Nursery Policies

For Parents

What to bring:

  • A Diaper Bag labeled with your child’s name

  • Disposable Diapers and wipes

  • Plastic bag for storage of used cloth diapers (if cloth diapers are used)

  • A change of clothes for your child

Checking in/out of Nursery

  • Your Child will be signed in upon arrival at the nursery.

  • The guardian of the child will receive a pager in case they are needed during church

  • Please notify a nursery volunteer of any requests/needs for your child

  • Your child will only be released to the person/persons who signed them into the nursery

During Worship

  • Your child will be engaged during worship with a biblical lesson, a craft, snack time, and play time.

  • Snack time typically consists of goldfish, animal crackers, and water.

  • Two people will always be present in the room with your child.

Health

  • Please avoid placing you child into the nursery if they have any of the following symptoms:

    • A running nose with discolored mucus

    • A fever above 99 any time in the 24 hours before church

    • An irritating cough or croup that has persisted more than 48 hours

    • Drainage in the eyes or pink eye

    • Diarrhea or vomiting within 24 hours

  • Should a nursery volunteer notice any of the above symptoms during your child’s time in the nursery, you will be notified and possibly asked to keep your child with you during the Worship Service. Please understand that this is for the well-being of the nursery volunteers and the other children in the nursery.

Nursery Policies:

At Tree of Life we want to strive to provide a safe environment for the children in our care. Below are the Children’s Ministry Policies that will aid in doing so.

  1. Check in and check out system

    • A sign in sheet. Pagers will be issued to the parent upon signing

      in with their child.

    • The child must be signed in and out. If not, the parent will receive

      a call to ensure the child is with them with a reminder to sign out.

  2. All children volunteers are to undergo background checks

  3. 2-Adult rule (at all times)

    • If any volunteer needs to leave for any reason they first need to message the Children's Director/Safety Coordinators who will send an approved nursery worker back to be the second adult. Once the substitute arrives that person may leave.

    • Only parents and approved nursery workers (background checked/safety training) should be allowed in the children's wing.

  4. Children’s behavior

  • If a child is misbehaving (not listening to instruction, screaming, throwing fits ...) contact the child's parent right away via pager.

  • If the same child continues to misbehave they will be asked to leave the nursery for that day.

6. Nursery Workers

  • Nursery workers will not discuss personal issues while serving in the nursery.

  • Nursery workers will treat every child the same with kindness

7. Changing diapers

  • Diapers are only changed if they are wet/soiled.

  • Only women will be allowed to change diapers.

  • Always wear gloves when changing diapers.

  • Dispose of diapers in trash and remove trash bags at the end of service.

  • Visitors with children in diapers: Ask parents when they drop off their baby/toddler if they would prefer the volunteers to change a full diaper or to be messaged so the parent can come back to change their own child’s diaper. After the parent changes their diaper they need to return to the service (only approved nursery workers need to be in the nursery, not visitors).

  • If the parents prefer that only they take their child to the bathroom, then request that they come into the nursery between Sunday school and Worship to take the child to the bathroom.

  • Volunteers are not allowed in the bathroom with the children.

  • Worship service volunteers need to be in the learning room and ready to serve promptly at 10:10 (to relieve the Sunday school teachers).

  • Make sure each parent checks their child in and out.

  • Make sure all pagers are returned at the end of service.

  • Make sure all visitors fill out a visitor form that can be referenced

    for allergies and bathroom/diaper preferences

  • At the end of the service please make sure all toys are picked up, the tables are wiped down, lights are turned off and the trash is taken out.