How to Respond to Reports of Child Abuse

Ashley: What are common mistakes churches make when abuse is reported to them? I know there are churches that try to keep it within the church and that that’s a huge mistake. But can you talk about those common mistakes in reporting abuse and the ramifications of those mistakes?

Brian: In our church, and in any church in Illinois, any person who does any kind of pastoral work is required, by law, to report known abuse. But training volunteers so that they feel a sense of empowerment to report—that’s the hard part.

We want to make sure volunteers are reporting anything they see. You don’t want to leave it just to clergy or other staff. You want to make sure that the entire team that’s involved in children’s ministry understands that there’s an inherent need for them to report anything they find that seems off—at least to staff members. The staff can then report it to the police and to the Department of Children and Family Services. Keep reading