*The nursery is currently open up to 2.5 years old. We are still working on restarting the second nursery for older children.
Welcome to the nursery ministry at Christ Redeemer Church (CRC). We hope to create an environment, by God’s grace, that is safe and loving, and one in which the children entrusted to our care are able to learn about the character of God, discover biblical truth, and learn what it means to follow Jesus Christ.
The following is excerpted from the CRC Nursery Handbook. See that handbook for extended details.
Mission
The nursery ministry of CRC exists to glorify God by:
- Supporting and encouraging parents who are primarily responsible for teaching biblical truth to their children (Ephesians 6:4)
- Praying for children and relying on the Holy Spirit to regenerate hearts through faithful teaching of His Word (Romans 10:17, Ephesians 2:4-10)
- Living faithfully and modeling for children how Christians are called to respond to God, interact with each other, and with the world (Matt 5:16, 1 Cor 11:1)
Nursery Structure
CRC has two nurseries serving children from birth until their fourth birthday as follows:
- Infant/Crawler Nursery: Loving care and prayer characterize this room. Activities include quiet, supervised play, interaction with children through reading and singing, and the communication of a new biblical truth each month. The caregiver: child ratio is 1:3.
- Walker Nursery: Children in this room will participate in quiet, supervised play, singing time, discussion of biblical truth, and Scripture memorization. A snack of graham crackers and water is given. Prayer is modeled for the children. The caregiver: child ratio is 1:6.
Nursery Logistics
Arrival and Departure Times- Caregivers should be ready to accept children 15 minutes prior to the start of the worship service. Parents are encouraged to pick up their children immediately after the conclusion of the service. In the event that a child is not picked up within 15 minutes after the service, two adult caregivers will remain with the child in the nursery while a third person locates the parents.
Signing a Child in to the Nursery-Any parent who would like to utilize the nursery ministry will sign the child in, thereby granting permission for the child to participate. The parent should also use this opportunity to note any allergies or special needs the child may have. For procedural details for caring for children with allergies, please see the “Snacks” section.
Parents should take their children to the restroom and/or perform a diaper change before check in.
Identification System - In order to protect the children in our care, each child must be signed into the appropriate nursery by a parent. Upon signing the child in, a sticker will be placed on the child’s back with an identification number. The parent will be given the sticker stub with the matching identification number. Pertinent information may be recorded on the sticker by the parent as necessary.
When the parent returns to pick up the child:
- The parent will initial the sign-in sheet to indicate they have been released to the parent.
- The nursery volunteer will bring the child to the parent and remove the child’s sticker, checking that it matches the parent stub. If the stub is lost, a photo ID will be accepted to identify the parent. If a photo ID is not available, a child will be released if a nursery volunteer or CRC pastor knows the child.
Normally, only the parent in possession of the stub with the matching identification number will be permitted to retrieve the child. There are two exceptions to this rule:
- In the event of an emergency that would result in neither parent being available to sign out the child at the end of a session, the child will be released to the care of an elder of CRC.
- A parent may make prior arrangements with a nursery volunteer when the child is signed in to allow for someone other than the parent to pick up the child at the end of a session. In this case, a photo ID is required.
Healthy Child Policy
In order to prevent the spread of communicable diseases among the children, four rules are in place. Both parents and caregivers must be familiar with these policies.
- If a child is exhibiting symptoms of illness, the parent should keep the child home.
- Caregivers will use latex gloves and proper hygiene procedures to change diapers, wipe noses, and handle blood spills.
- Hand washing is a regular habit for both children and caregivers.
- Toys and equipment are washed and disinfected regularly. CRC is dedicated to preventing the spread of disease among the children.
Caregivers should refuse a child with questionable symptoms. To prevent this, parents are asked to indicate that their child is healthy at check-in.
A child should not be admitted to the nursery if he/she:
- has an oral body temperature of 100+ degrees
- is vomiting
- has diarrhea not related to medication or food reaction
- has an unexplained rash
- has a runny nose that is colored or cloudy
- has yellow or green discharge from nose or eyes, or it is a clear but a continuous flow. (Guideline: If a child’s nose needs to be wiped twice or more in a 10 minute time period)
- has a constant cough not related to allergies
- has a wet cough producing yellow or green discharge
- acts unusually tired, pale, irritable, or restless
Any child who has been symptomatic within the last 24 hours may likely still be contagious. We ask you do not bring that child to the nursery for care.