Abuse Prevention
Redeemer Church aims to provide a safe, secure environment for children, adults, and their families to hear and enjoy the gospel by preventing abuse.
To help minimize the risks for abuse, all volunteers working with children and students are known individuals within the church who have completed a criminal background check with Checkr, regular trainings, a screening, and received an orientation. While there are instances where a volunteer may not be a covenant member (e.g., a teenager awaiting baptism), under no circumstance can a volunteer be said to be unknown by a reasonable person.
Redeemer has zero tolerance for abuse in ministry programs and activities. All staff members, lay leaders, and volunteers are expected act in the best interest of all children in every program. In the event a staff member, lay leader, or volunteer observes any inappropriate behaviors (i.e. policy violations, neglectful supervision, etc.) or suspected abuse or neglect (physical, emotional, or sexual) it is that individual’s moral obligation to immediately communicate his or her observations to the appropriate authorities.
Redeemer is seeking accreditation with the Evangelical Council for Abuse Prevention.
Summary of Abuse Prevention Policies
Key Safety Steps
- Child Protection Training: Mandatory for all volunteers, staff, and facility users, renewed every three years.
- Screening Process: Includes application, interviews, and reference checks for those working with children.
- Policies & Procedures: All workers must read, understand, and agree to comply with the child protection policies.
- Criminal Background Check: Required for all staff and volunteers involved in children’s activities.
Key Points
- Zero Tolerance for Abuse: Any suspicion of abuse must be reported immediately to law enforcement and church authorities.
- Two-Adult Rule: At least two adults must be present during any activity involving children during church hosted function.
- Appropriate Touch: Physical contact should be age-appropriate and never coercive or oppressive.
- Bathroom Guidelines: Strict supervision required; no adult should share use of a bathroom while supervising children.
- Discipline: Physical discipline is prohibited; time-outs and verbal redirection are used.
- Reporting Violations: All staff and volunteers must report any policy violations or suspicious behavior immediately.
- Security and Safety Team: A designated team responsible for ensuring adherence to child protection policies and handling incidents.
Confidentiality
In the event of an investigation, Redeemer will release information to any and all who have either a true interest in or legal cause for that information. At the same time, every effort will be made to protect the privacy of the victim(s), the accused, and their families.
The ordained elders and pastors at Redeemer Church, Huntsville are not permitted by the terms of their employment or appointment to exercise the “privileges of communication” afforded by Rule 505 of the Alabama Rules of Evidence. Electing to do, while permissible in court, may be grounds for immediate termination without severance in certain cases. In all other cases not defined by Rule 505, Alabama clergy are mandatory reporters. Non-ordained ministers, directors, etc. are not eligible for “privileges of communication” per Rule 505, but instead, they are mandatory reporters according to AL Code § 26-14-3 (2022).
Communicate Suspicious or Inappropriate Behavior
All staff, lay leaders, and volunteers are asked to report ‘grooming’ behavior, policy violations, and any other suspicious behavior. Upon receiving a report, this team will convene to review the claims, evaluate any immediate needs for medical services or law enforcement action, and consult proper counsel to ensure the proper next steps are taken. The team will work with all appropriate parties to develop a safety and support plan for any victimized child or children, victimized adults, involved and their families.
Alabama Law & Department of Human Resouces
Before God, we have a moral and ethical obligation to protect victimized children and victimized adults from abuse. In God’s providence, He has supplied a means to investigate, judge, and correct such concerns through His public servants. Many adults in the state of Alabama are mandatory reporters of even suspected—not merely confirmed—abuse (AL Code § 26-14-3).
A failure to report suspected abuse in Alabama is a crime and may carry both a financial fine and prison time.
Good faith reports are immune from liability in the state of Alabama (AL Code § 26-14-9), and, in most cases, they may be made anonymously.
Reports cannot be made via email.
To report suspected abuse, call either the Huntsville Police Department at 256-722-7100 or the Madison County Department of Human Resources at 256-427-6200.
