Keeping Kids Safe at Sixth Church

We feel that it is important to be transparent about all the steps we take here at Sixth Presbyterian Church to keep our children and youth safe.  

When we baptize a child we promise “to guide and nurture this child, by word and deed with love and prayer, encouraging him or her to know and follow Christ and to become a faithful member of Christ’s church.”

In keeping with this often-repeated promise, we seek adult leadership that is able to provide healthy, safe and nurturing relationships, and to create an environment in which those relationships can flourish. 

Sixth Presbyterian Church makes responsible efforts to assure that persons placed in positions of responsibility for children and youth church will carry out their duties in accordance with our Christian commitment and with the law. 

We are doing this in the following ways: 

• Safe Child Policy codifies our commitment to providing a safe, nurturing, Christian environment by making every responsible effort to protect children and youth from physical, sexual, or emotional abuse. The policy is reviewed each the Christian Education Committee and if changes are necessary are approved by the church Session. Our policy was most reviewed/ revised and approved in April on 2018.  The policy is available on our church website. 
• We also have a General Health and Safety Policy to help us provide loving care and ensure the safety of young people attending Sunday School, Extended Session, and in our church nursery.  This policy is also available on our church website. 
• All employees and volunteers are required to obtain clearances in accordance with the regulations set by the Pa. State Department of Human Services. Copies of clearances are kept on file in the church office. 
• All Sunday School teachers and child care staff are considered Mandated Reporters and are provided with training and information on recognizing and reporting child abuse as it is defined by the state. 

For more information about preventing/reporting child abuse can be found at: 

http://www.keepkidssafe.pa.gov/