Serve @ CC · Dream Team Training
Kids & Youth: Serving with Care

Help children and teens feel welcomed, included, and safe by following the ministry's procedures and serving with care.

About 8 minutes Read or listen

Children and teens deserve thoughtful care

Serving with children and youth is a chance to help young people feel welcomed, valued, and connected. Conquerors Church serves children and youth across age groups, from preschool through high school. Each age group has different needs, and each ministry has its own procedures. Your leader will teach you the specific flow for the team you join.

The goal is to build a caring connection while keeping clear, appropriate boundaries and following the ministry's safety procedures.

1. Complete the steps before serving

Complete the required Sit in Class lessons, then schedule a Shadow Serve with the children's or youth ministry leader. Complete any screening, orientation, or additional training the church requires for your role before serving with children or teens. Ask your leader which steps apply and wait for confirmation before taking on an assignment.

2. Learn the age group and the plan

Ask which age group you will be serving and what the gathering will include. Learn the room setup, lesson or activity plan, transitions, materials, and the leader's expectations for your role. Use language and activities that fit the age group. Give simple directions, listen patiently, and encourage participation without forcing a child or teen to speak or join an activity.

Mark 10:14 (KJV)
"Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God."

3. Follow check-in, supervision, and release procedures

During your Shadow Serve, learn and follow the church's approved procedures for check-in, attendance, supervision, restroom needs, transitions, parent or guardian communication, and pick-up or release. Do not create exceptions or release a child to someone outside the approved process. If a parent, guardian, or child has a request you are unsure how to handle, contact the ministry leader.

Stay attentive to the children or teens assigned to your care. Follow the leader's instructions about where volunteers should be, how to keep activities visible, and when to ask another approved volunteer for support. Do not leave your assigned group or area without arranging coverage with the leader.

4. Keep boundaries clear and interactions appropriate

Follow the church's rules for adult-youth interactions, visibility, physical contact, communication, and transportation. Do not set up private contact with a child or teen outside approved ministry channels. Do not take or share photos or personal information unless the ministry's process authorizes it. If you are unsure whether an interaction or request is appropriate, pause and ask the leader.

Use respectful words, honor a young person's personal space, and never use humiliation, threats, or harsh language as discipline. Follow the ministry leader's plan for redirection and behavior concerns.

5. Respond appropriately to concerns

If a child or teen shares something concerning, listen calmly, take them seriously, and do not investigate or ask leading questions. Do not promise to keep it secret. Tell them you need to share the concern with the people responsible for keeping them safe, then follow the church's safeguarding procedures promptly.

Michigan reporting note: Michigan law identifies certain people, including members of the clergy, as mandated reporters. If you are a mandated reporter, follow the current state reporting requirements; telling a church leader does not replace a legally required direct report to MDHHS. If you are unsure whether you are a mandated reporter, check the official Michigan MDHHS mandated reporter guidance. MDHHS lists 855-444-3911 for reporting suspected abuse or neglect. For immediate danger, call 911.

Share concerns only with the people responsible for responding. Keep details private, factual, and limited to those who need to know. Follow the church's procedures for documentation and reporting.

6. Use the Shadow Serve to learn the flow

Schedule a date to serve alongside the ministry leader. Observe how children arrive, how the leader welcomes them, how attendance and transitions work, how volunteers communicate, and how children are released at the end. Ask questions at an appropriate time. Afterward, debrief with the leader and confirm any further training before serving in your role.

Kids & Youth readiness check

  • Prepared: I know the age group, plan, leader, and my assigned role.
  • Consistent: I will follow the approved check-in, supervision, and release procedures.
  • Boundaries: I will follow the church's expectations for safe, appropriate interactions.
  • Responsive: I know who to contact if a child needs help or shares a concern.

This lesson is a general orientation. Your ministry leader will train you on the current Conquerors Church procedures for your specific age group and assignment.

Pause and reflect

Take a moment to consider these questions. You can write your answers in your notes or discuss them with the ministry leader.

  1. Which age group are you preparing to serve, and what would you like to learn about their needs?
  2. Which check-in, supervision, or release procedure should you observe during your Shadow Serve?
  3. Who will you contact if a child shares a concern or you are unsure what to do?

Quick knowledge check

Choose one answer for each question, then select Check my answers.

1. What should you do before serving in a children's or youth role?

2. What should you do if you are unsure whether a child may be released?

3. If a child shares a concerning disclosure, what should you do?

This lesson's completion tracking and leader notification will be connected when we build the Serve @ CC training tracker.