Parents and Guardians

Parents and guardians have an important role to play in the prevention of sexual and physical abuse. To support parents and guardians as they educate and instruct their children about this issue, the Foothills Unitarian Church will offer information on the topic of sexual and physical abuse of children. 

Parents may visit their child’s class or act as an occasional substitute classroom assistants without undergoing a background check if a screened Primary Volunteer or RE staff person is present. 

While parents are welcome to visit a classroom without notice, a parent’s ongoing presence in the classroom is still subject to the Child Abuse Prevention Policy. The policy states that all adults involved in ongoing contact with minors in classrooms are required to have background and reference checks. 

There is an expectation that a child will be able to be separate from his/her parents for a one hour class, in order for a child to be enrolled. However, it is recognized that children may experience separation anxiety in new classrooms, particularly in settings children, and is committed to helping children and parents through this transition, within the boundaries of the Child Abuse Prevention Policy. 

Parents may attend a class, or a portion of a class, for three visits, to help the child transition. If further parental involvement is still required after three visits, the parent will meet with the DRE to jointly develop a transition plan. In this plan, the parent will leave the classroom for longer periods each week until the child is fully independent. 

Should a child require parental involvement to ease separation anxiety at some future date after the initial transition has occurred; a new period of transition will begin, with the parent again able to attend classes for three visits, before a transition plan must be developed.  

Parents of children with special needs may be requested or required to attend classes with their child(ren) by a teacher or DRE. This attendance is allowed within the confines of the Child Abuse Prevention Policy, without the requirement of a background and reference check, and with no expectation of separation, or transition plan, required.