TracieT Posted June 24, 2011 Share Posted June 24, 2011 Our church does, fingerprints and all. They do it right at church...they have a machine that does your fingerprints and they scan you license. I even had to do it just to help with check in....standing in the hallway at a computer helping the parents check their kids in. No, it doesn't offend me. All the safety precautions my church takes is one of he reasons I chose this church. Whether I'd go to a church who didn't, I don't know. I guess it would just all depend on the whole thing. If I didn't feel like safety precautions were taken, I wouldn't go. At our church you check your kid in, get a tag, they get name tags with a matching number/letter combo (randomly generated each time) and you have to have that tag to pick up your child. If you don't, they have to get one of the staff to ok the child's release. Which I really like. So, I'd have a hard time dropping my kids off in a room and then picking them up without anyone knowing if they were even my kids! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raceNzanesmom Posted June 24, 2011 Share Posted June 24, 2011 Yes, we do background checks. No, I'm not offended. I'm thankful that as our church grew our pastor seen the need to start checking the backgrounds of those that work with our children. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparkle Posted June 24, 2011 Share Posted June 24, 2011 At the Catholic church we used to attend, my dh was the hired pianist, and he had to undergo a background check, even though he wasn't directly around children. All the church employees had to. They have gotten very strict about it since the sex abuse scandals became known. I don't find it offensive at all. At the little Orthodox church I go to, no, we don't do background checks. I'm trying to think if there are any situations where an adult might be alone with kids, but there really isn't any. All the kids are taught in one room, so there are multiple teachers in there, plus other adults are in and out. The kids and teen groups always have multiple parents present. Even confessions are normally done in the church with others in eyesight if not earshot. I would not be bothered at all if there were background checks though. In fact, I may even bring this up to the board sometime if our church gets much bigger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5knights3maidens Posted June 24, 2011 Share Posted June 24, 2011 The church, (a huge church), we are attending now does do background checks; I am glad. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beth in OH Posted June 25, 2011 Share Posted June 25, 2011 Our church does, fingerprints and all. They do it right at church...they have a machine that does your fingerprints and they scan you license. I even had to do it just to help with check in....standing in the hallway at a computer helping the parents check their kids in. No, it doesn't offend me. All the safety precautions my church takes is one of he reasons I chose this church. Whether I'd go to a church who didn't, I don't know. I guess it would just all depend on the whole thing. If I didn't feel like safety precautions were taken, I wouldn't go. At our church you check your kid in, get a tag, they get name tags with a matching number/letter combo (randomly generated each time) and you have to have that tag to pick up your child. If you don't, they have to get one of the staff to ok the child's release. Which I really like. So, I'd have a hard time dropping my kids off in a room and then picking them up without anyone knowing if they were even my kids! Hi Tracie--is it possible we're at the same church, in Columbus? I've been in Children's Ministry for 8 years, and now I'm on staff with the summer Zone. Sound familiar? Beth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChemMommy Posted June 25, 2011 Share Posted June 25, 2011 We do for all adults who work with children. It's good, prudent practice, even for long-term members. I was surprised at first, but when I thought about it, I really liked the idea. Good protection for my kids... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akmommy Posted June 25, 2011 Share Posted June 25, 2011 I think it is just becoming a common requirement for positions that involve contact with children, wether paid or volunteer. Our school district requires background checks for all volunteers as well as employees. All of the community youth programs do to. Predators tend to hang out where children do and children go to church. It's not a perfect solution, but anyone with good intentions should understand why it's done. They are criminal background checks only. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matchpenalty_2 Posted June 25, 2011 Share Posted June 25, 2011 We've had both experiences. I prefer when there is some screening involved. :0) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8circles Posted June 25, 2011 Share Posted June 25, 2011 At the little Orthodox church I go to, no, we don't do background checks. I'm trying to think if there are any situations where an adult might be alone with kids, but there really isn't any. All the kids are taught in one room, so there are multiple teachers in there, plus other adults are in and out. The kids and teen groups always have multiple parents present. Even confessions are normally done in the church with others in eyesight if not earshot. QUOTE] Not to single you out, this was just the most recent response like this. & I know my post isn't breaking news either. But simply being out in the open or not being alone isn't enough either. Our church does background checks (lots of people no longer volunteered when this started :001_huh:) & also has the 2-adult rule. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenL Posted June 25, 2011 Share Posted June 25, 2011 Yes. I have absolutely no problems with it either. A church is not excluded from having people with bad intentions, unfortunately. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TXMomof4 Posted June 25, 2011 Share Posted June 25, 2011 Our church in Dallas does. I'm very glad. It's a huge church, there's involvement with the kids from all of the different "groups" and it would be too easy for someone to slip in and cause harm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TracieT Posted June 25, 2011 Share Posted June 25, 2011 Hi Tracie--is it possible we're at the same church, in Columbus? I've been in Children's Ministry for 8 years, and now I'm on staff with the summer Zone. Sound familiar? Beth We are in Dayton. :) But it's very possible our church looked to yours when developing a lot of this. I know our staff has visited a lot of other churches for ideas and help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ereks mom Posted June 25, 2011 Share Posted June 25, 2011 1. Yes2. No 3. Once upon a time I wouldn't have cared about background checks, but now, I'm glad they do them. Same here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calandalsmom Posted June 25, 2011 Share Posted June 25, 2011 I am catholic and I am fairly sure that every catholic church is now running checks on everyone who is working with kids in every parish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hannah C. Posted June 25, 2011 Share Posted June 25, 2011 Haven't read any other replies. The church we got married in was very small, less than 100 people. I had a background check done before going on a youth mission trip, as I was over 18. I also worked in the nursery, but they didn't do a separate background check for that - though, now that I think about it, the previous background check may have served two purposes. I don't know about our current church's rules, but the nursery is one room with many volunteers, so no one is ever alone with a child. They're also very strict about security to get into the nursery/classrooms area. I would not be offended if I had to have a background check. I'd be reassured. It won't stop everyone, but it's still a good thing, imho. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WeeBeaks Posted June 25, 2011 Share Posted June 25, 2011 Ours does background checks on everyone working with kids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holly IN Posted June 26, 2011 Share Posted June 26, 2011 to work with kids? Yes they do. It is actually required in my state or is it in my county?? Would it be offensive if they did? No. I believe it is for the protection of everybody involved. Would you not go to a church that didn't do background checks?I would still go there but I would severely limit kids activities though. We did go to a church that didn't do background checks at the time we attended. Our kids didn't/weren't allowed to do any events there with the youth due to no background checks. Holly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farmgirl70 Posted June 26, 2011 Share Posted June 26, 2011 15 years ago, my husband helped to implement background checks for all working with kids at the church he then worked at. In the process of implementation, two adults voluntarily confessed that they had inappropriate things in their past in regard to minors. In addition to safeguarding children, it also offered them an opportunity to seek some healing and help. Background checks may not be fool proof, but they are a good step and communicate that we take the safety of children in this place very seriously--seriously enough to inconvenience (however slightly) the adults. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan in KY Posted June 26, 2011 Share Posted June 26, 2011 1. Yes2.No 3. Once upon a time I wouldn't have cared about background checks, but now, I'm glad they do them. :iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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