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This might work if you do background checks like a daycare center would do. If not you are asking for legal trouble if one or some of the parents or babysitters

This might work if you do background checks like a daycare center would do. If not you are asking for legal trouble if one or some of the parents or babysitters have a criminal sex offender background with children. In the Catholic Church all people who volunteer their services for the church when children are around have to complete a "Protecting God's Children" workshop and pass a background check. They also use a buddy system to make sure nobody is alone with a child. That might be a reason that your church rejects it as well.

DavidCode 12y ago
Orionblastar, thanks for your thoughtful advice. Yes, we've debated using background checks, but I worry they provide a false sense of security. Truth is, it's not very hard for a bad guy to fake his way through a background check. Instead, we're experimenting with what we call "Mommy Dating." A mom (our users are all moms so far, except for me) can browse selfie videos of other moms in her neighborhood. We believe that "a video is worth ten-thousand words." If she sees a mom with whom she feels chemistry, she can set up a coffee date at a public place, then perhaps a playdate, before deciding whether to share childcare. I have great faith in a parent's intuition about other parents, and I see our primary job as making the introductions and letting parents create their own village as they see fit. Hope this clarifies, David
- Arcsech 12y ago
  Regardless of whether or not background checks are effective, if you don't require them you are increasing your chances of being sued when (not if) something bad happens. At the very least, speak to an experienced lawyer about it.
  - orionblastar 12y ago
    Women can be sex offenders as well as men. Something that is over looked but background checks help to reveal. You can have a mother with videos of her children and photos and not know she is a sex offender with prior convictions. It only takes one to get a civil suit. Edit:typo
- joeclark77 12y ago
  Ok, but why is your service so necessary that your bishop should pay you to do this instead of serving in a parish? There are a million social networks and online communities where mothers can go looking for other mothers. Frankly, you could do this with a Facebook group and YouTube, in your free time between more important duties.

DavidCode 12y ago

Orionblastar, thanks for your thoughtful advice. Yes, we've debated using background checks, but I worry they provide a false sense of security. Truth is, it's not very hard for a bad guy to fake his way through a background check. Instead, we're experimenting with what we call "Mommy Dating." A mom (our users are all moms so far, except for me) can browse selfie videos of other moms in her neighborhood. We believe that "a video is worth ten-thousand words." If she sees a mom with whom she feels chemistry, she can set up a coffee date at a public place, then perhaps a playdate, before deciding whether to share childcare. I have great faith in a parent's intuition about other parents, and I see our primary job as making the introductions and letting parents create their own village as they see fit. Hope this clarifies, David

Arcsech 12y ago
Regardless of whether or not background checks are effective, if you don't require them you are increasing your chances of being sued when (not if) something bad happens. At the very least, speak to an experienced lawyer about it.
- orionblastar 12y ago
  Women can be sex offenders as well as men. Something that is over looked but background checks help to reveal. You can have a mother with videos of her children and photos and not know she is a sex offender with prior convictions. It only takes one to get a civil suit. Edit:typo
joeclark77 12y ago
Ok, but why is your service so necessary that your bishop should pay you to do this instead of serving in a parish? There are a million social networks and online communities where mothers can go looking for other mothers. Frankly, you could do this with a Facebook group and YouTube, in your free time between more important duties.