Church Nursery Safety
By Anthony Wilson
Church nursery policies and procedures can vary greatly from one church to another. This article presents several important considerations for church staff and safety/security teams as they work to provide better security for the children entrusted to their care.
A written policy or procedure is just ink on a page. After its creation and official adoption, it must be properly implemented and consistently enforced. We often find that although policies exist, staff and volunteers are unaware of them (untrained), or there is a general complacency regarding compliance. Prudence demands that those selected to supervise and care for our children be safety‑conscious and policy‑compliant. Workers must be trained on general safety-related policies such as required student‑to‑teacher ratios, age restrictions (including minimum ages for workers/helpers and allowable age differences between children in the same room), and emergency procedures.
Does the nursery have specific check‑in procedures? Does the check‑in system use name tags? What information is included on the name tags—child’s name, parent’s name, unique claim number, allergies, emergency contact information? Does the process generate a roll sheet for nursery workers to verify headcounts, drop‑offs, and pick‑ups? What about check‑out procedures? Must parents show a claim slip or identification to pick up a child, or can any family member retrieve the child? Is there a backup procedure for a lost claim slip?
How will workers prevent the release of a child to a non‑custodial parent? How should parents notify workers of issues related to separation, divorce, custody, restraining orders, arrest, or release from jail? How will that information be discreetly shared with other workers, and do they understand confidentiality and reporting requirements? Do parents and visitors have direct access to the nursery room, or is the area secured behind a protective barrier?
What means of communication are available for routine and emergency situations? How will nursery workers be notified of emergencies such as tornado warnings, lockdowns, or evacuations? How do they call for help? Who is responsible for notifying parents? How should nursery workers conduct a lockdown or evacuation with children present, maintain accountability for all children and staff (using roll sheets), and manage parent pickup during or after an emergency?
What emergency supplies should be kept in the nursery or taken during an evacuation—roll sheets, first aid kit, bleeding‑control kit, flashlight, anti‑choking device, phone, radio, etc.? How are these items stored and transported? Do church policies or state laws prohibit or permit licensed concealed carry or the use of pepper spray? What other defensive tools could help workers stop an attack or prevent a kidnapping?
Is a Safety Team member or law enforcement officer posted near the nursery? Is a nursery director or manager on duty and authorized to make decisions not specifically covered by established policies? Is there a process for workers to report irregular activity or actual incidents? Who reviews those reports, and how is the information shared with the appropriate personnel?
Each church is unique in size, layout, and operation, but deliberate consideration should be given to all the points above to establish and implement the best possible safety procedures for the nursery and other children’s program areas. Proactive preparation can prevent most safety issues and mitigate those that do occur.
