Ron: OCP has been a place where people who are on the sex offender registry for crimes against children but we also want to make sure that OCP is a safe place for children, so we have a rule about no one being alone with a child except parents, grandparents, or legal guardians.” And people on the sex offender registry will be identified by OCP staff and a meeting and signed contract will exist between PO, offender, and OCP executive director; seems like there could be innocent times when this rule is broken, so how do we adequately create an enforcement policy
Michael: seems like a person on the sex offender registry should be in a zero tolerance category; probably someone who wants to be alone with kids would not be here too much because there are people around;
Ron: if a crime actually occurred, we would call the police; we are talking about a person who is alone with a child – with no crime committed;
Michael: we do have Sunday school here and usually there are two people but there are times when someone goes to the bathroom – maybe this would be an exception;
Bri: thinking about a while ago doing dishes, and peanut was there – seems like the family members who are around should be the ones to be responsible
Ron: we don’t need to think about enforcement of people on the sex offender because we have our own larger organization-wide policy for sex offenders; we need to be aware of people who begin to come to OCP with children and sit down with them to talk with them about ocp and who is around; what about ages of children – is is true that Emmett or phoebe would not be able to be away from Ron or Mel?
Philip: levels of enforcement – our community doesn’t know who is and isn’t on the registry, so anytime there is an adult alone with a child should be reported – then we have an extra level of enforcement; we did go to a family in the neighborhood who has sent their kids alone, and we did tell them they needed to be here with their children; last week, we saw a mother send her child to the bathroom
Bill: are there signs to look for and how to deal with it; staff should learn the signs of a sex offender so that they can keep a better eye out – maybe have staff or people in charge attend a class; if I see someone out of line, might be better equipped if there is a class on this to help see signs;
Michael: what about a trusted parental guardian – aunt, uncle, family friend;
Philip: sending a child to the bathroom seems scary because it seems like one of the places that something could happen
Ron: whole other category coming up – people here with their kids – I don’t think we have a rule about a kid here must be with their parent or grandparent; a friend or family member could come to OCP with a child – we have talked about someone in this situation needing to change a diaper – then maybe you just grab friend to go do that; you don’t want to ban a youth group because their parent isn’t here; the piece that needs to be enforced is parents being with their kids
Michael: what about a kid from a youth group who bumps into someone – hugs? – will we let something like this go
Matt: there are some kids who come here without their parents – how are we going to get the message to these parents
Ken: agreeing with what Ron and Jonathan are saying – parents should be responsible for their own children – at least keeping them where they can be seen;
Mark: hones needs to be on parents to keep an eye on their kids; don’t have a differentiation between people on the sex offender list or not; it could happen accidently anytime that someone is alone with a child; presumption of innocence needs to exist when it comes to someone not on the sex offender registry; if it happens a second time, that an adult is alone with a child, then the adult may need to be addressed;
Ron: if we unearth that there is another rule inside a rule, then it is ok; maybe: any child under 16 must have adult supervision to be at ocp; if it is not the parent here, then maybe you need parental approval; ron sat down with some junior high kids who were here at OCP without a parent, and basically they said that it was safer to be here at OCP – it is a complex situation but has happened; maybe it is a similar enforcement if their parents not with their parents or someone alone with a child;
Philip: seems like we need to talk with parents when they start coming to OCP with children; the other concept is to have some enforcement for the adult alone with a child; we should stick with the idea that no adult is alone with a child except grandparent, parent, or legal guardian;
Sadie: when ron was talking about an age, 12 years and under would need a parent to be here, but older could be here without their parent
Michael: would agree with Sadie, but you legally, you are considered a minor if you are under 18;
Ron: what we are saying is that a kid can be here with a babysitter, but no one is allowed to be alone with a child who isn’t their own (except grandparents or legal guardians); who can kids be here with? – do we generally give people the benefit of the doubt until something seems weird?;
Ken: people at 18 can’t buy cigarettes, but they are allowed to go to war
Bill: thinking that there should be a criteria when someone comes with a child – that they are not a sex offender and parent or legal guardian needs to come here at say that it is ok
Ron: wonders about Sadie saying 12 year old could be here without a parent – keep thinking 16 could be the threshold; seems like maybe we should be protecting the 13-14 year old who might be exposed to things here at ocp that may not be if their parent is here; the idea of having to get permission to bring a child who isn’t their own seems bulky – too hard for OCP; if someone goes to walmart with a kid, they don’t get stopped at the door; seems like we might not enforce getting forms signed; something cool about the age being 12 – the kids in the neighborhood coming down to play volleyball was great;
Sadie: some young kids are very responsible
Mark: seemed cool when kids came down to play volleyball – as long as they aren’t alone, that doesn’t seem like a deal killer; would hate to have those kids not be here
Ron: when someone we don’t know calls and wants their kid to come here and volunteer; maybe we are thinking too much about the old days and we should be thinking about the new days; way can’t or wouldn’t we be responsible for a 14 year old who wants to be here; you don’t want to ere on the wrong side – is it the parents responsibility;
Sadie: would Jonathan’s wife be able to give us some guidelines
Ron: we are talking about two different topics – can we focus on the enforcement of the rule that we have;
Preston: not everyone alone in a room with a child is guilty of breaking that rule – there should be an opportunity for them to explain themselves
Ron: “when it comes to a staff members attention then the staff will follow up with the adult, the child, and the parents or guardians for a brief rule reminder” ; if any of these parties is involved in three separate incidences then the person or child/parents will be banned for one week, then one month – maybe
Mark: seems like having the child leave is making the child suffer for something someone else did;
Ron: but it seems like a parent who isn’t supervising would have to leave with their kid;
Bill: we should keep letting the kids come because they would know that this is a safe place or safe-haven; the adult doing something wrong should know better; should be one warning and if it happens again, gone; kids need to know that if they come here, it is their place too;
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