Establish clear check in/check out procedures for children that includes documentation of who is authorized to pick up a child, all appropriate registration/permission forms, emergency contact information, and medical release and media release forms.

An official check-in and check-out process is essential for kids’ safety. Some questions to consider are:

• Can older siblings check kids out of your program?

• What about a parent that didn’t check the child in?

• Do you have a “permission policy” for who is allowed to check out kids?

• What is the procedure if someone takes too long to pick a child up after an event?

Additional Resources

• What You Need to Know About Check In and Check Out from ChildrensMinistry.com
• Kids Check-In: Why It Matters How Your Church Does It from ChurchTeams.com