THE VISION AND MISSION OF KING & CITY KIDS
“At that time, the disciples came to Jesus and asked, 'Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of Heaven?' He called a little child to him and placed the child among them. And he said: ‘Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the
greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.’”
Matthew 18 1-5
Our Kids Ministry is designed to help children and families to Love God, and to Love People. Kingdom Kids is how our church partners with parents to help our children experience the love of Jesus. We believe that children are special and valuable to the kingdom of God. All children are spiritual beings, made in the image of God! Scripture is full of references to the value of children in Jesus’ eyes and how children are a blessing from the Lord. We want to take great care of this blessing. As a church, we believe that there is no such thing as a Jr. Holy Spirit. Because of this, we feel called to provide a space where children can experience spiritual transformation as they encounter the love of Jesus. This space is created through Bible stories, worship, games, and crafts led by our King & City staff and volunteers. Starting at a young age, we aim to help families provide children with a solid foundation of faith that they will continue to build upon throughout their lives.
CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT
King & City Church takes any signs or reports of child abuse very seriously. We know from research that children abused in one way are at higher risk of experiencing other forms of abuse. If we learn of a child being abused, we’ll stay vigilant for other potential risks, take steps to protect them, and provide extra care and support.
Sexual Abuse
Sexual abuse of a child includes any sexual or intimate physical contact with a child’s body (over or under clothing), indecent exposure, using a child for prostitution or pornography, or performing sexual acts in front of a child for gratification, degradation, or abuse. It also includes a parent or caregiver knowingly failing to stop such abuse by someone else.
Physical Abuse
Physical abuse is when a parent or caretaker intentionally causes bodily harm to a child, ranging from minor bruises to severe injuries or death. This includes actions like punching, beating, kicking, biting, shaking, throwing, stabbing, choking, burning, or hitting with a hand or object. It also includes failing to protect a child from someone else causing such harm. In its worst form, physical abuse can lead to serious injury or death.
Emotional Abuse
Emotional abuse is a repeated pattern or severe incident of caregiver behavior that makes a child feel worthless, flawed, unloved, unwanted, endangered, or only valued for meeting someone else’s needs. It includes abusive acts or neglect, such as discrimination, blaming, belittling, threatening, setting unrealistic expectations, or bullying. While it can occur in a single incident, it is typically an ongoing process.
Neglect
Physical neglect occurs when a caregiver fails to meet a child’s basic physical needs, causing harm or risk to the child’s health or safety. This includes abandonment, inadequate supervision, insufficient food leading to below-normal growth, lack of shelter, unmet medical or dental needs causing health risks, failure to provide education or address special education needs, or not providing basic clothing. In severe cases, physical neglect can lead to serious injury or death.
Spiritual Abuse
Spiritual abuse involves harming a child by using religious beliefs, traditions, or sacred texts, often in a religious setting or by a religious leader. It includes forcing a child to participate in spiritual practices against their will or using religion to justify abuse.
WHO IS “A CHILD”?
A child is anyone under 18 years old. While abuse can affect people over 18, children are particularly vulnerable. Although many state laws define a child as someone under 13, we broaden this definition to better safeguard our children and families.
INDICATORS OF ABUSE AND NEGLECT
King & City understands that most children who experience sexual abuse will show moderate to severe symptoms at some point in their lives. Our leaders are trained to recognize potential signs of child sexual abuse and other forms of maltreatment. By observing children’s behavior, family dynamics, and caregiving patterns, we are uniquely positioned to interact with the entire family unit, which may help us identify abuse. Below is a list of indicators for specific types of abuse, though it is not exhaustive, as many other signs of abuse may exist.
Sexual Abuse Indicators
- Difficulty, pain, or blood in the genital area when walking, sitting, or using the bathroom.
- Injuries, itching, or swelling in the genital, vaginal, or anal area
- Urinary tract infections, yeast infections, sexually transmitted diseases
- Depression, withdrawal from family, friends, church or school
- Fear of going home
- Sudden changes in behavior
- Aggressive, destructive, demanding, or disruptive behavior
- High anxiety
Physical Abuse Indicators
- Frequent injuries of any kind
- If a child in unable to provide an adequate explanation for an injury
- Injuries that are present on both sides of the body. Accidental injuries typically only
affect one side of the body
Emotional Abuse Indicators
- Bed-wetting that has no medical cause
- Frequent psychosomatic complaints of headaches, abdominal pain, or nausea
- Failure to achieve significant developmental milestones
Definitions developed using information from The Child Safeguarding Policy Guide and the Tennessee
Department of Children Services
Neglect Indicators
- Malnourishment or fatigue
- Begging for or hoarding food
- Insufficient clothing for the weather
- Untreated illness and injury
- Inappropriately or inadequately supervised
Spiritual Abuse Indicators
- Spiritual abuse may occur simultaneously with other forms of abuse. Therefore, follow
the same indicators listed above
- If a child disputes any concerns raised about their overall health by using religion to
justify any inappropriate actions taken against them
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF THE IMPACT OF CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE
Child sexual abuse and other forms of maltreatment can have immediate and lasting effects on a child’s well-being, though signs may not always be obvious to the untrained eye. Recognizing how such abuse can traumatize a child and impact adult survivors is essential for preventing abuse and responding with compassion. While not every child shows visible effects and not every adult faces long-term consequences, all are at higher risk of experiencing them.
KINGDOM KIDS VOLUNTEER TRAINING AND SCREENING PROCEDURES
Who is a “Kids Volunteer”? A Kids Volunteer is anyone who serves with Kids as a teacher, a monthly volunteer,
or a worship leader. Kingdom Kids includes children aged 1 year through 5th grade.
Kids Volunteer Application: We consider serving with Kingdom Kids to be a privilege and not a right. Simply because
someone expresses interest in serving with Kids does not mean they are automatically eligible to serve. The Kids Team uses this application as a way to get to know a potential volunteer. The application asks questions regarding previous church volunteer work and for references. If necessary, the Kids Team will request an interview with the volunteer applicant.
Background Checks
King & City uses Chekr to run background checks on all volunteers
working with children. We have a background check on file for every Kids
Volunteer.
Kids Volunteer Training Manual
Our method of training volunteers is through our King & City Kids Volunteer Manual. Every
volunteer is presented with a manual upon their arrival to serve with Kids. A Kids
Team member walks the new volunteer through all of our policies and procedures and
gives them space to ask any questions they may have.
Commitment Card
Alongside the Volunteer Manual is the Commitment Card. After reading through the
manual and talking with a Kids Team member, the new volunteer is asked to sign a
Commitment Card. These cards are an acknowledgement that the volunteer has been
trained and prepared to serve with Kids. These Commitment Cards are kept on
file electronically.
Teacher Training
We hold a mandatory Teacher Training for Volunteers who sign up to teach a class for a
semester. The teacher oversees the spiritual teaching of the classroom, and we feel it is
essential to equip them with this added layer of training. In addition to the Teacher
Training, all teachers will have a background check, and will have been walked through the
Training Manual, and have signed a Commitment Card.
KING & CITY KIDS PROTECTION AND SAFETY GUIDELINES
Safety for our children and families is extremely important to our Kids Team and
our church. For this reason, we have created the following guidelines to protect our kids
and our volunteers.
Check-In/Check-Out
Kingdom Kids has implemented a check-in system to ensure the safety of our children and families. Upon the family's arrival, they will check in at the Kids table, where they will receive a name tag. The parent/guardian will be given a corresponding tag to use for picking up their children. When the child reaches the classroom, they have already been securely checked in and are now in the care and supervision of the volunteers. When parents come to pick up their children, they will be cleared by the Kids table and then be free to enter the space to collect their children. Once a parent arrives at the classroom, the child will have already been securely checked out, and they are free to
leave with their parents. Only families, volunteers, and staff enter the Kids space on Sunday mornings. This
ensures that our children are always in a secure environment.
Bathroom Breaks & Diaper Changes
We understand that bathroom trips are necessary, but we ask volunteers assisting a child in the restroom to always leave the door open while helping the child. We also ask that only female volunteers help with bathroom trips. If there is an inadequate number of volunteers to assist with bathroom breaks, or if volunteers are uncomfortable helping
a child in the restroom, volunteers are encouraged to locate a team leader to assist the child. We ask that children not be sent to the restroom alone. Nursery volunteers are requested to be attentive to children who may need a diaper change before the parents arrive. If, for any reason, a volunteer is left alone with a child in the restroom, we ask that diapers be changed only with someone else present in the nursery—this protects both the volunteer and the child. After changing diapers, our volunteers will place an “I’ve Been Changed” sticker on the child, indicating our transparency in notifying the parents of when the child was changed.
Injury Policy
In the event of a minor injury, a first aid kit will be available in the Kids space, stocked with basic supplies. If a child is injured, someone on the Kids Team will fill out an Incident Form and notify all parents involved.
Crying Policy
Many children go through difficult “attachment” phases and often cry when their parents first leave. We will do everything in our power to calm them and help them feel settled. However, if, after 10 minutes, they are still extremely upset and inconsolable, we will text or contact the parent(s) to inform them.