Purposes

A guide for identifying and reporting suspected abuse involving any child between the ages of birth to 18 years of age or abuse of any vulnerable adults in our Special Needs Adult Program.

To comply with State and Federal laws requiring mandatory reporting of actual and reasonably suspected cases of child or vulnerable adult abuse.

Policy

All staff members, pastors, and volunteers acting on behalf of Faith Church are required to report both actual and suspected cases of child abuse to the proper authorities by following the procedures listed below. Alabama Law provides a confidentiality privilege for Pastors, but Faith Church does not honor that privilege. We require pastors to report any potential abuse situations disclosed to them as a result of a personal counseling session. Staff members should be familiar with reporting requirements required by the State of Alabama. Abuse includes harm already caused or harm that has been threatened to the child or vulnerable adult.

There are four types of child and vulnerable adult abuse:

• Physical - a physical act directed at a child or vulnerable adult that causes injury;

• Sexual – contact or interactions between a child and an adult, or another child, when the child is being used for sexual stimulation of the perpetrator or another person. This includes exploitation through photographs, videos, or other communication methods;

• Emotional – acts or omissions by the parent or other caregivers that have caused, or could cause, serious behavioral, cognitive, emotional, or mental disorders;

• Neglect – failure to provide for the child or vulnerable adult’s basic needs. This includes adequate adult supervision, medical attention, housing, food, and clothing. Most cases of physical neglect involve inadequate adult supervision that has caused harm to the child or vulnerable adult or places them in danger of such harm.

The following are some warning signs that abuse may have occurred:

• Unexplained injury, a patch of hair missing, a burn or bruises on strange places (back of arms, stomach, back, etc.);

• Drawings in conjunction with statements from a child or vulnerable adult;

• Prayer requests of protection from pain or injury from specific individuals;

• Statements from the child or vulnerable adult;

• Complaints about numerous beatings;

• Consistent poor hygiene;

• Age-inappropriate comments regarding sex or violence.

Failure to report actual or suspected cases of child abuse can result in criminal and civil liability for the church, staff member, or volunteer that failed to report it. It is the staff member or volunteer’s responsibility to report suspected abuse. It is not his or her responsibility to investigate and draw a conclusion as to whether or not abuse has actually occurred.

The following information is needed when reporting child abuse:

• Name of child

• Age of child

• Address of child

• Parents or guardians of the child

• Alleged abuser’s name and address

• Nature of abuse

All suspected cases of child abuse must be handled confidentially. The suspected abuse should only be communicated with the Staff member or authorities involved. Campus Pastors provide pastoral support and care to the family throughout the entire process.

Suspected Abuse Reporting Procedures:

• Any volunteer who becomes aware of any form of suspected child or vulnerable adult abuse must report it to the staff member who supervises them. If a staff member becomes aware of suspected child abuse, either through a report from a volunteer or through his or her own observations, he or she will report it to their manager and complete a Child or Vulnerable Abuse Report within 24 hours.

• The departmental manager will provide the report to the Direct Report and a copy to Pastor Adam Gooch.

• Pastor Adam will work with the appropriate individuals to determine whether a suspected child abuse report is required to be filed with the proper authorities.

• Pastor Adam will complete the Child or Vulnerable Adult Abuse Follow-Up and have the staff member and Direct Report approve and sign it.

• If it is determined that an abuse report is required to be filed with local authorities, Pastor Adam will work together with the staff member and Direct Report and file a report with the proper authorities.

Note:

• If the abuse is reported when a uniformed police officer is present, the staff member will report the abuse to his/her manager AND to the uniformed officer. The uniformed officer will determine if an immediate notification to law enforcement authorities is required. No report is required by Faith Church in this instance.

• A pastor that becomes aware of abuse through a counseling session will report the disclosure to their Direct Report, and the Direct Report will report to Pastor Adam. The same forms will be completed, and the same procedures will be followed.