Before you think about CORI reports remember that a "Safe"
church is  everyone's responsibility.
"The
problem of sexual abuse of children is not someone else's
problem. It doesn't just happen in the home, or in some other
town. It happens at churches of all denominations and at church-operated
camps, schools and day care centers.
The Massachusetts
Conference is committed to educating and supporting our churches
to create policies and procedures so that the risk of being
targeted is limited in scope. Providing a safe place for all
of our children, youth and the church leaders who supervise
them is one of the core values of our mission and ministry."
Excerpt
from the May 2002 Massachusetts Christian Educators' Newsletter-Special
Issue
Spring 2009 Updates
Important information about the CORI process & the MACUCC and your church.
Please click here. |
Workshop Schedule: "Nurturing Sanctuary, Designing Safer Spaces"
A local church guide to developing a sexual abuse prevention policy for your local church. Sue Dickerman, Associate Conference Minister, is the Facilitator
Monday, May 18, 2009
Federated Church of Sturbridge
8 Maple Street
Sturbridge, MA 01566
7:00 PM until 8:30 PM
Please RSVP to the Federated Church of Sturbridge
508-347-3915
Registrations are strongly desired
This event is supported through your church's wider mission support and fellowhip dues.
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Help from the UCC: Sample safe church policy.
Don Clark, general counsel for the UCC, has put together a sample generic policy for local churches to use that includes a timeline and outline for creating a Safe Church policy. Visit http://www.ucc.org/ministers/safe/morehelpnow.pdf
GAITHERSBURG, MD -- The United Church of Christ Insurance Board (UCCIB), which provides property and liability insurance to UCC congregations, has written to its policy holders about the need for child protection management policies and procedures in local churches. The UCCIB program's current underwriter will be requiring that churches have such a policy to be eligible for Abusive Acts Liability Coverage. 09/07/2006
New Revised Edition:
"Making Our Churches Safe For All: Abuse Prevention Resources for Local Churches," produced by the Conferences of the United Church of Christ Insurance Board, The Office for Church Life and Leadership, and The United Church Board for Homeland Ministries, 700 Prospect Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44115,1999.
 Visit the Insurance Board webpage for a listing of Loss Prevention Brochures including: "Making Our Churches Safe for All.
Resources, Links and Publications
 Take
the first step by reading the Massachusetts
Mandated Reporting Bill, May 2002-Overview
 .
Then use the resources and links below to start formulating
policies and procedures for your church and staff.
Contact Susan
Dickerman, Associate Conference Minister or Cindy Bolton , CORI Administrator if you have questions and/or concerns about safe
church issues.
Criminal History Systems Board, Website is http://www.mass.gov/chsb/
The Criminal History Systems Board is the state agency responsible for maintaining the Commonwealth's criminal justice information system, maintaining firearms licensing and transaction records, disseminating Massachusetts criminal offender record information, and giving assistance to those individuals or families that may be victims of crime. For general information, procedures, applications and forms, click on the topic of interest.
Contact Information:
200 Arlington Street, Suite 2200
Chelsea, MA 02150
t: 617-660-4600
f: 617-660-4613
tty: 617-660-4606
General
Laws of Massachusetts,
Part I, Title II, Chapter 6: "Criminal Systems History Board,"
Section 172: Dissemination of record information; certification;
eligibility for access; scope of inquiry; access limited;
use of information, Section 177: Violations; civil liability,
and Section 178: Violations; punishment.
www.state.ma.us/legis/laws/mgl/6-172.htm
[177, 178]
General
Laws of Massachusetts,
Part I, Title XV, Chapter 94C: "Controlled Substances Act,"
Section 31: Classes of controlled substances; establishment
of criminal penalties for violations of this chapter. www.state.ma.us/legis/laws/mgl/94C-31.htm
General
Laws of Massachusetts,
Part I, Title XVII, Chapter 119: "Protection and Care of Children,
and Proceedings Against Them," Section 51A: Injured children
reports.
www.state.ma.us/legis/laws/mgl/119-51A.htm
Massachusetts
Christian Educators Newsletter,
Special Issue: Child Abuse Prevention, May,
2002.
Resources
for Youth Ministry,
Commission for Educational Ministries, Massachusetts Conference
United Church of Christ, One Badger Road, Framingham , MA
01702, 2001 Cost: $15.00
Click here
for order form.
"Safety
Tips on a Sensitive Subject: Child Sexual Abuse,"
Church Mutual Insurance Company, 3000 Schuster Lane , Merrill
, Wisconsin 54452 , 1989
Sample
policies from MACUCC churches:
Taylor,
Nancy S. "Message From the Minister &
President: Mandated Reporters," United Church News,
Massachusetts Conference Edition, May,
2002.
Taylor,
Nancy S. "Message From the Minister &
President: Pastors need to communicate about limits of confidentiality,"
United Church News, Massachusetts Conference Edition,
June, 2002
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