Safe Sanctuaries Definitions

“Adult:” a person 18 years of age or older.

“Child:” any person under the age of 18 (it is important to note that this includes those persons who are normally designated as “Youth” at St. Paul’s UMC and Wesley Foundation and hereafter “child” references mean both child and youth).

“Child Abuse:” is defined under Pennsylvania’s Child Protective Services Law, 23 Pa.C.S.A § 6303(b.1), as the act of intentionally, knowingly or recklessly doing any of the following:

  1. Causing bodily injury to a child through any recent act or failure to act.
  2. Fabricating, feigning or intentionally exaggerating or inducing a medical symptom or disease which results in a potentially harmful medical evaluation or treatment to the child through any recent act.
  3. Causing or substantially contributing to serious mental injury to a child through any act or failure to act or a series of such acts or failures to act.
  4. Causing sexual abuse or exploitation of a child through any act or failure to act.
  5. Creating a reasonable likelihood of bodily injury to a child through any recent act or failure to act.
  6. Creating a likelihood of sexual abuse or exploitation.
  7. Causing serious physical neglect of a child.
  8. Engaging in any of the following recent acts:
    1. Kicking, biting, throwing, burning, stabbing or cutting a child in a manner that endangers the child.
    2. Unreasonably restraining or confining a child, based on consideration of the method, location or the duration of the restraint or confinement.
    3. Forcefully shaking a child under one year of age.
    4. Forcefully slapping or otherwise striking a child under one year of age.
    5. Interfering with the breathing of a child.
    6. Causing a child to be present at a location while a violation of 18 Pa.C.S. § 7508.2 (relating to operation of methamphetamine laboratory) is occurring, provided that the violation is being investigated by law enforcement.
    7. Leaving a child unsupervised with an individual, other than the child’s parent, who the actor knows or reasonably should have known:
      1. Is required to register as a Tier II or Tier III sexual offender under 42 Pa.C.S. Ch. 97 Subch. H (relating to registration of sexual offenders), where the victim of the sexual offense was under 18 years of age when the crime was committed.
      2. Has been determined to be a sexually violent predator under 42 Pa.C.S. § 9799.24 (relating to assessments) or any of its predecessors.
      3. Has been determined to be a sexually violent delinquent child as defined in 42 Pa.C.S. § 9799.12 (relating to definitions).
  9. Causing the death of the child through any act or failure to act.

Section 6304(a) of the Child Protective Services Law provides that “No child shall be deemed to be physically or mentally abused based on injuries that result solely from environmental factors that are beyond the control of the parent or person responsible for the child’s welfare, such as inadequate housing, furnishings, income, clothing and medical care.”

Section 6304(b) also provides that, “If, upon investigation, the county agency determines that a child has not been provided needed medical or surgical care because of seriously held religious beliefs of the child’s parents or relative within the third degree of consanguinity and with whom the child resides, which beliefs are consistent with those of a bona fide religion, the child shall not be deemed to be physically or mentally abused.” In such cases, “the county agency shall closely monitor the child and the child’s family and shall seek court-ordered medical intervention when the lack of medical or surgical care threatens the child’s life or long-term health.”

“Children’s Activity:” any activity or program sponsored by St. Paul’s UMC and Wesley Foundation in which children are under the supervision of staff persons or volunteers. (It is important to note that this includes those activities that are normally designated as “Youth Activities” at St. Paul’s UMC and Wesley Foundation.)

“Children’s Activity Coordinator:” any person who coordinates a children’s activity. This person has regular and direct contact with children and is counted in the Two-Adult rule. A person who has obtained the background clearances required by Section 6344(b) of the Pennsylvania Child Protective Services Law and has been trained in Safe Sanctuaries Policies.

“Crisis Management Team:” a group of individuals to include the Pastors, legal counsel, medical, psychological or counseling representative and others as deemed necessary. This group shall be a standing group appointed by Pastor-In-Charge.

“Helper/Resource/Support Person:” anyone who aids in ministry in an assisting role, including a youth aged 14 thru 17. The youth aged 14 thru 17 shall complete the Youth Contact Information form and sign the Youth Volunteer Participation Covenant. This youth is not counted in the Two-Adult rule and is never alone with children. Any person 18 years or older, who has obtained the background clearances required by Section 6344(b) of the Pennsylvania Child Protective Services Law and has been trained in Safe Sanctuaries Policies, is counted in the Two-Adult rule.

“Mandated Reporter:” all clergy, all paid church staff and all volunteers, age 18 years or older, who accept responsibility for a child or have direct contact with children and is required by the Pennsylvania Child Protective Services Law to make a report of suspected child abuse.

“Mentor:” any adult who assists in conducting children’s activities under the supervision of a Staff Person or Children’s Activity Coordinator, has regular and direct contact with children and is counted in the Two-Adult rule. A person who has obtained the background clearances required by Section 6344(b) of the Pennsylvania Child Protective Services Law and has been trained in Safe Sanctuaries Policies.

“Permissive Reporter:” all persons who are not mandated reporters and who have reasonable cause to suspect that a child is a victim of child abuse are to report the suspected child abuse.

“Staff Person:” any person employed by the St. Paul’s UMC and Wesley Foundation, which includes our Christian Preschool. A person who has obtained the background clearances required by Section 6344(b) of the Pennsylvania Child Protective Services Law and has been trained in Safe Sanctuaries Policies.

“The Two-Adult Rule:” a standard that requires that at any Children’s Activity there will be at least two UNRELATED adults present. It is defined as two individuals 18 years of age or older who are not residing in the same household and who are not related by marriage or other familial ties. Two related people may serve together, but a third person must also be present. This may include the presence of an adult “roamer” who moves in and out of rooms.

“Visitor:” A parent or guardian who accompanies a child participating in a children’s program or other person approved by the Children’s Activity Coordinator. A visitor must sign in/out and is not counted in the Two-Adult rule.

“Volunteer:” a person 18 years of age or older who: provides services in ministry to children and youth without compensation; has obtained the background clearances required by Section 6344(b) of the Pennsylvania Child Protective Services Law and has been trained in Safe Sanctuaries Policies.

“We:” St. Paul’s United Methodist Church and Wesley Foundation.

“Youth:” a child between the age of 12 and 18. Youth is a colloquial term used in ministries to mean a person who is in a middle or senior high school age group.