Top 10 tips to implement and maintain child safe.
- Ensure Church council is fully informed and fully supports implementing child safe.
- Break the process down to manageable steps and implement it bit by bit.
- Begin to educate the church generally by using a number of different ways to communicate the child safe message. eg. newsletter, email and posters.
- To help resistant members of the congregation ask those who are experienced in child safety (teachers or day care workers) to talk to them informally.
- To those who may be offended, communicate the message, "it's not about you; it's to protect our children from those who are less trustworthy. But if you don't comply, nor will they."
- Pick a date to implement Child Safe in the church. Communicate that, "@ such and such a date everyone needs to be 'child safe' accredited."
- Set aside time to set your church up on the web site: remember, you only have to do this once.
- Make "Child Safety" an item on every agenda of children and youth team meetings.
- Be prepared to say "no" to an activity, people, or program that is not 'child safe.' You will probably only have to do it once.
- Reinforce the message by placing child safe announcements and information around the church.