At Riverside Friends, we strongly believe in the need to protect our kids. That's why we included this section on our website. Every church believes that it won't happen to them. We believe it could happen here, and we take every step to ensure it doesn't. There are two ways we protect our kids. First is our staff and volunteers. The second is our kids themselves.
The Church vets our staff and volunteers to ensure they have no history of abuse. They receive regular training and have a reporting plan if something comes up. We, as staff and volunteers, don't meet with kids or youth one-on-one. There are times, though, when this is unavoidable; at these times, staff and volunteers know who is meeting, where and they are regularly checked upon. No staff or volunteer is left alone with a child for an extended time. No kids are left unattended without supervision for an extended time.
We teach the kids three things: Respect God, Respect Yourself, Respect Others. From this, we have a no-tolerance policy when it comes to violence or fighting. Kids who are violent to other kids get taken home immediately and have to sit out a week.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us. Our kids' safety is our priority.