Screening Guidelines for Congregations

I. Mission Statement

The Anglican Diocese of Algoma is committed to offering appropriate, helpful and safe programs. Such programs help us proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ with integrity. Experience has shown that most people who offer their time, talent and energy serve with love and dedication and do great good. However, we also are aware that a small number of people take advantage of organizations that have lax or non-existent screening procedures. They gain access to vulnerable persons, win their confidence and trust, and bring immeasurable harm to them, their loved ones and the church.

Our faith communities can better protect vulnerable persons, and those who minister to them, through the development, adoption, and implementation of thorough, appropriate, consistent, and on-going screening measures for our volunteers and paid staff. We do not act out of a sense of fear of litigation but instead out of our need to exemplify our values of trust, justice, and accountability.

At all times, the goal is to protect the safety of all participants in church related activities. This goal will guide our intentions and actions.

II. Screening Measures and Guidelines for Implementation

Every parish has been provided with a copy of the Screening in Faith resource (Volunteer Canada, 1999). It is strongly recommended that all ten steps outlined in that resource be followed for high risk ministries. Parishes may decide to include or omit step seven (Police Records Checks) for medium risk ministries. The steps can lead to excellent volunteer management and so are also beneficial for persons serving in lower risk ministries. The ten steps are found on page 2.1 of the Screening in Faith resource. Diocesan guidelines for implementation are as follows:

Risk assessment is the heart of volunteer screening. Immediate action can often be taken to lower the risk even before screening procedures are applied (for example, putting windows in Sunday School classroom doors). Congregations and people organizing deanery or diocesan level events are encouraged to err on the side of caution when assessing the risk levels inherent in various ministries and positions. When there is doubt or disagreement as to the degree of risk, the risk level should be assessed as high. The risk assessment grid found on page 3.2 of Screening in Faith is a helpful tool in determining whether a particular activity is low, medium, or high-risk.

An activity can automatically be assessed high-risk if any of the following circumstances apply:

A person can be considered "vulnerable" when they have difficulty protecting themselves for a number of reasons, including age, disability, or temporary personal crisis.

Volunteers and paid staff engaged in high-risk ministries are encouraged to read the "Guidelines for Working With Vulnerable Persons" document provided with the Parish Screening and Program Management Kit and become familiar with the definitions of sexual misconduct as described in Canon B-3.

Ministry or "job" descriptions can be a powerful recruitment tool, helping volunteers understand the specific duties and boundaries involved in various ministries. Ministry descriptions do not have to be long, but should set out clear tasks and ground rules. Categories suggested for inclusion in ministry descriptions can be found on page 3.8 of the Screening in Faith resource. Sample ministry descriptions from around the Diocese can be found on-line by visiting and clicking the "volunteer screening" link.

Requests for volunteers or paid staff should be done in a public way through bulletins, newsletters, etc. Screening measures should be explained to candidates at the earliest opportunity. Congregations are encouraged to follow the "6 month rule" – do not place people in high-risk ministry situations until you have known them for at least six months.

Application forms collect basic information such as name, address, and experience. They also allow a congregation or event organizer permission to do reference checks and police records checks if warranted by the level of risk in the position.

Human rights legislation outlines what kinds of questions can and cannot be asked on an application form. Acceptable and unacceptable questions can be found on page 4.2 of the Screening in Faith resource.

In the case of high risk positions, interviews should be carried out by at least two interviewers. The interview should be viewed as an opportunity to ensure there will be a "good fit" between a person and a particular ministry. Observations made during interviews should be documented and kept on file. Additional guidelines for interviewing can be found on page 4.10 of the Screening in Faith resource.

STEP 6 – Reference Checks

If references are asked for in an application form, these references should always be checked. Suggested reference check questions and a sample form are found on pages 8.7 through 8.9 of the Screening in Faith resource. In general:

Police checks should never be the first, last, or only step of screening. Depending on the risks involved in the ministry, a candidate will be asked to provide a copy of his/her police record. If any convictions appear, the candidate will be asked to provide details and give permission for you to confirm the nature of these convictions with the police. A conviction does not necessarily exclude the applicant from a volunteer or paid position, rather, the nature of the conviction should be measured against the nature of the ministry. For example, in the case of someone who wants to help in the nursery, a conviction for abuse and harassment would be more pertinent than a conviction for shoplifting.

In the interests of confidentiality, it is preferred that police records checks be provided to the parish for review, but not kept on file. No photocopies should be made of the check, and the original document should be returned to the volunteer or paid staff person. What can be kept on file is a form stating that the check has been provided and reviewed. This form should be signed by a person or persons appointed by the parish to review police records checks. The form should also indicate whether the check has been approved or if follow-up conversations are required, but should not record the nature of any charges or convictions.

In general:

Procedures and costs for obtaining a Police records check vary greatly across the Diocese. Often parishes can obtain free checks for their volunteers if they provide their charitable registration number. Consult your local police station.

In fairness to volunteers in particular, congregations are strongly encouraged to provide orientation and training so that people can carry out their ministries effectively. Annual sessions for both new and experienced volunteers contribute to excellence in ministry and happier volunteers.

All ministries should be appropriately supervised. Although the Incumbent is responsible for general supervision and parish life, the Incumbent need not be the direct supervisor for all ministries. For example, supervisory responsibility for the Sunday School teachers may be delegated to the Sunday School Superintendent. To be effective, supervision for medium and high-risk ministries must be systematic and recorded. In general:

Supervisors should monitor the ministry by checking, from time to time, on participant satisfaction. A "participant" means anyone on the receiving end of a ministry or service (i.e., child in a Sunday School class, teen at a Deanery Youth Unit retreat, shut-in being visited). Regular, on-going contact with program participants and family members helps to ensure that programs remain relevant and of high quality. Such monitoring can also act as a deterrent to someone who might otherwise do harm and go undetected. This practice is part of overall risk management strategy and does not imply suspicion of particular individuals. In all cases:

III. Accountability

These guidelines are designed to help parishes get started with implementing a screening program appropriate to their context. In accordance with a vote taken at the April 2002 meeting of the Diocesan Executive Committee, mandatory policy and related Canons will be presented at Diocesan Synod 2003. Although minor changes may be made to the guidelines and policies as they develop, parishes are encouraged to begin implementing an appropriate screening program immediately. Help is available to parishes and congregations who would like further assistance in developing and implementing a screening program. See the page titled "How to Get Help" provided with the Parish Screening and Program Management Kit for more information.

Parishes should include a report outlining the status of their screening programs in the annual vestry report, and provide a copy of this report to their Archdeacon and to the Synod Office.

©2002 Diocese of Algoma

June 13, 2002