Checklist for Keeping Kids Safe from Abuse and Neglect

Previously, I've posted Three Reasons to Use a Training Checklist as well as Seven Essential Policies for Children's Ministry along with a free checklist for policies and procedures. Today, I want to keep moving forward on the same theme by reviewing a training checklist for protecting children from abuse and neglect.  

At Sojourn where I lead, we use several different checklists. This is one of the most important, because there is nothing more important (and yet nothing more scary) for a children's ministry volunteer than reporting suspected abuse. We put our Child Abuse and Neglect Training Checklist together several years ago with help from social workers in our congregation and great information I heard from Deepak Reju's presentation at the 2009 Children's Desiring God conference.

Deepak has since updated checklist and made it even better! It appears as one of the many really helpful appendices in his new book, On Guard: Preventing and Responding to Child Abuse at Church. It's appendix E (I love appendices)! 

I corresponded with Deepak recently, and he gave us permission to post the training checklist here. I'm really thankful for his generosity and that of his publisher, New Growth Press. Please download the checklist and use it. Here is what it covers: 

• How is child abuse defined?

• "Wouldn't I know a child abuser if I saw one?"

• How can I best minister to a child who has been abused or neglected?

• What happens if a child touches me inappropriately?

• How can I guard myself from accusation?

• What do I do if I suspect that a child has been physically, emotionally, or sexually abused?

• Who is required to report child abuse and neglect?

• How do I know if something is reportable or not?

I hope this checklist is helpful for you. If you think so, please leave a note of thanks for Deepak below.