Children’s Ministry Clearances

Serve our kids by keeping them safe.

Thank you for your interest in serving at Iron Works! Iron Works requires all volunteers who work with children to meet several clearance requirements before they begin serving. These standards apply, not only to children’s ministry volunteers, but to those in leadership as well—pastors, staff, elders, and deacons. If you see yourself serving in children’s ministry, or have been nominated as a church officer, it’s never too soon to get your clearances.

When you get the documents needed, please email them to Annika Griffith at annika@ironworkschurch.org.

 

Requirements for Serving

Clearance Documents

Before you begin serving, you must obtain three clearance documents:

  • PA State background check

  • PA child abuse clearance
    You’ll need your previous addresses and names of people you have lived with going back to 1975. Fill out to the best of your ability - I.e., if you don’t have all that information, it’s okay to have gaps.

  • Volunteer Affidavit OR FBI fingerprinting

    • Volunteer Affidavits can be used by volunteers (excluding elders) who have maintained continuous Pennsylvania residency for the past ten years.

    • FBI Fingerprinting is required for volunteers who have not maintained a 10-year PA residency OR are getting their clearances as an elder. If you are completing FBI Fingerprinting, be sure to use the appropriate service code for a discount:
      —Volunteers: 1KG6ZJ
      —Staff: 1KG756
      Additionally, when accessing your fingerprinting results, please keep the following warnings in mind:

      • The link to access your results is only valid for ONE TIME ACCESS. It will no longer be valid once you have accessed the login page.

      • You should only attempt to access this link from a device that will allow you to download, save and print your Result Letter. You will not be able access the letter a second time.

      • Three failed attempts to correctly enter the Answer to the Security Question will block access to your Result Letter permanently.

Getting clearances can be a tricky process, even for seasoned volunteers. If you find yourself getting stuck, please take a look at the FAQs below.

 

Abuse Awareness and Prevention Training

In addition to clearance documents, Iron Works requires all children’s ministry volunteers and anyone in a leadership role (officer, staff member, home group leader or host, family ministry volunteer, men or women’s ministry leader, pastor, or Phoenixville Refuge leader) to complete Safeguarding (Abuse Prevention Policy) Training. Full instructions here ▸

 

Clearance FAQs

  • Nope! While it is the church’s policy that one must attend for 6+ months to be eligible for children’s ministry, the process of getting clearances can take a while. Getting this important step done in the interim clears the path for you to start serving when the time comes.

  • Clearances must be obtained every five years; so, a clearance dated July 5, 2020 must be renewed by or before July 5, 2025.

    • Your former organization may still have them on file and may send you copies at your request - contact your former employer or human resources department.

    • Call Child Line’s Verification Unit at 1-877-371-5422 to speak to a representative, and they will mail a copy to your residence.

  • The Child Welfare Portal is the site you can apply for and access past child abuse history clearances.

    • Check that you are using the same email you used to create your account (login information is very sensitive - capitalization and spacing must be consistent)

    • Try the “Forgot User ID” or “Forgot Password” feature

    • Open the email account you used to set up your Child Welfare Portal account in the past, and search your inbox for the keywords commonwealth or keystone - this search will bring up an email from when you originally made an account which will correctly list your account name and password

    • If none of these options work, call the helpline (877-343-0494, open from 8a-6p M-F), or make a brand new account with a new email address

  • Child Abuse History Clearance

    • Cost-free for volunteers

    • 2-4 week processing time

    • Results are mailed to your residence and are also accessible on the Child Welfare Portal

    PA State Police Background Check

    • Cost-free for volunteers

    • Instantaneous processing time

    • Results in a PDF certificate

    Volunteer Affidavit

    • Cost-free

    • Can be instantaneously printed, completed, and scanned at home

    FBI Fingerprinting (only necessary if PA residency was interrupted in the past 10 years or if you are getting clearances as a pastor or ruling elder)

    • Costs about $28 (make sure you use the IWC service codes listed in the instructions)

    • Wait time can be long, so it’s helpful to schedule your appointment as soon as you can; King of Prussia, Pottstown, & Norristown locations are highly recommended for their expedience.

    • Pay close attention to how you will get your results; the clerk at the center will tell you what to expect. Typically the results will be delivered via a link to your email, but it's tricky—you're only allowed to open the link one time, so you want to be ready to print or save the results as a PDF!

 

“After exhausting all of these resources and tips, I am still having trouble. Who can help me?”

Feel free to email Annika Griffith (administrator), Amber Carter (nursery coordinator), or Sheyna Land (Family Ministries director). You can also get in touch with the Safeguarding Team via the contact form on their webpage. Happy to help!