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About Safe Sanctuaries › What is Safe Sanctuaries?
Safe Sanctuaries is more than guidelines, policies and procedures implemented to create an environment in which children, youth and the adults who work with them have boundaries of safe space. Safe Sanctuaries is an overt expression of a congregation in making a congregation a safe place where children and youth may experience the abiding love of God and fellowship within the community of faith. In 1996 The General Conference of The United Methodist Church adopted a resolution aimed at reducing the risk of child sexual abuse in the church. GBOD staff were concerned about the risk of abuse occurring in churches. In talking with staff from other agencies, a similar concern was expressed. With joint agency effort a resolution was presented and passed at the 1996 General Conference to “Reduce the Risk of Child Abuse in the Church”. With that resolution the agencies began working to develop programs to support annual conferences and local congregations. Soon after that the first series of national training occurred and the first Safe Sanctuaries book was written by Joy Melton. ›Visit our online bookstore to see all the Safe Sanctuary resources. (Type in "Safe Sanctuary" in the Search box.) ›Download Safe Sanctuary graphics: |
