Suggested Procedures and Guidelines for Handling Abuse Allegations
of a Child against a Church Leader
Approved by Synod, 2004

1. A person who receives allegations of a child against a church leader (hereafter refers to paid staff, office bearer, or appointed ministry volunteer) and concludes that the allegations create a reasonable suspicion that abuse has occurred should report the matter to local police or child protection authorities within twenty-four hours of receiving the information.
   

In addition, a person who has knowledge of circumstances that create a reasonable suspicion that a church leader has committed child abuse also should report the matter to local police or child protection authorities within twenty-four hours of formulating that conclusion.
 
2. As soon as possible after notifying the appropriate authorities, the person reporting the matter should contact the person whom the church of the accused has designated to receive a report of an allegation of child abuse (a Designated Person).  The person reporting the matter should describe to the Designated Person the allegations of abuse and/or the circumstances supporting the allegations of abuse.  In addition, the person reporting the matter should inform the Designated Person if the alleged abuse occurred in the church facility, or in connection with a church-sponsored program.
    
3. The Designated Person should contact (i) the pastor, if the minor has not implicated the pastor, (ii) a member of the church’s leadership team, if the minor has not implicated this team member, (iii) the church’s legal counsel, and (iv) the church’s insurance agent.

   If the alleged victim and alleged abuser are not members of the same church, each church should appoint a Designated Person who together should maintain contact about the progress of the investigation. 

   Church officials may conduct their own investigation after civil authorities have begun theirs.  However, church officials should not reveal the nature of the allegations to the alleged offender until the civil authorities have met with him/her.

4. If the alleged abuser admits wrongdoing against the victim at any stage of this process, the admission of guilt should be brought to the attention of the governing body of the church of the accused.  The governing body should deliberate and determine outcomes according to established church polity and procedures.
    
5. When the Designated Person determines that either (i) the authorities have concluded that the allegations merit serious investigation, or (ii) there is the possibility of formal charges, the designated person should notify the governing body of the church of the alleged abuser.
1. The Designated Person should present the governing body with a written document specifying the nature of the allegations and information known at that point.
2. The governing body should give the accused an opportunity to confront and respond to the allegations.
3. In light of the information presented, the governing body should implement one or more of the following actions:
• supervise contact at church between accused and minors;
• prohibit contact at church between the accused and accuser or any minor in the congregation;
• suspend the accused from office, position, or duty with pay (when applicable) and without prejudice pending the outcome of the investigation.
   
6. If and when the Designated Person learns that the authorities have filed criminal charges against the accused, then the Designated Person should report this information to the governing body of the church of the alleged abuser.
1. The Designated Person should present the governing body with a written document specifying the nature of the allegations and information known at that point.
2. The governing body should give the accused an opportunity to confront and respond to the allegations.
3. In light of the information presented, the governing body should implement the following actions:
• prohibit the accused from contact with minors at church;
• and suspend the accused from office, position, or duty with pay (when applicable) and without prejudice pending the outcome of the charges filed.
   
7. When criminal proceedings have concluded, the governing body should promptly revisit the matter, whether the result is conviction, acquittal, or dropped charges.  If the criminal charges are dropped or prosecution does not result in conviction, the governing body should decide whether or not to rescind its earlier action and/or take additional action.
    
8. If the accused whom the governing body has previously removed or suspended from office is found not guilty of the allegations, the governing body should not reinstate the accused to his or her previous position of leadership until they, in consultation with the police/child protection authorities, legal counsel, and child abuse experts, deem it safe and proper to do so.
    
9. A church leader (i) who has made a confession of child abuse, (ii) who has been convicted of child abuse in a court of law, or (iii) whom governing body has adjudicated guilty of abuse of a minor (collectively, a Determined Abuser) should not be reinstated to the position from which the church leader has been removed or suspended without the advice of the church's legal counsel.
    
10. The governing body may (i) subject a determined abuser (hereafter abuser) to further suspension, deposition, employment termination, (ii) deny the abuser reinstatement to a future position with youth, or (iii) take such other action against the abuser as the circumstances may dictate.
     
11. The governing body should notify the congregation when a church leader is removed or suspended from office, position, or duty pending the outcome of an investigation into an allegation of child abuse.  This notice should be in writing and should protect the identity and confidentiality of the accuser.  This disclosure should be pastoral, objectively factual and not exceed the scope of the information known about the matter at that time.  In addition, the governing body should not attempt to state any legal conclusions about the guilt or innocence of any person unless and until the governing body determines that a church leader is an abuser.
     
12. Subject to the best interest of the abused, the governing body should notify the congregation in writing if they conclude that a church leader is an abuser.  This notice should protect the identity and confidentiality of any innocent parties, including the abused.  This written communication should be pastoral and objectively factual.