The Child and Family Services Act states that every person who has reasonable suspicion to believe that a child may be in need of protection shall immediately report the suspicion to a child protection worker or police officer, and that every police officer who has reasonable grounds to believe that a child may be in need of protection shall immediately report the information to a child protection worker.

The duty to report applies in spite of any claim of confidentiality or professional privilege (e.g., priest, religious clergy, etc.) other than solicitor/client privilege or Crown privilege.

Each province and territory has their own legislation regarding the duty to report child abuse. More information can be found here

Step #1. Call your local child and family services or the police if the child is in immediate danger. Contact information can be found here.

Step #2. Complete the suspected abuse report form online, https://naccandwell.org/suspected-abuse-report-form/ and advise your lead position.

Step #3. Your Lead Position must complete a suspected abuse report follow up form, https://naccandwell.org/suspected-abuse-report-form/lead-position-followup/ and notify their Apostle.

No

Bullying is an imbalance of power – not just conflict. Bullying is unwanted, aggressive behavior that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behavior is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time.

A Safety Officer will be the volunteer(s) that is trained and certified in Basic First Aid + CPR.  Also, the Safety Officer will be familiar with the fire safety plan, emergency evacuation plan and be responsible for all health and safety equipment.

Each Rector in consultation with Busch training and the New Apostolic Church Administrative office will decide who will be the Safety Officer(s).

A church is eligible to receive an A.E.D if at least one person attending that congregation is trained and certified in Basic First Aid + CPR/AED.

The process to complete a Fire Safety Plan for each church will begin in August 2016 and be completed by June 2017.

Certain municipalities require fire drills and therefore, one may be scheduled for your congregation.

You can sign up for online self-paced virtual training here, http://www.plantoprotect.com/dwelltraining/sign_up/

In order for the church to be a place where people feel at home and that is trusted within the community, a criminal background check is necessary.  This has become the standard for any volunteer working with the vulnerable sector, which include children, youth and vulnerable adults.

Persons who, because of age, disability, or other circumstances, whether temporary or permanent are in a position of dependence on others, or otherwise at a greater risk than the general population of being harmed by a person in a position of authority or trust relative to them.

The following volunteer positions require a criminal background check:

• Camera Operator
• Chaperone
• Coordinator
• Committee Member
• Director
• Elevator Operator
• Fleet Driver ( Church Van )
• Hall Monitor
• Leader
• Minister
• NACSTAT Administrator
• Offering Counter
• Photographer
• Producer
• Safety Officer
• Soul Care Companion
• Teacher
• Trainer
• Usher

Criminal background checks older than 30 days cannot be submitted.

The results of the criminal background checks are kept off-site in a secure database by our partners, Plan to Protect.  Any background check that is reported as “not clear” is shared with the District Apostle, the Board of Directors and the Project Manager of dwell™.

In the event that your criminal history is relevant to your role as a volunteer, the Apostle would speak to you to better understand the circumstances before any decision would be made.

These ratios were developed from best practices of experts in the field of volunteers working with the vulnerable sector. They are higher than ratios for teachers and other childcare associations because our volunteers do not receive the training as professionals. Furthermore, schools and daycares are secured buildings that are not open to the public, where as our church buildings are open to anyone in the community.

You can sign up for online self-paced virtual training here, http://www.plantoprotect.com/dwelltraining/sign_up/

The best practice is to have 2 screened adults, OR 1 screened adult with the door open and a hall monitor for any classroom setting being attended by the vulnerable sector. Exceptions to this best practice are to be avoided.

Yes, youth volunteers need to register for dwell™. Youth that are in a position of trust, but not of age of majority will have to complete orientation training. Once the youth volunteer becomes age of majority, they will be required to complete the screening requirements if they are still in a Position of Trust.

Volunteers between ages 11 to age of majority may assist under adult screened volunteer supervision. Screened adult volunteers must be age of majority or older in order to supervise the vulnerable sector

Providing the window has clear lines of visibility into the classroom, the door does not have to be open.