| Protect what? |
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Protection is important, but I'm working on something at this time. |
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Low detail sign-in (just name). |
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High detail sign-in/out (with parents names, pick-up names, etc.). |
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Computerized with low detail. |
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Computerized with high detail. |
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Some kind of tagging system (bracelets, tags, etc.). |
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Same leader(s) every week (knows kids & parents). |
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Nothing. |
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Junior Member
 
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Forum Expert
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Our church is fairly small and our VBS attendance limit is 50. We have had no incidents (Thank God) in the 5 years we have done it at this church. We basically ask the crew leader to keep their kids in a group and when the parents arrive he/she just makes sure to see them go. I understand it can get way more complicated in a large setting.
 
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Forum Expert
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We are a fairly smal church as well. We know all of the kids, but the majority of them ride our church busses.
Check out VBS Groupies for resources to help with the planning of your VBS.
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Looks like the vote is going two ways, "high detail" or "nothing, everyone knows the kids". I'm wondering if this is a big vs. small VBS difference. We have 50 kids. Last year I did nothing because I know 90% of the parents and the other 10% I memorized on the first day. Still, it is hard to guarantee no one wonders off. I'd like more details on how the "high detail" groups do it in an efficient way (so it doesn't take 30 minutes to get everyone signed out).
Heidi in ND
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Well, we had our first day of our Sign-in/Sign-out...and it went well. We are a church, and run a children's church program with an average of 75 - 80 kids each Sunday. There is no way of knowing who is who or having the same leader with all of those kids and parents going in and out of 4 classrooms. We've gone to a high-detail sign-in/out procedure for the protection of the children, but also for the protection of the church...if anything does come back to us, I would like to think that the sign-in/out thing would hold up in court (God forbid we ever have to do that).
And I know...so many people think...well, did something happen in your church?...nope. Not yet...but I don't want something to happen, so I'll do something to prpreempthat potential offence against our children...these are OUR children...protect the flock.
The fact is that bad things HAVE happened in other churches our size and in communities of our size, and we are at risk...we're simply managing the risk. Its a "hassle" for some people...it takes like 5 extra minutes, but I think (and many others in our church feel the same way) that it is WORTH IT for our kids.
Right?
Mark Myles
Director of Children's Ministries
Campbell River Baptist Church
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| Our church is very small, so sign-in/sign-outs would be redundant - everyone knows everybody (approximately 60 congregants per week, children included), but there are always times when someone comes with a new child, whether for VBS, Sunday school, or church nursery/junior church. We do, however, train leaders in child protection and require all those who work with children/youth to have a criminal record check, which we keep on file. We also have a safety and conduct code that all volunteers must read and sign. While the possibility of someone losing a child/getting the wrong child are ridiculously minuscule, the chances of an adult or teen worker doing something he/she ought not do (or getting into trouble for something they did not do, because of the statement of a child), either because of ignorance (being alone with a child, with no other workers around or able to see in the room] or due to real malevolence, are higher. Both the children and those sweet enough to give of their time and energy have to be protected. In retrospect, the above paragraph is actually just one, long, convoluted sentence - but I think you get the idea!
Blessings,Pastor Alisha 
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| My church is very small so most of the kids are known by the whole church. For Children's Church, the parents have to pick up the child or an older sibling (middle school age). For VBS, the parents have to pick up the kid from their Crew in the Closing Station. God Bless, Josh T. in Ohio
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| We have a small church (100 avg attendance). The nursery is more of an information thing. For preschool, an authorized person (can be an older sibling, if ok with parents) must pick the child up. For elementary, the parents specify if the child can be dismissed or has to wait for pick up. Personally, I specify that my 6- & 8-year olds must be picked up.
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We are a large church, we see almost 2000 kiddos a week. We have a database with all the kids info in it and we print on child id & family id badges and mail them to the family. The family is tagged with a family id code which is on the cards, so the only way the child can be checked out is if the codes match. If a parent has lost there card, the teacher sends them to the office and we verify their information and then a director has to walk the parent back to the class and tell the teacher.
The first set of cards are free, but if you loose them we charge 2 dollars a tag.
Checking in we just have a blank roster where the teacher writes the child's name and child id number. This system has really worked for us.
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Last Login: 5/28/2008 8:20:08 PM
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| we are a small chruch but we do have a strict sign in and out rourtine in all grade levels. each child has to be taken to class by a parent or some one 16 or older( we figrue if they can drive them to chruch they can pick up). The parents are given a tag with a number that matches the tag on the child back. the parent brings back there part and we check to make sure that they match and we get a signature. was also have a record of who is not to pick up at any time even with a number and we have a lock down procdure if some ones on tha list tries to pick up. this is a problme mainly because we have a lot of foster children that attend our chruch. it also helps that our teachers teach for 4 months a time so you get to know the parents adn who picks up pertey well. each teacher puts together a need to pass on information letter for the incoming teacher about anythings incuding pick up and drop off people ( this happens in preschool anyway)
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