From the Managing Your Church webpage, I learned the Top 5 Reasons Churches are Taken to Court.
Maybe they are a risk to your homeschool group as well.
In 2017, the top five reasons were
(1) sexual abuse of a child,
(2) property disputes,
(3) personal injuries,
(4) zoning disputes, and
(5) insurance disputes.
The article goes on to say:
Churches must be aggressive (in preventing child abuse). Any reasonable suspicion of child abuse must be reported immediately. It doesn’t matter if you or your colleagues are defined as a mandatory reporter in your state or not. Report it. Transfer the risk to the state in terms of what can be done about it.
I think that advice applies to homeschool groups, as well.
Please, please protect the children in your program and get training on how to spot and deal with child abuse.
The article lists the following resources (check with your church host; they may already have some of these resources):
Reducing the Risk, a comprehensive child abuse prevention training program (available in DVD format or online streaming)
50-State Child Abuse Reporting Laws Survey for Clergy and Church Leaders (available as a PDF download or for ChurchLawAndTax.com subscribers)
Church Board Guide to a Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Policy
Child Sexual Abuse Response Plan
Draw the Line: Relational Boundaries for Safe Youth Ministry
Let’s work hard to keep children safe.
Carol Topp, CPA
HomeschoolCPA.com
