By the end of 2012, cribs in “places of public accommodation” must comply with new standards set by the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Included in the new rules are a ban on drop-side (sliding) crib rails and strict requirements for stronger hardware and supports than in the past.
The regulations were passed in order to prevent injuries and deaths to babies trapped between the mattress and a partially detached rail. Such tragedies have occurred with alarming frequency over the past decade.
Any church that pays someone to care for children must replace its old cribs. This includes churches with weekday child care programs or mother’s-day-out programs, and churches that pay a worker for child care during church services or meetings.
When cribs are replaced, the old cribs should be taken apart and thrown away. Churches should not resell, donate, or give away a crib that does not meet the new standards. This includes selling through an online auction site or donating to a thrift store.
A church that uses strictly volunteers to care for children is not subject to the new regulations; however, such churches should consider the safety issues and not just the letter of the law.
“We need to place the highest priority on the safety of the babies entrusted to our care,” said Cindy Morris, director of the childhood ministry group of the South Carolina Baptist Convention. “Additionally, however, we must consider the message it sends. Even in churches that are not required to do it, when parents see that you have not replaced the drop-side cribs, it will imply to them that you don’t care about the safety of their child.
“It is very likely that those young guests will not return, and you will have lost your opportunity to influence that family for God’s kingdom.”
For more information: cindymorris@scbaptist.org or sueharmon@scbaptist.org. – SCBC