ARTICLE 1. MISSION STATEMENT
To raise the next generation to walk in the love, knowledge, power, calling and authority of Jesus Christ.
DIF Kids ministries include:
| PROGRAM |
LOCATION |
PARENTS ROOM
(Newborns – to confident walkers) |
TBA |
EXPLORERS
(Confident walkers to 5 years) |
Room 2 (Education Building) |
KIDSQUEST
(Children 6 to 11 years) |
Room 1 (Education Building) |
STUDENT & CORE CONNECTION
(12 – 18 years) |
Off-site locations |
ARTICLE 2. CORE VALUES
The core values of DIF Kids include:
2.1 A deliberately child-oriented approach to all aspects of ministry and facilities
2.2 Excellence in all aspects of children’s ministry
2.3 A commitment to caring for children individually and long term
2.4 A safe environment for children physically, emotionally and spiritually
2.5 Bible-based teaching without compromise (presented in an engaging, relevant, and enjoyable way)
2.6 Team unity and honour of all church leadership
2.7 All glory and honour given to God
2.8 FUN
ARTICLE 3. CHILD PROTECTION POLICY
3.1 Da Nang International Fellowship (DIF) desires to provide a nurturing environment to teach and to demonstrate the love of God.
3.2 DIF recognises the responsibility to protect the welfare of children and young people entrusted to the fellowship’s care.
3.3 DIF defines a child or young person as someone under 18 years of age.
3.4 Our Child Protection Policy enables us to provide for good practice and procedures in recruitment of leaders and volunteers which they must adhere to. This not only serves to protect the children in our care, but also gives appropriate guidelines to protect leaders and volunteers, as well as the good witness of DIF.
3.5 We are committed to reporting concerns in regard to the welfare of children to appropriate authorities.
3.6 The information in this document gives practical guidelines for leaders and volunteers to follow in their role with children and young people.
3.7 Any gathering of children or young people must have a minimum of 2 assigned DIF Kids team members present. A group is never to be left unattended at any time.
3.8 Youth helpers are an important part of the team. Youth-aged DIF Kids team members will be given the same opportunities for support and training as adults.
3.9 Doors in the DIF Kids rooms will have windows that allow the room’s activities to be observed easily.
Ratios of Adults to Children
| AGE GROUP |
RATIO |
PARENT’S ROOM
(Newborn to confident walkers) |
Parents |
EXPLORERS
(Confident walkers to 5 years) |
1:4 |
KIDS QUEST
(6 – 11 years) |
1:8 |
| TRANSFORMERS |
1:10 |
DIF Kids Youth-Aged Team Members
| YOUTH TEAM MEMBERS |
ADULT TEAM MEMBERS |
| 13 – 16 Years |
Minimum of 2 |
| 16 – 18 Years |
Minimum of 1 |
ARTICLE 4. LEADER/VOLUNTEER CODE OF CONDUCT
As part of the DIF Child Protection Policy you have agreed to uphold integrity with your interactions with others. DIF specifically requires you to adhere to the following protocols whilst in your ministry role:
4.1 You should not be alone with a child at any time, unless this child is your own.
4.2 You cannot take children to the toilet alone. Check the toilets do not have other adults inside before directing the child to go in. Do not assist the child with toileting. If assistance is required, paging of the Parent/Guardian is required.
4.3 You cannot actively seek touching or hugging from children or have children sit on your lap. You cannot wrestle with or tickle children. Children seeking hugs should not be rejected but hugs are to be to the side and not prolonged. You must keep your interactions to commonly accepted public expressions of friendship.
4.4 You may not counsel or pray with children alone. That said, while there may be a need for private conversations with children or youth, DIF Kids team members should have such conversations where others can see, if not hear. At least one other adult should be aware of this. Any altar or follow-up ministry with children must be done in the full view of others. Do not invite a child to your home or visit a child in his/her home unless a parent or authorised adult is present.
4.5 You may not give any physical discipline. You may not hit or yell at any child. Make positive requests of children should you need to. For example: “Let’s do this now” is more positive than “Do you want to do this?” If those attempts fail, Parents/Guardians should be contacted.
4.6 You must not photograph or video children, or upload photos or video of children to any social media or internet forum or share images with others without parental consent.
4.7 You must report any behaviour you think is inappropriate by any other person in regard to children. Child abuse is a crime, and we must not try to cover it up in the hope of not bringing disgrace to the church. You must report directly to the a member of the DIF Council/Senior Pastor(s).
ARTICLE 5. PROCEDURES
5.1 Registration Procedure
5.1.1 DIF Kids Leaders & Volunteers
5.1.1.1 For new persons wishing to join the DIF Kids team, they must have regularly attended DIF services for a minimum of three months (or less at the discretion of the DIF Council/Senior Pastor(s))
5.1.1.2 All new DIF Kids team members must complete a Volunteer Interest Form and have their application approved by the DIF Council/Senior Pastor(s) prior to commencing service
5.1.1.3 All DIF Kids team members are expected to read, sign and adhere to all DIF policies and procedures prior to their commencement of service
5.1.1.4 All DIF Kids team members must participate in all available training opportunities prior to their commencement of service; hands-on observation and training with experienced DIF Kids leaders; as well as additional training and capacity building times scheduled throughout each calendar year
5.1.1.5 All DIF Kids team members must wear their DIF Kids t-shirt and/or tag each service they are rostered on
5.1.2 Children
5.1.2.1 All children must be checked-in and check-out either manually or electronically, noting the parent/guardian each time.
5.1.2.2 Parents/Guardians of new/visiting children must complete the full Registration Process either manually or electronically prior to the child being accepted into the DIF Kids programs.
5.1.2.3 Parents/Guardians identify any children with special needs/medical conditions/allergies etc at the time of registration.
5.1.2.4 Children can only be checked-out by registered parents/guardians and leave otherwise.
5.1.2.5 No child may leave a ministry area if not under Parental/Guardian supervision.
5.1.2.6 All team must remain until all children are collected.
5.1.2.7 Children whose Parent/Guardian do not come to collect them will remain in the ministry area with two leaders until their Parent/Guardian can be contacted and located. Should this not be possible, children will be given into the care of the DIF Council/Senior Pastor(s).
5.1.2.8 PAGING: Should a parent be required at any point, the DIF Kids team will contact the Parent/Guardian.
5.1.2.9 If a Parent/Guardian does not respond to the first point of contact, a team DIF Kids team member will locate the Parent/Guardian within the service personally.
5.2 Bathroom Procedures
In the event a child or young person in your care requires the bathroom, DIF Kids team members will adhere to the following procedure:
5.2.1 Two DIF Kids team members will go together to direct the child to the toilet.
5.2.2 One DIF Kids team member will remain with the child holding the bathroom door open, while the other DIF Kids team member checks each cubicle in the toilet block to ensure there are no other adults inside before directing the child to go in.
5.2.3 If there are adults in the toilet, wait for them to leave or politely ask them to do so.
5.2.4 Do not assist the child with toileting. If assistance is required, paging of the Parent/Guardian is required.
5.2.5 Nappies/diapers should be changed by Parents/Guardians only.
5.2.6 Toilet blocks should be monitored for people loitering.
5.3 First Aid Procedures
5.3.1 All ministry areas are supplied with an appropriate First Aid Kit. Should a kit need supplies, a DIF Kids team member should complete an DIF Kids Supply Request (available in the Administration Clip Board in your ministry area) and return it to the DIF Production Team to be placed with the counted offering.
5.3.2 In the event First Aid is required, please contact a DIF Council, Pastoral and/or Leadership Team Member.
5.3.3 All First Aid should be administered by a First Aid trained team member, unless it is an emergency situation, in which case DIF Kids should first call the Ambulance Hotline number (115) and then appropriate First Aid should be commenced by the first person available and capable as directed by the hotline.
5.3.4 The DIF Council/Senior Pastor(s) should be informed of any injury or illness that required First Aid.
5.3.5 An Incident Report Form should be completed by those who witnessed the incident and the person administering First Aid. The completed form should be returned to the DIF Production Team to be placed with the counted offering.
5.3.6 Parents/Guardians should be notified by the DIF Kids team and/or Council/Senior Pastor(s) of any incident or First Aid administered during a service immediately at the end of the service for minor incidents, and as soon as possible for serious incidents.
5.4 Responding to Allegations of Abuse Procedure
5.4.1 What is Child Abuse?
DIF defines ‘Child Abuse’ to be a general term used to describe the different ways in which a child’s physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual health are damaged by the actions of another person.
5.4.1 Incident Reporting Procedure: Against DIF Kids Team Members
If a child reports an incident of abuse against a DIF Kids team member, volunteers must follow these guidelines. Under no circumstances should a DIF Kids team member carry out their own investigation into the allegations or suspicion of abuse. The person in receipt of the information should do the following:
5.4.2.1 Look at the child directly and listen carefully.
5.4.2.2 Do not question the child/young person to enable you to obtain more information.
5.4.2.3 Don’t promise to keep any secrets before you know what they are.
5.4.2.4 Finish by assuring the child that you are treating the matter seriously and will let them know what you will do next.
5.4.2.5 Tell the DIF Council and/or Senior Pastor(s) as soon as possible.
5.4.2.6 Write a detailed account of the conversation in which the child made the allegation. This should be done as soon as possible and contain as much of a “direct quotation” of the words used by the child as the DIF Kids team member can remember. This report should be given directly to the DIF Council and/or Senior Pastor(s).
In the case where a third party is accused by a child, the DIF Council and/or Senior Pastor(s) will contact the Parents/Guardians immediately and a process of thorough investigation and appropriate action will be taken. Throughout any investigation, the DIF Kids team member who has been accused will be removed from the ministry roster.
5.4.3 Incident Reporting Procedure: Third Party
In the event a child discloses abuse by a third party to a DIF Kids team member, volunteers must follow these guidelines. Under no circumstances should a DIF Kids team member carry out their own investigation into the allegations or suspicion of abuse. The person in receipt of the information should do the following:
5.4.3.1 Look at the child directly and listen carefully.
5.4.3.2 Do not question the child/young person to enable you to obtain more information.
5.4.3.3 Don’t promise to keep any secrets before you know what they are.
5.4.3.4 Finish by assuring the child that you are treating the matter seriously and will let them know what you will do next.
5.4.3.5 Tell the DIF Council and/or Senior Pastor(s) as soon as possible.
5.4.3.6 Write a detailed account of the conversation in which the child made the allegation. This should be done as soon as possible and contain as much of a “direct quotation” of the words used by the child as the DIF Kids team member can remember. This report should be given directly to the DIF Council and/or Senior Pastor(s).
5.4.3.7 The DIF Council and/or Senior Pastor(s) will follow the rules of reporting as laid out by the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. The appropriate government department will be contacted per the following information:
Authorities: Department of Labour, Invalids & Social Affairs (Da Nang)
Address: Level 20, Da Nang Provincial Government Administrative Centre
24 Trần Phú Street, Hải Châu District, Đà Nẵng City, VIETNAM
Phone: +84 236 382 7616
Website: http://ldtbxh.danang.gov.vn
ARTICLE 6. IMPORTANT CONTACTS
For questions or concerns about these guidelines, or need to discuss an issue of concern for a child’s welfare please speak to one of the following people:
Kelvin Windsor
Senior Pastor
+84 932 828 795
kelvin@difvn.org |
Rebekah Windsor
Senior Pastor
+84 932 828 895
bek@difvn.org |
Cindy Brewer
Teaching Pastor cindy@difvn.org |
Paul Hilton
Council Member
+84 903 589 885
paul@difvn.org |
Jinho Woo
Council Member
+84 986 608 718
jinho@difvn.org |
Phuong Le
Council Member
+84 935 447 775
phuong@difvn.org |
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