Safe Congregation

At First Parish in Needham, we believe that all people have a right to learn and grow in an environment that is safe and supportive.  With that in mind, we are one of a number of Unitarian Universalist congregations who follow “Safe Congregation” practices.  These best practices ensure that the safety of children is paramount in all we do.  We do this by requiring CORI (state background) checks of all adults who work with children, by mandating that all groups of children in church activities to be supervised by at least two adults, and by asking all volunteers and staff who work with children to sign an ethics pledge each year.   The Director of Religious Education and the Minister are mandated reporters of suspected child abuse and volunteer teachers are regularly trained in ways of making our congregation a secure and loving one.  You can read our  Safe Congregation policy here.