Child abuse happens every minute of every day.  In fact, we know that it happens every ten seconds.  We have seen some very shocking reports in the past few weeks of child abuse and even children dying.  I’ve worked for the prevention of child abuse for many years and the fact that children are dying at the hands of those with responsibility for their care doesn’t surprise me anymore.  What still does surprise me, and appall me, is that witnesses who have reasonable cause to know that a child is being harmed, do nothing.  Heads are turned, eyes closed, and excuses are made.  “Oh, I don’t think it’s really abuse. I’m sure I don’t know the whole story.”  The result? The child is injured, the perpetrator is not identified, much less punished, and then the perpetrator is free to hurt the child again.

Georgia law requires child abuse reports to be made within 24 hours of when you have reasonable cause to believe that abuse has or is occurring.  You may report by telephone.  Simply dial 911 and you’ll be connected to the local police.  Your report will be taken and an investigation begins.  If you don’t want to call 911, call the police department or the sheriff’s department.

Churches are involved with children and youth all the time.  Volunteers, workers, teachers, counselors, and others involved at the church are not excused from making reports.  Don’t let yourself believe that someone else will call.  Do what is necessary to protect that child in front of you.  Call 911. Report to the police.  Tell the pastor. Your church is a Safe Sanctuaries church and you know what to do.  Make the report.  Protect the child.

I’m sure I sound angry.  I won’t deny it.  In our world, I think it is horrible that children are abused and injured by those who are legally and morally obligated to love and care for them.  Right now, I think it is horrible that so many cases are making news in Georgia, North Carolina, and other states, not just because children have been abused but because witnesses knew and failed to report.  How can it possibly be reasonable to say that we were aware the child was being starved, or the child was being chained up, or the child was being withheld from school, but we didn’t know what to do??!!

When you have reasonable cause to believe that child abuse has occurred, REPORT IT. CALL 911.  In Georgia and every other state, when you make that call, you’ve done a right and good thing.  For more information go to www.SafeSanctuariesConsulting.com.

If your church has three regular employees – full-time or part-time – in any combination, then your church needs worker’s compensation insurance.  This type of insurance provides coverages for injuries or illnesses caused by a job-related event or accident occurring on the church’s property, and any such event or accident that occurs elsewhere while the employee is on church business or church “time”.  The clergy who are the church’s leaders are counted in the three employee minimum, along with other employees.

Securing worker’s compensation insurance is the first step in risk managment planning for dealing with employee injuries or accidents.  The next step for the church is to create and implement their policy for processing a worker’s compensation claim.  The policy must be communicated to all employees.  Specifically, the policy and the steps in the process must be posted in an area commonly used by employees.

Since it seems to come as a big surprise to many churches that worker’s compensation insurance is required, I would guess that it is also surprising to learn that failure to provide this coverage is actually a criminal misdemeanor in Georgia.  Such a charge is punishable by up to one year in jail and up to $10,000.00 in fines.  Many churches in Georgia are unincorporated volunteer associations. In the event of this type of criminal charge, the prosecution could be brought against the members of the church trustees.  As frightening as this may sound, it is not the problem that worries me the most.

If a church fails to provide and maintain worker’s compensation insurance, and  the church secretary (or pastor, or custodian, or cook) sustains a major injury at work, then the congregation will be faced with potentially devastating financial consequences.  This is a scenario that could lead to the end of the church’s ministry.  As a consultant to many churches, my goal is to advise you in the best ways to keep the ministry going  and growing.  Worker’s compensation insurance is one very important aspect of thorough church risk managment planning.

Advise your church to secure worker’s compensation insurance.  Don’t delay.  Churches need worker’s compensation insurance!