Catholic Diocese of Portsmouth Resources for Liturgy of the Word with Children Key Resources for Preparation 1. The Trehaus "Sunday" years A, B & C Lectionary and Leaders Versions. About 30 each volume. 2. Diocese of Westminster weekly resources. Web resource www.rcdow.org.uk/faith/catechesis/childrens-liturgy/ 3. LTP Chicago Weekly Resource - 4 pages per week; specific for the academic year. 24-30 Veritas (via Amazon) or McCrimmon 4. The Complete Children s Liturgy Book" by Katie Thompson 30 from Redemptorist Publications Web resources for Preparation Jesuit's 'Sunday Connection' Loyola Press - Sunday Connection Page https://tinyurl.com/clow-sunday CAFOD www.cafod.org.uk/worship/children-liturgy SDC www.sdc.me.uk/sundayliturgy/ Sermons4 kids www.sermons4kids.com Others FaithMap Years A, B, C Redemptorist Publications 30 each Circles of Joy specifically about psalms Publisher: Paulist Press (3 Sept. 2013) ISBN-13: 978-0809167692 7.99 Available from Amazon
For your own reflection Portsmouth Diocese Weekly Wednesday Webinars - and available after on the website https://ffm.clickmeeting.com/wednesday-gospel-webinar/register Scott Hahn Sunday Bible Reflections https://stpaulcenter.com/studies-tools/sunday-bible-reflections/ Wednesday Word Reflections Issued every week - look up by Wednesday before your Sunday www.wednesdayword.org Wellsprings Liturgy leaders may find these reflections, on the Gospel for every Sunday, helpful when preparing their Liturgy with Children. www.wellsprings.org.uk/weekly_wellsprings/ General guidelines What would a superbly-led Liturgy with Children be like? - Handout Example Risk Assessment, from Sacred Heart Fareham Example leaflet for parents Portsmouth Diocesan Guidelines; updated Feb 2009 https://tinyurl.com/portsmouth-clow Bishops Conference LOWC resources www.liturgyoffice.org.uk/resources/lowc/ Bishops Conference guidance 1996 www.liturgyoffice.org.uk/sos/lowc.pdf For Administration Mini-Ordo 2018-19 version - can be downloaded and customised for rotas etc. For Families Celebrating Sunday for Catholic Families published by LTP available from Veritas via Amazon 4.25 For Information and to share email contact Paul O Beirne CLOW@portsmouthdiocese.org.uk
Options to improve the space for Liturgy of the Word with Children Short, small folding tables for the lectionary and candle www.gopak.co.uk Seats also from gopak Seats that enable turning and leaning, if you can t get to the floor. Adult versions 40 or 48cm high 50-60 Pull-up Banners to help make a hall more liturgical use high-resolution images can be used in Word or Publisher in the right ratio (8 to20) then saved as high quality pdf Print for between 36 to 50 www.instantprint.co.uk or www.digitalprinting.co.uk Concertina moveable room dividers various configurations, manufacturers and suppliers 350 to 900 Eg: https://tinyurl.com/example-dividers Background entrance music save as an MP3 on an old smart phone or Ipod / MP3 player then play via Bluetooth to a small speaker
Sacred Heart Church Context Risk Assessment and Safety Management for CLOW at Sacred Heart Church Children s Liturgy of the Word (CLOW) at SH Church takes place at the 9am mass each Sunday. There are up to 30 children in the session with a normal number of 15 to 20. CLOW is a liturgical activity specifically for children between the ages of 3 and 8. Occasionally younger children attend with a parent and occasionally a child of 9 or 10 may attend. Parents may also attend to support their child. CLOW is led by at least two specified and trained Children s Liturgy Leaders. CLOW is held in the church hall which is 6m from the back of the church and is accessed via the church entrance lobby without the need to go outside. Toilets are accessible outside the hall. Children assemble at the front of the church at the beginning of mass and are invited by the celebrant, after his welcome, to process to the hall. Children return at the offertory and participate in bringing the gifts. The CLOW session is led as a prayerful, respectful, reflective session; it is a liturgy. Children are calm and not boisterous; this reduces the safety risk. This atmosphere or approach is developed through the example and instruction of the Liturgy Leaders and through the choice of activities. Level of Risk After consideration of the possible risk and engagement with others, the activities and environment appear to present a very low risk in terms of both likelihood and severity of accident or injury. That said, our duty of care for our children and parishioners must be as high as possible and therefore this assessment and risk management is designed to cover all foreseen risks. Description of Risk Environment Exit from church to hall. Children could run enthusiastically from the church, there are potential trip hazards and other members of the congregation. The door to outside is along the route. The hall environment could present hazards Management of Risk To ensure that children exit in one group, one Liturgy Leader leads and one is at the end. Two children carry the lectionary and candle at the front of the procession. The candle flame or hot wax could be a problem but this is managed by using a candle with an acrylic surround so that wax is not easily spilt. The candle is carried by children who appear to be capable of carrying without a problem. The door has a 50mm step; the leading Liturgy Leader will point this out to those children carrying the lectionary and candle. An usher will stand in front of the door to the outside to ensure that all children process to the hall. The hall is kept clear. Children are kept to the west end where only two tables and a few chairs are used. The east end of the hall, normally set for coffee and the kitchen, are areas where children are not allowed. Some stacked chairs are present but Equipment used. Some equipment could present a hazard. Occasional visual aids Allergy or sensitivity Crayons and pencils Sticky tape and dispenser Scissors Glue stick not touched by the children; a parent may take and use a chair for themselves or for their child under their direct supervision. There are electrical sockets but all are protected by circuit breakers. Electrical equipment is rarely used; if something is used then the Liturgy Leader would test in advance and make a visual check before the session. Should electrical equipment be introduced for regular use then it would be subject to the church s maintenance procedure including pat testing. The hall will be warm enough. Should the heating fail and it is not warm enough then the session would be cancelled. Occasionally the hall is set up for an event or occasion after Mass; for example a presentation table with cake and flowers, or a chocolate tombola or a bric-a-brac sale. Liturgy Leaders will ensure that such areas or displays are unavailable to children and they do not touch. If possible the table or objects would be covered. Sometimes children s buggies or cycles could be present; these are placed in the corner of the hall. As with other items they are not touched by children during the CLOW session. The liturgy session uses a lectionary, candle and crucifix on a low table. Children sit on the floor and do not touch the table. Occasionally visual aids are used. These are usually inert, though could include, for example, other things, for example, incense. Liturgy Leaders would consider the risk that could be associated with a visual aid and would ask the coordinator in advance if they were in any doubt about the risk or managing it. The register form asks about the child s needs including allergies, so that anything that might cause a problem can be kept from the child. Children use crayons, pencils, papers and stickers. Children are supervised to ensure that they can use them safely, if a child demonstrates that they use them in an unsafe manner, eg eating them or poking themselves or another child then a specific supervision would be put in place to ensure that their participation is safe. A sticky tape dispenser is used. This has a sharp cutting edge. Children are supervised while using this if they are capable. Scissors may be used: only child-friendly school-type scissors are available; they do not have a sharp point. They are kept away from children by placing them on the window ledge. Only older children who are capable of safe use are allowed to use them under supervision, otherwise they are only used by adults.
Pencil sharpener Extinguishing candle Glue sticks are used; Liturgy Leaders will check that children can use these safely. There is an electric pencil sharpener. This is only used by adults and away from the activity. This is kept in a box and labelled to be used only by adults A specific child, each week, is permitted to extinguish the candle. This is done using a snuffer rather than blowing. Potential Liturgy Leaders to assist. Although they are helpers, they will be supervised by the Liturgy Leader. Adults who are prepared to consider being a Liturgy Leader may attend a session to observe so that they may see the format of the liturgy. This attendance would be on the condition that it is once and that the person is already wellknown in the parish and regarded as a potential Liturgy Leader. They would observe only and not be involved with the activity or supervise children. Safeguarding Recruitment and training Safety training Register of children attending Reporting incidents or concerns Retention of record Register of children Liturgy Leaders are recruited according to Diocesan procedures including written declaration, interview and DBS check. Liturgy Leaders are required to attend Safeguarding training as soon as possible and at least within one year of appointment. The coordinator for the CLOW for the church is required to attend the Diocesan Safe Place training. A register is completed for each Sunday. This includes the name of each child and adult present. If any minor matter occurs such as a child being grumpy or much quieter than usual, or prodded with a crayon, or having to calm a child with repeated requests or similar, it will be recorded on the sheet. Any matter of concern would be reported to the parish Safeguarding Coordinator (SC) (currently Sue Field) immediately before the end of Mass or the parish priest if SC is not available. The register for the current year is kept in the CLOW cupboard, the register for the past years are kept in the parish office. Children are registered for CLOW by their parents; this is undertaken by completing a form. Each child registered has a name badge and wears or holds that during the CLOW session. General First Aid Emergency services Needing the toilet Liturgy Leaders and helpers are expected to be familiar with the Safeguarding Code of Conduct and to always fulfil its requirements Should an accident or illness occur then the child will immediately be re-united with his/ her parents. If First Aid is required, then the church First Aiders will support. A record will be made on the weekly register sheet and in the church accident book. If the health service or ambulance service is required then the parents (or guardian who has brought the child to church) will liaise with them directly. The parents will be asked to inform the church of the outcome so that a note may be added to the incident record. If a child asks to go to the toilet then, i if they are old enough to be independent then they will be allowed to go. The hall door will be hooked open and an adult leader will stand in the doorway in sight of both the hall and the toilet door. i if the child cannot go to the toilet independently, then an usher will be asked to call their parent to assist them. Should a child wet themselves then their parent will immediately be called from the church. Use of name badges Number of adult Liturgy Leaders Young assistant Liturgy Leaders Adults will wear a name badge on the Sunday that they lead CLOW. Children wear badges to assist the leaders to address them by name. Children will take their badge on entry to the hall and replace it before returning to the church so that their name is not identified to others not known to the family. The session will always be led by at least two formally appointed Liturgy Leaders. Should one of the rostered persons not be available, then another will be substituted before the CLOW session may commence. Should something happen during the session that means one of the Liturgy Leaders is no longer available then another will be called or the session will finish early and the children would return to the church. Occasionally older children who are in preparation for Confirmation or who are interested in being helpers may attend Communication and Training This risk assessment will have (has) had input from the Liturgy Leaders and Safeguarding person before finalisation. The approved version will be circulated to all Liturgy Leaders and the CLOW coordinator will check with each that they have understood it and agree with its implementation. Written by Paul O Beirne, CLOW Coordinator for Sacred Heart Church. Approved by Fr J Cooke. Designation: Parish Priest Date: 16-10-18 Review Date 1st Sept 2020 (2 years after completion and approval). Circulation: to all Liturgy Leaders, Safeguarding Coordinator, Parish Administrator.