If you have children, you have probably heard a lot about security at schools and day care centers. Many places such as this have a rigid sign in and sign out procedure and will check the identity of anyone coming into the building. Most school districts also require background checks for not only teachers and faculty, but for parents and volunteers. While it is a hassle, unfortunately, it is a necessity it today’s society.
If you are involved with Sunday school, you may wonder whether or not you should make background checks for your teachers and volunteers a necessity. Here is a closer look at the pros and cons.
First of all, in these days, you must remember that security should be your top priority. You really want to have faith in your teachers and in your parent volunteers. You want to believe that they all have the best interest of the church and children in mind, but you never really know. When you require background checks, you are letting everyone know that you do truly care about the welfare of the children in the building. This says a lot about your organization and parents will feel comfortable leaving children in your care.
In addition, parents have also come to expect top-notch security when it comes to their children. They want to know that they can safely drop their child off at Sunday school, day care or school. It is comforting for them to know that each and every teacher and volunteers have cleared security checks. For this reason, many churches are now requiring such checks for anyone working directly with the children, other than a simple sign in and sign out sheet.
There are a few disadvantages of requiring background checks, but the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages. One of the cons of these background checks is the cost. If you have a small church, it may be costly for you to set up a system of background checks. You could ask your teachers and volunteers to pay for these checks, but you may find some resistance to this.
Another disadvantage of requiring background checks at churches is that it may put some people off and they may feel discouraged and not help out. They may feel that they should be trusted and by requiring a security check, you are saying you cannot trust them. While this is not true, many older people will be hesitant to hand over their social security numbers for these checks.
As you can see, there are advantages and disadvantages to requiring background checks for Sunday school teachers and volunteers. However, your number one concern should be the safety and well-being of the children entrusted in your care.
