Nursery Guidelines
Purpose:
The purpose of this policy is to create an environment that keeps children safe, protects nursery volunteers and Bethel Church as a whole, and preserves the nursery facilities.
Staffing and Availability:
The nursery will be staffed by nursery volunteers during the following times and events:
- Church Services: Sunday morning 1st and 2nd services
- Special Services: Holidays
- Special Events: Women’s Bible Studies (check with Bible Study leader or coordinator)
Other church sponsored ministries often provide childcare for special meetings and classes. Such groups are expected to follow the guidelines in this policy and leave the nursery in good condition.
Eligibility:
The nursery facilities are for children between the ages of six weeks and two years old. Children two years of age and older are not allowed in the nursery without adult supervision and appropriate behavior. Special needs children two years of age and older are allowed in the nursery under “Guidelines for Special Needs Children.”
Guidelines for Special Needs Children:
For the purpose of this policy, a special needs child is defined as a “child who, because of their disability, cannot attend regularly scheduled class by themselves.” To ensure safety and appropriate care of special needs children an initial contact needs to be made between the parents and the nursery director.
Requirements for Nursery Volunteers:
- The nursery will be staffed according to the 3:1 infant to volunteer ratio and the 5:1 toddler to volunteer ratio with no fewer than 2 volunteers present.
- The nursery volunteers will be overseen by the nursery director who must have completed the “Bethel Church Child Worker Protection Policy Packet” including the background check.
- Nursery volunteers must be 12 years old or older and at least one adult 18 years of age or older must be present if the other volunteer is an adolescent.
