A growing number of churches are now employing someone to work with children and young people.

This short and accessible guide helps churches through the whole process of researching, planning and making an appointment. It also considers how volunteers might be best used and supported.

It helps churches to make appointments which are ‘built on rock’ and to avoid common mistakes which can lead to later problems.

The guide inclues:

Preparation: research, planning, resourcing the work, thinking through what you want a worker to do.
Appointment procedures: job descriptions and contracts, the recruitment and selection process.
Management issues: good management practice, induction and further development.
Further sources of help and advice.

Before his sudden death in 2007, Paul Godfrey was the children’s work adviser for the Anglican Diocese of Chelmsford. Paul previously worked as a children’s evangelist and as a secondary school teacher.

Nic Sheppard is the youth work adviser for the Anglican Diocese of Ripon and Leeds. Nic advises parishes wishing to develop their youth work. He is a Church Army officer.