What is Taking Care?

As Christians we are charged to love and care for each other. This is particularly true where the most vulnerable members of our community are concerned.

Children and young people have specific needs, which can be met by the Church if its members respond to the call to be Christ’s people, living in his way. This means living in today’s world amongst its problems and challenges, recognising that some of these will be challenges for the church itself.

The Methodist Church in Ireland is committed to the well being of the children and young people among them and to that end in 1995 put together the first Child Protection Policy called ‘Keep Them Safe.’ This document was used by the other churches as they sought to develop their policies. In 2004, in conjunction with the Presbyterian Board of Social Witness, an updated and expanded policy was put in place called, ‘Taking Care.’ This is the document on which our child protection policies are based. DYCW offers training in Child Protection for volunteer leaders, provides resources from the full policy document to cards for children and leaders, posters and information about processing of checks through AcessNI. .

Taking Care is about preventing the abuse of children and young people and promoting their welfare. The aim of the Methodist Church Taking Care policy is to create Christian communities of love and care, where good practice in this area becomes a way of life.Who can assist you?

Church, children’s and youth worker’s should have the latest Taking Care Folder which is available from DYCW or 

No 9 Resource centre,

Edgehill College,

9 Lennoxville, Belfast, BT9 5BY

t. (028) 9068 6939

f. (028) 9068 2153

e. No9@irishmethodist.org

w. www.irishmethodist.org/shop

Or contact David Rock - Team leader at DYCW

davidrock@irishmethodist.org 

or Janette McCormick Children’s Ministry Co-ordinator  

janettemccormick@irishmethodist.org

or visit DYCW website: www.irishmethodist.org/dycw