offenses, crimes of violence, offenses related to child pornography or who has been indicated for child abuse or neglect by any child welfare or protection services agency will be subject to further screening.

Upon application, a face-to-face interview will be scheduled with a member of Dawson staff to discuss the applicant’s prior history of working with children and vulnerable adults.

At minimum, 2 references will be checked for the applicant. The applicant should strive to provide references that are institutional in nature (i.e., organizations where the applicant has worked or volunteered with minors or vulnerable adults in the past – churches, scouts, youth sports, etc.)

All records, forms, and reports will become a part of the employee’s confidential personnel file. These files are kept by the Executive Pastor and are available to the Senior Pastor, Executive Pastor, the employee’s immediate supervisor, and members of the Personnel Committee.

No person shall be employed before the staff member responsible for hiring that position has received the all-clear from this process and the background checks.

B. Volunteer – anyone who is not paid by the church on a full-time or part-time basis, and is serving in any position involving the supervision or custody of minors or vulnerable adults. Examples: Nursery, childcare, preschool, grade school, middle school and high school workers, bus drivers, teachers, chaperones, DiscipleNow hosts, etc.

Before being considered for volunteer work with children or vulnerable adults, prospective volunteers must complete a confidential application form, agree by signature to follow Dawson Memorial Baptist Church Policies and Procedures, and authorize a consent form to release confidential information, to perform a criminal records background check, and to perform a DHR records check or the applicant will not be considered for employment by the church. Criminal records checks will cover all counties the applicant has lived in for the previous 7 years. A criminal records background check and a child abuse and neglect check will be performed every 3 years on all Dawson volunteers.

No one who has been convicted, pleaded guilty, or otherwise adjudicated guilty of sexual or physical abuse, sex related offenses, crimes of violence, or offenses related to child pornography will be permitted to work with children, youth, or vulnerable adults at any church function at Dawson Memorial Baptist Church. No one with pending charges of sexual or physical abuse, sex related offenses, crimes of violence, or offenses related to child pornography will be permitted to work with children, youth, or vulnerable adults at any church function at Dawson Memorial Baptist Church. Anyone who has been previously charged with but acquitted of sexual abuse or physical abuse, sex related offenses, crimes of violence, offenses related to child pornography or who has been indicated for child abuse or neglect by any child welfare or protection services agency will be subject to further screening.

Upon application, a face-to-face interview will be scheduled with a member of Dawson staff to discuss the applicant’s prior history of working with children and vulnerable adults.

The Executive Pastor and Business Administrator shall have the right to refuse any applicant for volunteer service with or without cause.

All records, forms, and reports will become a part of the church’s Child Protection First! confidential filing system. A person will be employed or designated to administer the Child Protection First! program. That person will be the custodian of the files of all volunteers. No other person will have access to the files without the prior written consent of the Senior Pastor or Executive Pastor.

In addition to the above requirements, a volunteer must be a member or active participant of Dawson Memorial Baptist Church for at least 6 months. A volunteer who does not meet this condition may serve only upon completion of the above requirements and with the provision that they will not be in the presence of children or vulnerable adults without a screened adult who meets this condition present.

C. Minors – In addition to the above requirements a minor who is an employee or volunteer must also submit a separate certification from his or her parent or guardian that the parent or guardian knows no reason why the minor should not be allowed to work directly or indirectly with other minors.

II. TRAINING

All employees and volunteers will receive abuse prevention training prior to interaction with children or other vulnerable individuals. This training includes but is not limited to: abuse identification and prevention policies, grooming behaviors, organizational policies and procedures, and mandatory reporting requirements.

Each year, opportunities for training in understanding, preventing, recognizing, and reporting suspected child abuse will be provided by the various ministry areas of our church. Volunteers are strongly encouraged to participate in such training on a continual basis. Dawson employees will also receive ongoing training throughout the year on such topics.

Completion of training will be documented. All records, forms, and reports will become a part of the church’s Child Protection First! confidential filing system.

III. PREVENTION

A. Two Adult Rule
Screened age-group ministers, division directors, hall monitors, greeters and/or program directors will be present, or nearby, and available on each floor and in the hallways, classrooms, vehicles, or other enclosed areas where minors or vulnerable adults are present. Reasonable effort will be made to have 2 unrelated screened adult workers present, or nearby, with preschoolers, children, students, and vulnerable adults during church activities. Reasonable effort will be made to ensure that one adult is not left alone with one minor or vulnerable adult.

B. Rule of Three
For times when the precaution of the Two Adults Rule cannot be supported, these policies require at least three individuals (at least one being a screened adult) be present at every function and classroom, vehicle, or other enclosed area where minors or vulnerable adults are present. Age and capacity of ministry participants should be considered when following the Rule of Three due to legal difficulties posed by the competency and credibility of testimony from very young children or individuals with other legal incapacities.

C. Restroom Policy
When using the restroom, children age 5 and under and vulnerable adults will be accompanied by a screened adult to and from the restroom. The screened adult will ensure the restroom is safe by ensuring the restroom is empty before allowing a child or vulnerable adult inside. If assistance is required, the screened adult will assist the individual with the door propped open and stall door open so that a second screened adult can visually monitor the assisting adult. Two screened adults should be present when assistance will be required in the restroom.

When restrooms are directly accessible to children from the room where children’s activities are taking place and not accessible to the general public, children can be allowed to use the restroom alone.

D. View Windows/Open Doors
Reasonable effort will be made to place preschoolers, children, students, and vulnerable adults in rooms with view windows or open doors for all teaching/learning activities. Interior doors should remain open unless there is a window in the door or right beside it. Doors should never be locked while people are inside the room.

E. Over-Night Activities
Special attention will be given to planning and carrying out activities that involve children or vulnerable adults in overnight stays. All Employees and Volunteers will be required to comply with all the Child Protection First! Policies during Dawson-sponsored over-night activities.

F. Local Activities
All Employees and Volunteers will be required to comply with all the Child Protection First! Policies during Dawson-sponsored local activities.

G. Non-local Activities
All minor participants should have written parental consent and a notarized or witnessed medical release form. Consent forms may be completed for a one-year period and should be renewed annually. All Employees and Volunteers shall be required to comply with all of Dawson's policies including, but not limited to, those outlined in Child Protection First! during Dawson-sponsored non-local activities.

H. Preschool Security Policies and Age-Specific Guidelines
Dawson Memorial Baptist Church has a detailed, working preschool and children’s security policy that should be conscientiously followed. All Employees and Volunteers shall abide by the preschool and children’s security policy as well as any other applicable age-specific guidelines. Child Protection First! Questions about these policies should be directed to the Minister to Preschoolers, Minister to Children, the appropriate age-group minister or Executive Pastor.

I. Weekday Programs
Due to the professional relationship of the teacher and student, parents understand that only one teacher may be present in certain learning or artistic performance programs.

J. Peer-to-Peer Sexual Abuse
To minimize the risk of peer-to-peer sexual abuse, all minor volunteers must comply with the following:

Must complete all steps in screening process described in Section I of this policy
Must submit a separate certification from his or her parent or guardian that the parent or guardian knows no reason why the minor should not be allowed to work directly or indirectly with other minors
Must be under the supervision of an adult and must never be left alone with children

IV. IDENTIFICATION

All volunteers and staff included in this policy will be presented with materials on the identification of potential abuse and grooming behaviors as part of their original and ongoing trainings.

V. REPORTING

Reporting abuse can precipitate severe consequences to those involved, so it should never be done casually or thoughtlessly, and certainly not for malicious purposes. At the same time, failing to report abuse can have severe consequences to a child or vulnerable adult at risk. All employees and volunteers in ministries involving children, youth, and vulnerable adults must know what constitutes an occasion for reporting, the reporting channels they should use, and their legal obligations to make a report.

Alabama’s child abuse reporting statute (Ala. Code § 26-14-13) makes it mandatory to report child abuse cases for physicians, nurses, other health care officials, law enforcement officials, school teachers and officials, social workers, day care workers, mental health professionals, members of the clergy and any other person called upon to render aid or medical assistance to any child, when such child is known or suspected to be a victim of child abuse or neglect. These persons are required by law to report known or suspected child abuse or neglect under a penalty of a misdemeanor fine or sentence. The Alabama statute grants immunity to those making such reports in good faith. (Ala. Code § 26-14-9).

It is the policy of Dawson Memorial Baptist Church that employees follow mandatory reporting requirements, as referenced above, immediately reporting all incidents or suspected incidents of child abuse or abuse of vulnerable adults to the proper authorities. In addition to following mandatory reporting requirements as dictated by Alabama law, the employee making the report shall also immediately notify his/her supervisor who shall in turn immediately report to the Executive Pastor or other minister of Dawson. Dawson shall then take all reasonable steps to ensure that the alleged wrongdoer has no further contact with the alleged victim while present on the campus of Dawson and to ensure that the alleged wrongdoer has no further contact with children, youth, or vulnerable adults in the church pending completion of an investigation by the appropriate authorities. Nothing in these policies and procedures should be construed as a limitation on a person required by law to report child abuse to fulfill their obligation pursuant to Ala. Code § 26-14-3. To the extent volunteers working with children are considered mandatory reporters under Alabama law, this section applies to such volunteers.

VI. INVESTIGATION

Should an allegation be made, a neutral third party, likely legal counsel, will investigate the claims presented by the reporting person. Dawson Memorial Baptist Church will comply with the state of Alabama’s requirements regarding mandatory reporting. Dawson Memorial Baptist Church will fully cooperate with the investigation of the incident by civil authorities.

VII. PROTECTION

Dawson will strive to protect the victim during the investigation process. This includes protecting the anonymity of the victim to the extent possible. Dawson will take all reasonable steps to ensure that the alleged wrongdoer has no further contact with the alleged victim while present on the campus of Dawson and to ensure that the alleged wrongdoer has no further contact with children, youth, or vulnerable adults in the church pending completion of an investigation by the appropriate authorities.

VIII. RESPONSES TO ALLEGATIONS

All allegations will be taken seriously. Church staff will take appropriate action to report allegations in accordance with the reporting laws of the State of Alabama, insurance policy requirements, and advice of legal counsel.

In the event that an incident of abuse is alleged to have occurred at or during church sponsored programs or activities, the following steps should be followed:

The parent or guardian of the child will be notified.
Dawson will take all reasonable steps to ensure that the alleged wrongdoer has no further contact with children, youth, or vulnerable adults in the church, including the victim, pending completion of an investigation by the appropriate authorities.
Church staff will take appropriate action to report allegations in accordance with the reporting laws of the State of Alabama. Dawson Memorial Baptist Church will cooperate with investigation by civil authorities.
The insurance company will be notified and provided with documents relating to the incident and/or allegation. The church staff will document (in writing, with date and signature) all efforts in the handling of any incident.
The official spokesperson for the church will be the Senior Pastor, the Executive Pastor, or their designated appointee. All other staff members or church members shall refrain from speaking to the media regarding such matters.
Any person who is found guilty of the alleged abuse or misconduct will be removed from their position working with children, youth, or vulnerable adults.
In the event that an issue is reported, Dawson Memorial Baptist Church will conduct an analysis of occurrences to determine what changes are needed, if any, to policies and procedures to prevent further incidences.

IX. Effective Date

Employees
Upon approval of Board of Deacons this 13th day of May 2002

Volunteers
Upon approval of the Church this 18th day of August, 2002 fully implemented by September 1, 2003.
Revised Date – July 11, 2016
Amended by request dated May 2016 by Brotherhood Mutual Insurance Company.

Upon approval by Board of Deacons this 11th day of July 2016.

Revised Date – March 13, 2017
Notification of change to church dated February 12, 2017 as posted in the Together of that date.

Legal counsel for this policy was provided by Phillip Corley and Michael L. Jackson of Wallace, Jordan, Ratliff and Brandt, L.L.C.

Revised Date – March 9, 2026
Amended by request dated February 2026 by GuideOne Insurance Company.

Upon approval by Board of Deacons this 9th day of March 2026.

Notification of change to church dated March 22, 2026 as posted in the Together of that date.

Legal counsel for this policy was provided by Michael L. Jackson of Wallace, Jordan, Ratliff and Brandt, L.L.C.