Challenges frequently arise as homeschool groups become larger and more formally structured. While difficult at times, these challenges bring to light areas that need improvement and help groups adapt their policies to new situations. One policy that all groups should consider adopting is a child protection policy: a plan for preventing the abuse of children under the group’s care and a response plan if a tragic incident like sexual abuse or other mistreatment occurs.
When a group consists of a few families getting together on an informal basis, with parents supervising their own children, child abuse prevention likely doesn’t seem necessary. But as groups get larger and start serving more students, especially if children are in a setting where their parent is not in the same room, it is vital to consider how to keep children safe. For example, many homeschool organizations provide childcare at their annual conferences, and a child protection policy is crucial in this case.
Having an official child abuse prevention policy lets people know you take the issue of protecting children seriously.
Like your group’s statement of purpose, this policy isn’t a secret document; it should be made available to your whole group. After all, transparency is a wonderful first step for prevention! Some groups post their policy on their website for all to see, while others prefer to include it in packets for new members. (Here is a great example of a child protection policy.)
Essentials of your child protection policy
There are many specific areas that your policy should cover, including physical touch, social media, photography, infant care guidelines, special needs, medications, adult/child ratios, and transportation.
At the very least, a child protection policy should deal with the following areas.
Coverage
To whom does the policy apply? It could apply to all parents in the group, only the paid staff and/or volunteers, only the teachers, or any combination. It could apply just to people working with infants or toddlers, or also those teaching children and teens. There are some states that require certain checks for staff, whether paid or volunteer, who work with children that aren’t their own, so make sure that you refer to your state’s law as you develop your policy. Though we recommend starting here for more information, it may also be helpful to consult with a local attorney.
Screening
Does your group require background checks, fingerprinting, references, interviews, or checking the state or local sex offender registry? These screening measures require time (and sometimes money), so make sure that your organization has the resources to follow through with your policy’s requirements. If your group is partnered with a local church, you may be able to run background checks and other verifications through the system they have established. Here is a helpful article on best practices for screening volunteers.
Training
Who is responsible for initial and follow-up training? Oftentimes, large churches will open their training sessions to outside organizations—look for one in your local area.
Implementation
Who monitors the group’s policy to ensure that rules are followed? There should be at least one person designated to make sure that people know about the policy and actually follow it. This person should be given sufficient authority to enforce the policy’s provisions.
Reporting
Each state has a different law defining child abuse and neglect, and as part of this law, each state defines who is considered a mandatory reporter. In quite a few states, childcare workers and teachers are required to report to either the police or child protective services if they have reason to suspect child abuse, so it is possible that some people in your group may be mandatory reporters. For information about your state’s law, you can contact HSLDA. We also recommend that you read this publication by Child Welfare Information Gateway.
Additional resources
For help designing your policy, the following resources may be helpful, although note that they are primarily designed for churches:
- The Evangelical Counsel for Abuse Prevention. This organization provides consultation and training and shares a clear set of standards for protecting children.
- Safe Haven by the Christian Law Association. You may have to call or email, as this legal resource is not always listed in their “Resources” page.
- On Guard: Preventing and Responding to Child Abuse at Church by Deepak Reju
For more information about developing a child protection policy for your group, feel free to contact contact Group Services.