Kids Ministry Procedures

At Access Covenant Church, children aren't simply the future of the church. They are part of the church right now. Children are capable of wonder, prayer, compassion, justice, doubt, joy, and authentic worship, and we want them to experience a community where they are known and loved, where their questions are welcomed, and where they can discover what it means to follow Jesus alongside people of every age.

Families come to church with different stories. Some parents and caregivers grew up in churches they loved. Others carry complicated experiences, questions, or real hurt from religious communities. Some are figuring out what they believe themselves while deciding what they want to offer their children. You are welcome here, too. We want to earn your trust rather than assume it.

Four ideas shape our ministry with kids.

We aren't trying to hand children a list of correct answers. We want to help them develop a faith that is rooted in Jesus, alive in the world, and genuinely their own.

Meaningful inclusion is central to our children's ministry. That means more than saying every child is welcome: we want to know and embrace each child for what makes them uniquely themselves — not in spite of it.

Children have different bodies, brains, cultures, families, personalities, identities, communication styles, abilities, sensory needs, gifts, and ways of participating. There is no single right way to be a kid at Access. For one child, participating may mean answering every question. For another, it may mean listening quietly. A child might need to move, take a break, use a sensory tool, sit near a trusted adult, watch before joining in, or engage differently from other kids.

• Tell us at check-in what helps your child thrive — we record allergies, medical notes, and support needs on their record.
• Whenever we reasonably can, we work with families to remove barriers so children can participate meaningfully and safely.
• Belonging comes first. Participation looks different for every child, and every version of it is welcome.

Intergenerational worship matters. Children need grown-ups who aren't their parents, and grown-ups need the presence, questions, energy, and wisdom of children. Families begin worship together before children participating in Kids' Church transition to their space. Children are also welcome to remain with their families throughout worship — movement, questions, noises, and wiggles don't mean worship has gone wrong.

Sometimes "I don't know" is an honest answer, and "I wonder what you think?" is the beginning of a great conversation. We want kids to discover that faith can be sturdy enough for their curiosity.

Where we meet changes with the month: on the 1st Sunday we gather at First Tongan UMC and share a community meal together; other Sundays we meet at Foster Theater. Kids check-in runs at whichever location we're in that week.

We don't believe an hour at church once a week is the center of a child's spiritual development. Family life is where much of faith takes root, and we don't expect parents and caregivers to be theology experts. Our role is to come alongside you.

We want to help families discover meaningful spiritual practices that fit their actual lives: simple prayers, conversations around the table, noticing God outdoors, wondering together about Scripture, practicing gratitude, serving neighbors, making art, asking hard questions, and learning how to repair when we hurt someone. We offer ideas and resources you can take home — not homework, but invitations.

Partnership works both ways. You know your child better than we do. Tell us what helps your child feel safe, connected, included, and able to participate.

Creating safer spaces for children is a responsibility we take seriously. Each week, children's ministry is staffed by at least two unrelated, background-checked adults, along with a support worker age 16 or older.

• Volunteers serve in pairs and are never alone one-on-one with a child out of sight of another adult.
• All children's ministry volunteers complete a background check and child-safety training before serving.
• Safe touch and consent: children are never expected to hug, hold hands, or offer physical affection to an adult or another child. We ask before appropriate physical affection whenever possible, and children may say yes, say no, or change their minds. We encourage side hugs and don't allow lap-sitting.
• Volunteers do not provide toileting assistance. If a child needs restroom help beyond handwashing, we ask their parent or caregiver to assist.
• Allergies, medications, disabilities, sensory or communication needs, separation anxiety, and boundaries around touch are recorded at check-in and shared only with the serving team.
• Questions about our safety practices are always welcome. We want to earn your trust rather than simply ask for it.

Every child is checked in through the Access Kids Check-In system, either at the welcome table kiosk or from the online check-in form. Check-in creates a dated record for each child and links them to the adult who dropped them off.

1. The guardian checks in at the kiosk or scans the check-in QR code and enters their name, email or phone, and each child's name and age.
2. The guardian adds allergies, medical needs, and any support notes for each child. These appear on the volunteer roster for that Sunday.
3. The system creates or matches the family record so returning families keep the same child records week to week.
4. The family is assigned a wristband color for the day and a pickup code. Each child also has a permanent personal pickup code that stays with them on every future visit.
5. Matching wristbands go on the child and on each approved pickup adult; the guardian keeps the code.
6. The child appears on today's roster at the kids staff screen, tagged with their location, wristband color, and any allergy or support notes.

• A child is released only to an adult whose wristband matches the child's wristband and who can give the pickup code.
• If a different adult is picking up, the guardian must name that adult at check-in and the adult must present the family or child pickup code.
• If a wristband is lost, the volunteer verifies the adult against the check-in record and a staff lead approves the release manually.
• Volunteers mark each child as checked out in the system; the roster shows at a glance who is still in the room.
• Every check-in and check-out is timestamped and logged for staff review in the kids audit log.
• Nothing is released to an adult who is not on the record. If there is any doubt, we page the parent or caregiver in the main gathering.

• Child records, allergy and medical notes, and pickup codes are visible only to staff and background-checked kids ministry volunteers.
• Rosters, service logs, and the audit trail are reviewed by staff after each Sunday.
• Families can ask staff at any time to review, correct, or delete their child's record.
• Photos of children are never published without explicit permission from a parent or caregiver.

Your child doesn't have to know the Bible. They don't have to sit perfectly still. They don't have to be certain what they believe. Neither do you. Come with your faith, your questions, your history, your hopes — and whatever Sunday morning looks like in your household. We'll meet you there.

Questions about bringing your kids, or about anything in this document? Email info@accesscov.com and we'll answer anything.