Monday night our cleaning staff found a used safe sex product in one of the bathrooms that is between 2 of our preschool rooms. We are so thankful it was found by a responsible adult and not a child. I shudder to think of the health and safety concerns that could have resulted!
None of our classroom doors lock and there is no way to lock the children and preschool wings. I pointed this out as a security issue and had to work several months to get my Children's Ministry team to see the need to lock our rooms when not in use. I was not as concerned with computers and toys disappearing as I was that a child might be taken into a vacant room and harmed or that a child could wander into a room unattended and get hurt.
After spending some time observing and asking around, I saw children from outside groups and member's children coming in for night meetings were being allowed to go into the classrooms unattended to play. I even found middle school kids sneaking away from their activities playing in the classrooms. That finally got the team to see that we needed locks.
In the Fall, our facilities team approved locks to be installed on all doors used by minors, but until this alarming find in the bathroom, they have put the project on the back burner due to budget issues. I'm being told that the locks are coming soon, but until then...what do you recommend?