FLI Child Protection Policy

1. The Project Director is solely responsible for obtaining criminal background checks on any of the project’s adult officers, directors, employees, volunteers or other assigns
(collectively, “Project Staff”) that teach, help, aid, or otherwise interact with Minor Children or a Minor Child. Minor Children or Minor Child are defined as anyone under 18 years of age. Adult is defined as anyone over 18 years of age. Any person with any criminal record involving minor children should not be hired, allowed to volunteer, otherwise associate with the project, or interact with Minor Children.

2. The Project Director is further solely responsible for the on-going monitoring and vetting of Project Staff that teach, help, aid, or otherwise interact with Minor Children.

3. The Project Director is responsible to ensure that all Project Staff read, know and agree to the Project’s Child Protection Policy.

4. The Project Director has or will obtain appropriate insurance coverage when possible for abuse or misconduct by Project Staff against Minor Children, including but not limited to sexual abuse/molestation coverage.

5. The Project Director is responsible for understanding and knowing the local, state, and other jurisdictional reporting requirements for the suspected abuse of Minor Children. Further, Grantee is responsible for establishing and implementing the appropriate reporting policy for the suspected abuse of Minor Children.

6. The Project Director shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law in the United States or its country of operations, defend and indemnify Faith & Learning International, its officers, directors, trustees, employees and agents, from and against any and all claims, liabilities, losses and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) directly, indirectly, wholly or partially arising from or in connection with any act or omission of the Project Director or the Project Staff, any projects, ministries, and activities conducted or overseen by the Project Director or Project Staff, and any violations of this policy or the Child Protection Policy required by this policy, including but not limited to any claims involving misconduct with Minor Children, abuse of Minor Children, or failure to report any abuse or neglect of Minor Children, as required by applicable law.

7. Each project is required to have its own Child Protection Policy. That policy should at a minimum contain the following provisions:

•  A minimum of two Project Staff are required to be in the presence of any Minor Child. If there are several Minor Children present, the number of Project Staff should be expanded beyond two Project Staff members or other adults, such as the Minor Child’s parent or guardian.
• Private one-on-one contact between Grantee Staff and a Minor Child is not permitted. If there is a situation where a personal meeting between Project Staff and Minor Child is required, the meeting must be conducted in the clear view of other Project Staff or other adults.
• Project Staff are required to respect and protect the privacy of Minor Children when those Minor Children are changing clothing or items of clothing. Project Staff should protect their privacy in similar situations. Project Staff may assist Minor Children in changing clothes or items of clothing when the health or safety of the Minor Child or Minor Children requires assistance from a Project Staff member.
• All Minor Children should request permission to use the bathroom. A Project Staff member should ensure that no adults are in bathroom and that the Minor Child is able to use the bathroom alone. Project Staff should wait outside the bathroom to ensure that no Project Staff member or other adult enters the bathroom with the Minor Child. In those situations where, a Minor Child needs assistance in the bathroom due to a medical condition or physical impairment, a Project Staff member of the same sex must be present to assist the Minor Child.
• Communication and interaction between Project Staff and Minor Children should  be restricted to the purposes of the Minor Children’s participation in the Project’s program. Project Staff should not engage in any communication or interaction with those Minor Children outside the scope or purposes of the Project’s program.

8. The Child Protection Policy created by the Project must be reviewed and approved by the Project’s Advisory Council. The council members must document via signature or email that they have read and approve of the policy.