Sunday School Security - Keeping Children Safe

Be Safe, Be Secure

Just like with any other school or institution where children are concerned, Sunday school security and safety are vitally important issues that need to be discussed openly. To address the issue of Sunday school security, first identify the risks and threats posed to children so that they can be minimized or even prevented.

Safety in the Classroom

The first place to begin when approaching the topic of Sunday school security is the classroom itself. Sunday school classrooms should have windows that open and be located in a high traffic area of the church. Doors should always be left open. Near the beginning of the school year, inform children of the location of the emergency exits. Perform a few practice fire drills throughout the year to keep children informed of the safety plan.

Make sure all the things inside the classroom including furniture are safe for children. This means that bookcases need to be bolted to the walls, desks are smooth and splinter-free, and chairs are sturdy. Finally, to keep children from giving themselves an electric shock, use safety plugs in all the outlets in the classroom and the ones in the hallway. Check the plugs often because they easily become lost.

Once the building is safe and secure, the next area of safety concerns is cutting down on the number of accidents, which are the most common safety danger for young children. Make sure that all craft materials including scissors and glue are safe for children. Have adult volunteers or older children help the young children with cutting and gluing to avoid injury.

The next matter of Sunday school security is food allergies, which is increasingly becoming more common with children. Food allergies are extremely important to be aware of since many can be life threatening if not properly treated. At the beginning of the year, speak to each parent about their child’s food allergies. When serving snacks to the children, avoid snacks with peanuts or other nuts.

Also where snack time is concerned, never serve hot beverages and supervise children closely while they are eating. Make sure all Sunday school instructors and volunteers are trained on the Heimlich maneuver in case someone starts choking. CPR training is also useful for Sunday school volunteers. Find out if there are nurses or doctors in the parish that wouldn’t mind teaching others these valuable, life-saving skills.

No Child Left Alone

Finally, when approaching Sunday school security it’s important to consider that some people may pose a threat to children, even in the setting of a church. All volunteers, especially those who work closely with children should be vigorously screened and interviewed by a team of members from the parish. Some churches are even using criminal background checks to keep sexual predators out of their facilities. Remember that while background checks are one way to eliminate potential abusers, use common sense as well since many abusers have a clean criminal record because they’re never been caught.

The best way to protect children from an unfortunate situation is to make sure children are never left alone with an adult, even in counseling situations or bathroom breaks. Also, implement a check-in and check-out policy with clear drop-off and pick-up times at the beginning and end of the sessions to ensure no children left unattended.

Need More Info on Sunday School Security?

Mary-Kate Warner is a Sunday School Director in Colorado who shares her personal Sunday School Lesson Plans with the world online. Feel free to visit her website to discover a sample Sunday School lesson plan and sign up for her free e-newsletter full of bible crafts and ideas:

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