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Honoring the Children: An Introduction to Our Child and Youth Protection Policy

We, the members of Main Line Unitarian Church (MLUC), recognize, with sadness, the reality that our children and young people are vulnerable to the outrage of physical, sexual, and emotional abuse. We acknowledge that when abuse occurs, it is a tragedy not only for the abused children but for their families, our congregation, and our wider community as well.

We are aware that abusers exist in all strata of society and in all kinds of situations. We know that religious communities are not immune. We recognize the importance of creating reasonable precautions to protect our children and youth. It is in this spirit that we have implemented this Child and Youth Protection Policy.

This policy will apply to all activities and events sponsored by MLUC.

What Is Child Abuse?

Child abuse is against the law. It is defined as an act committed by a parent, caregiver, person in a position of trust, or other that harms or threatens to harm a child’s well-being or physical or mental health. Child abuse includes physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, and neglect.

Child abuse affects everyone, directly or indirectly, at all socioeconomic levels and in all ethnic, cultural, and religious groups. No community is immune from child abuse.

Our Expectations

MLUC seeks to create an environment in which children and youth can explore the spiritual and religious nature of their lives.

We actively encourage relationships between children and adults and know that when such relationships are healthy and genuine they can be transformative for both the adult and the child involved.

We expect adults who work with children to nurture the children’s physical, emotional, and spiritual growth by treating them with kindness, trust, respect, and good humor. All interactions must be genuine and not manipulative of a child’s needs or vulnerabilities. The best interests of the child must be the foremost consideration in all interactions.

We expect all adults working with children to understand that the power differential in child-adult relationships places greater responsibility on the adult. No matter what the age of the child, it is always the responsibility of the adult to maintain appropriate boundaries and thus always to maintain an atmosphere of health and trust.