Volunteer Background Checks

Below is a list of the four steps that every volunteer who is working with minors at Prairieview needs to complete prior to serving in your volunteer role, which include:

  1. Watching a Child Safety Training Video

  2. Reading through our Mandated Reporting Plan

  3. Filling out the Verification of Training Form

  4. Completing a Background Check

Please complete every step below as indicated. A couple of things to note:

  • The background check and training can be done from a computer or mobile device.

  • All fees are 100% covered by our church’s budget. There is no cost to you at all.

  • We require all volunteers to renew their background check and training every 3 years of ministry. We will track this information and let you know when it is time to renew.

  • If you have any concerns or questions regarding this process, please contact the pastor.

STEP 1 - SAFETY TRAINING VIDEO

Below is a 20-minute video provided by Group (creators of Shepherd’s Watch) & GuideOne Insurance to provide training for volunteers working with children to cultivate a safe ministry environment and care for kids dealing with abuse. The training provided not only seeks to prevent potential abuse, but also helps raise awareness for volunteers to know the signs and laws regarding abuse that kids might be experiencing elsewhere. Know that if you need to pause the training, you should be able to return to it at a later time, but make sure to note where you left off as the video may restart from the beginning.

>> WATCH TRAINING VIDEO <<

STEP 2 - MANDATED REPORTING PLAN

Under Wisconsin law, anyone working with minors (whether paid or unpaid) must report suspected child abuse or neglect. It is expected that both volunteers and staff will promptly report any signs or suspicions of abuse or neglect to the appropriate authorities. If you find yourself in a situation where you need to make a report, please follow these steps (this webpage will remain accessible for future reference if needed):

  1. You (a Prairieview staff member or volunteer) become aware of a possible abuse or neglect situation. If able, document immediately what was said.

  2. Contact Pastor Mike as soon as possible but no later than the end of the day. If the allegations involve the pastor, you should contact Prairieview’s Chairperson instead.

  3. Together you will document the situation in a report for our records.

  4. Lastly, together you will submit a verbal report by calling either the St. Croix County Children Services Access Line at 715-246-8260 (open Mon-Fri, 8:00AM-4:30PM) or by calling 911 if the situation is an emergency or outside of normal business hours. They will then provide any further instructions for finalizing the report as needed.

Once the report is submitted, our role in the process is complete unless further involvement is required.

STEP 3 - VERIFY TRAINING COMPLETED

Once you have watched the safety training video in Step 2 and familiarized yourself with our mandated reporting plan in Step 3, please fill out the form below to acknowledge that you have completed the training. Then you are done with the background and safety training process!

>> VERIFY YOUR TRAINING NOW <<

STEP 4 - BACKGROUND CHECK

Our background checks are done online through a paid-professional platform called “Shepherd’s Watch” (provided Group Publishing and in partnership with the leading global background check company called First Advantage). Shepherd’s Watch was created specifically to assist churches and organizations with developing practices and policies that provide a healthy, Christ-centered environment and protect children from inappropriate or abusive behavior.

Look for an email from “Shepherd’s Watch” with a link to their online consent form and follow the instructions they give (see pic below for a sample of what it will look like). You will need to create a secure account and then provide them with your Social Security Number, date of birth, full legal name, and address history for the past seven years. This should only take a few minutes to complete and we recommend that you double check the information you provide for accuracy.

Please try to complete this promptly as the link will expire after 10 days. Background checks usually are completed anywhere between a few hours to 5 days. Know that this information you provide, as well as the final report of your background check, is kept highly confidential with the Shepherd’s Watch and the results of your background check are only visible to the pastor for confirmation purposes. First Advantage (the company providing all background checks through Shepherd’s Watch) is compliant with the Fair Credit Reporting Act and accredited by the Professional Background Screening Association.