Safety Policies
Safety is our first concern. Our policies, procedures, and rules all exist to ensure the safety of (y)our children.
Our child safety rules include:
- Two adults in every classroom whenever children are present.
- Children in the 3rd grade or younger must be picked up at the end of class by a parent or parent-designated representative. They will not be allowed to leave unattended.
- Classrooms are to be “Peanut-free zones.”
- Parents must sign a permission form for their child(ren) to participate in UUCF-sponsored trips or outings.
- Smoking is not permitted in any UUCF building or on the playground.
Background Check Policy
All volunteers working in RE classrooms are checked by the RE assistant through the VA State Sex Crimes Data Base. OWL teachers, Neighboring Faith Teachers, UUth teachers and those who have been attending UUCF for less than a year are checked through Lexis Nexis, national criminal background check.
Field Trips
RE volunteers must provide the RE Staff with information on any proposed field trip involving children and youth in the UUCF Religious Exploration Program at least 72 hours before the field trip is to occur.
There must be a signed field trip permission form for every child under age 18 years of age attending a field trip. Teens 18 and aolder may provide their own emergency and medical information on a permission slip. Adult chaperones should carry permission forms that contain emergency and medical information with them on the trip.
- Children must use approved child restraint devices if under the age of 8. Older children must use a seat belt when riding in cars. Children may not ride in the cargo area of trucks or other vehicles.
- Guidelines for child/volunteer ratio for field trips:
| Preschoolers | 1 adult for every 3 children |
| Kindegarten-Grade 6 | 1 adult for every 5 children |
| Grades 7-12 | 1 adult for every 7 children |
- Car drivers shoudl be 21 years of age, licensed, and covered by car insurance. Youth group members may be field trip drivers only with the express approval of their parents and the parents of those they are driving.
- Field trips shall not be taken to places where child admission is restricted or inappropriate.
- Children engaging in RE activites on UUCF property, at the playground, or in the woods shall also be adequately supervised. In an open area (i.e., for nature walks), one adults shoudl lead the group and one should follow at the rear. Teachers should immediately report children who become seperated from the group to congregational staff.
Overnight
- All children and youth under the age of 18 who participate in an overnight at UUCF or as part of a UUCF program must submit a signed permission form prior to the event.
- There should be a minimum of three adults present, and at least one adult for every ten children or youth.
- All participants who are in middle school or older must agree in writing to abide by the rules of behavior listed below and any other rules applicable to the event.
- Failure to abide by the rules of behavior will result in immediate expulsion from the overnight. Parents of children under the age of 18 will be requested to pick up the child. Youth 18 years of age or older are required to provide contact information for a person to notify in case of expulsion or emergency and the youth will be asked to leave by whatever means he or she used to arrive at the event. If it is not possible to remove the offender from the premises, he or she shall be excluded from participation in group events.
Rules of behavior:
- Respect the people, property, and church..
- No purchasing, possession and/or use of illegal drugs or alcohol.
- No abuse of legal drugs.
- No weapons.
- No use of tobacco.
- No leaving the grounds where the activity is held.
- No theft (a police report may be submitted for anything lost or stolen of a value of more than $100).
- No sexual activity and no inappropriate or unwanted touching of another person.
- No shared covers in sleeping rooms or otherwise. At least one adult will always be present in rooms where participants spend the night.
- Observe the “No” Rule. A participant’s use of the word “NO”, and all forms of “No” such as “Stop” or “Don’t do that” shall be recognized as a signal for others to cease any and all behavior that may cause the participant to become uncomfortable, or to feel threatened, either physically or emotionally.
