It’s that time of year! Your church is about to be buzzing with little ones of all ages as Vacation Bible School (VBS) and other summer programs officially kick off.
These summer ministries are a wonderful way to serve families in your area. Kids have a blast learning about the love of Jesus, parents get a much-needed moment to rest, and your church gets the chance to minister to your community’s youth—helping them make memories that will last a lifetime.
Of course, organizing VBS takes a lot of careful planning—especially when it comes to child supervision. That’s why prioritizing safety is essential.
When parents feel confident leaving their children in your care, everyone wins. Kids can fully enjoy the experience, parents have peace of mind, and your church’s reputation for loving, safe, and joyful ministry continues to grow.
Here are 5 smooth and effective systems you can use to make child safety a top priority during VBS this year:
1. Child Check-In & Pick-Up
Drop-off and pick-up are two of the most critical moments when it comes to managing safety during any VBS program. With potentially hundreds of children filtering in and out of your church every day, you’ll want to ensure that every child and authorized parent or guardian has clear identification.
Whether your church is large or small, things can get hectic quickly as kids arrive and leave—especially with relatives, carpools, and varying schedules in the mix. It can be a lot to keep track of, but when it comes to protecting the children in your care, it’s always better to be overly cautious than risk a mix-up.
The good news is, with the right systems in place, you can make these safety checks simple and seamless.
One Church Software offers a robust set of child check-in features, such as:
- Family groupings that clearly show relationships and identify who is authorized to pick up each child
- Check-in history tracking that automatically logs when a child arrives, who dropped them off, and any key attendance details
- Custom security labels for both children and adults that can be printed remotely and include the person’s name along with important notes like emergency contact info for quick reference by staff
When you use One Church Software, any device with an internet connection can conveniently be used as a check-in station.
Learn more about our child check-in offerings >>
2. Dietary Restrictions & Medical Conditions
It’s easy to assume that once drop-off and pick-up are covered, your main child safety concerns have been fully addressed. But in a busy VBS environment—where kids are playing, sharing snacks, and moving between activities—it’s essential to consider each child’s unique needs to keep them healthy and safe.
Whether it’s a food allergy, medical condition, or special accommodation, parents want to know that this information has been clearly communicated to every staff member who may interact with their child.
One Church Software allows for such notes to be included on child identification labels and saved within their profile. This ensures that every staff member or volunteer is able to check within seconds if a snack is approved for that particular child or if any accomodations need to be made in order for the child to safely participate in the activity at hand.
See below an example of a visitor’s dietary restrictions displayed on their custom label:
3. Background Checks for Staff
When working with children, it’s important that all staff, volunteers, and teachers have been through the appropriate background checks. One Church Software has partnered with Protect My Ministry to help implement and maintain a thorough background screening program.
Protect My Ministry is the leading church background screening CRA serving over 35,000 ministries in all 50 states and they are committed to helping faith-based organizations maintain a safe environment.
With this integration, you can ensure:
- Fast turnaround times on submitted requests. Typically same day – 48 hours.
- Free “re-verification” of records from the national criminal database.
- True 50 state search on sexual offenders.
- Great balance between cost and comprehensiveness.
4. Clear Signage and Organization
While a large portion of your VBS attendees will be familiar with your facilities, there will be many who are walking through your doors for the first time. Take the time to make sure you have adequate signage directing to check-in and classrooms.
Proper organization will help communicate to parents that the same care and attention will be given to their children. It also allows parents to efficiently check in and drop off their children at the appropriate location—replacing chaos and confusion with clarity and confidence.
5. Communication About Changes
One common mistake that can quickly erode trust among church members and visitors is failing to communicate important changes—like delays, cancellations, or location shifts.
No one likes feeling confused or left in the dark, especially when kids are involved. A missed message could lead to real stress for a parent unsure of their child’s whereabouts or safety. Clear, timely communication isn’t just courteous—it’s a vital part of creating a secure, welcoming environment for families.
One Church Software offers several avenues to proactively communicate with parents, staff, and volunteers about any and all changes that may occur.
For example, you can use the information you collect during the registration process to create a dedicated group for VBS attendees and then make emails that go out to every relevant person with just a single click.
We recommend using our text communication capabilities for last-minute changes to ensure that everyone stays up-to-date on all goings-on.
Learn more about our comprehensive communication offerings >>
Hosting a VBS program is a great and impactful way to serve and connect with your community. While these summer events can be a lot of fun for everyone involved, it’s important that child safety always remains at the forefront of your planning.
When you take the time to implement smart safety precautions, your staff can operate with confidence, the children will be able to have fun while staying safe, and it will be a big weight off parents’ shoulders to know their children are secure while in your care.
One Church Software’s event management, group communication, and child check-in features make it effortless to prioritize safety at your VBS program. Give these capabilities a try and customize them to your church’s needs by signing up for your FREE 30-day trial.
