Safe Church
EVERY CHURCH SHOULD BE A SAFE CHURCH
Every church should be a safe and welcoming environment for children, students, and vulnerable adults.
It is often easy to assume safety rather than ensuring safety. Your partners at IBSA have put together this page to help your church be intentional about child and student safety.
Here you will find practical resources and best practices for addressing child safety, sexual abuse, and care for victim for your church.
I'm looking for help...
To Prevent Abuse
To learn best practices to prevent abuse and ensure that your church is taking proactive steps to be a safe place
If Abuse Has Occured
If you believe abuse has occurred to you or someone you know, whether you are an individual in a church or a church leader
Caring for Survivors
To help your church understand how to best care for survivors of sexual abuse
PREVENTING ABUSE
Churches can never assume that “abuse would never happen here.” Abuse often occurs in environments where trust is high but accountability and clear procedures are lacking.
Every church must take intentional steps to create a culture of safety. Prevention is an ongoing commitment, not just policies on paper.
IBSA recommends these best practices:
(1.) Establish a Safety Team
Designate a team to oversee abuse prevention and response, including developing, implementing, and reviewing policies.
(2.) Implement Screening Procedures
Screen all staff and volunteers working with children, students, or vulnerable adults through applications, references, background checks, an interview, and waiting periods.
(3) Enforce Protective Policies
Create and consistently follow guidelines that reduce risk, such as two-adult rules, observable environments, appropriate ratios, and clear boundaries for in-person and digital interactions.
(4) Prepare for Disclosure and Reporting
Train staff and volunteers to recognize abuse, respond appropriately to disclosures, and follow all mandated reporting laws.
(5) Provide Ongoing Training and Review
Regularly train staff and volunteers and review policies to ensure they remain effective, up to date, and consistently practiced.
RESPONDING TO ABUSE
The church should never act as an investigative body in criminal matters. When abuse is disclosed or suspected, the first step is to contact local law enforcement or the appropriate child protection agency. Ensuring safety and proper reporting must always take priority.
In Illinois, members of the clergy are mandated reporters and are legally required to report suspected abuse.
As mandated reporters, ever pastor or clergy member should take the Illinois Mandated Reporter Training
Staff and volunteers should be prepared to respond appropriately to a disclosure by:
- Taking every report seriously
- Listening without asking leading questions or investigating
- Reassuring the individual and documenting what was shared
- Reporting promptly to the proper authorities
If a child is in immediate danger, call 911 first. If the child is not in immediate danger, you must call the Child Abuse and Neglect hotline at 1-800-252-2873 to make your report.
IBSA is available to assist church leaders as they navigate these difficult situations.
In addition, the Southern Baptist Convention provides an Abuse Response Helpline at 1-833-611-4357 or through this link – https://sbcabuseprevention.com/helpline/
If abuse has occurred in connection with an IBSA-affiliated church and you believe it was mishandled, you may also report concerns to the Southern Baptist Convention’s Credentials Committee. Suspicions of current or recent abuse should always be reported to law enforcement first. https://www.sbc.net/about/what-we-do/sbc-governance/credentials-committee/
CARING FOR SURVIVORS
Whether abuse is recent or occurred many years ago, churches play a vital role in creating a safe and supportive environment where survivors can begin to heal.
Recognize the Complexity of Disclosure
Disclosure is often not straightforward. Survivors may struggle to name what happened, minimize their experience, or share only parts of their story. It is essential to listen patiently, take every disclosure seriously, and clearly communicate that you believe them.
Respond with Care and Respect
Each survivor’s needs are unique. Some may require immediate medical or mental health care. Others may need time, space, and a trusted person to listen. Some may seek guidance on reporting or legal options, while in situations involving minors, immediate action is required to ensure safety. Whenever possible, honor the survivor’s voice, needs, and level of readiness.
Protect Confidentiality
Safeguarding a survivor’s identity and story is critical. Information should only be shared on a need-to-know basis, and survivors should be included in decisions about who is informed. While churches may need to communicate with their congregation, this should never come at the expense of the survivor’s trust or privacy.
CONSULTATION
Creating and maintaining a safe church is an ongoing responsibility—one that requires intentional leadership, wise policies, and compassionate care. Churches do not have to navigate these challenges alone.
IBSA is committed to serving as a trusted partner for churches as they work to prevent abuse, respond appropriately, and care well for survivors. We are available to provide guidance, training, and consultation tailored to your church’s needs.
Whether you are just beginning to develop safety practices or looking to strengthen existing efforts, we are here to help you take the next step toward becoming a safer church for all.
To connect with IBSA for training or consultation, click here.