Vacation Bible School and summer church camps are among the most joyful weeks in the life of a congregation. Hundreds of children arrive full of energy and excitement. Families trust you with the people they love most. Volunteers show up ready to pour into the next generation.
And that trust is exactly what makes thorough screening and training non-negotiable.
This guide covers everything your church needs to know before VBS or summer camp begins — who to screen, what searches to run, what the law requires, why background checks alone are not enough, and how to build a complete child protection program that families can trust.
Why VBS and Summer Camps Require Extra Diligence
Many churches apply rigorous screening to their year-round children’s ministry — and then treat VBS differently. It’s a one-week event. Many volunteers are longtime church members. Everyone seems to know everyone.
But child predators know this too. Short-term, high-energy events with large numbers of volunteers and children are exactly the environments they seek out. The informal, festive atmosphere of VBS can lower organizational defenses in ways that a structured Sunday school environment does not.
The numbers are sobering:
That 95% figure is the most important one — and it is the truth most background check companies will not tell you. A background check screens for the past. But the majority of people who will harm a child in your ministry have never been caught before. They will pass your background check with no flags.
This is why background checks and child abuse awareness training must work together. We will come back to this. First, let’s cover who needs to be screened and what checks to run.
Who Needs a Background Check for VBS and Summer Camps
The short answer: everyone. Not just teachers. Not just people working directly with children. Everyone on-site while children are present.
Always Screen These Roles
- Lead teachers and classroom helpers
- Youth volunteers assisting with younger children
- Van and bus drivers transporting children
- Kitchen and food service volunteers
- Registration and check-in volunteers
- Worship and music leaders
- Photographers and videographers
- Outdoor activity and games coordinators
- Camp counselors and cabin leaders
- Medical and first aid volunteers
Don’t Overlook These
- Setup and teardown volunteers — they are on campus when children are present
- Guest speakers or outside presenters
- Contracted vendors or service providers on-site during program hours
- Anyone new to your volunteer pool, regardless of church membership length
What Background Checks to Run for VBS Volunteers
Not all background checks are equal. The checks that matter for child-facing ministry roles go well beyond a basic national database search. Here is what a thorough VBS screening program includes:
Multi-State Criminal Database Search with SSN Trace
The SSN Trace returns an applicant’s full address history and every name associated with their Social Security Number — including maiden names, aliases, and previous surnames. Every name returned must be searched separately. A criminal record under an alias that was never searched is a gap that predators exploit.
County Courthouse Criminal Searches
This is the search most instant background check services skip — and it is the most important one. National databases are incomplete. They miss cases prosecuted at the county courthouse level that were never reported to a state or federal database. SecureSearch’s Gap Coverage Request (GCR) automatically searches every county courthouse in every jurisdiction where your volunteer has lived — at no additional setup charge.
Sex Offender Registry Search
A national and state-level sex offender registry search is essential for any volunteer working with children. Note that approximately 30% of registered sex offenders are non-compliant with registration requirements — which is why this search must be combined with other criminal history searches, not relied on in isolation.
Federal Court Records Search
This is the search most churches do not order — and it may be the most critical for child-facing roles. Federal crimes include internet crimes against children, human trafficking, child exploitation, and embezzlement. These offenses are never captured in county or state records. SecureSearch searches all 94 U.S. Federal District Courts.
MVR — Motor Vehicle Records
For any volunteer driving children to or from camp, or operating church vehicles during VBS transportation, an MVR check is required. This reveals license suspensions, DUIs, reckless driving, and other violations that disqualify someone from transporting children.
Continuous Monitoring
A background check captures a moment in time. Someone could develop a criminal record 364 days after their last check and still be serving as a VBS volunteer. Continuous monitoring provides real-time alerts when a current volunteer has a new criminal record added after their initial screening — so your church is protected every day, not just at the point of hire.
Your Legal Obligations: FCRA and the Volunteers for Children Act
When you partner with a consumer reporting agency like SecureSearch to run background checks — whether on employees or volunteers — you are subject to the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). Here is what that means for your VBS program.
Written Disclosure
Before running a background check on any volunteer, you must provide them with a written disclosure — on a standalone form, separate from any application — informing them that you intend to obtain a consumer report.
Written Authorization
The volunteer must sign a written authorization before you initiate any background check. SecureSearch’s SearchMyBackground™ platform handles this electronically — volunteers receive an email invitation, complete their information online, and sign digitally from any device. No paperwork.
Adverse Action Process
If background check results negatively influence your decision about a volunteer, you must follow the FCRA adverse action process — a pre-adverse action notice, a waiting period for the volunteer to dispute, and a final adverse action notice if you proceed. Skipping this process is one of the most common sources of FCRA litigation against churches and nonprofits.
The Volunteers for Children Act
The Volunteers for Children Act of 1998 opens the door for a church to be sued if an incident occurs with a volunteer and the church failed to conduct a national criminal search. This federal law was enacted specifically because too many dangerous individuals were volunteering in churches and youth organizations. Documentation of your screening program is your legal protection.
Why Background Checks Alone Are Not Enough
This is the most important section of this guide — and the truth most background check companies will not tell you.
Background checks screen for the past. They reveal criminal records that already exist. But research consistently shows that up to 95% of child sexual predators have no prior criminal record at the time they are screened. They are first-time offenders. They will pass your background check with no flags whatsoever.
What stops someone with no criminal record from harming a child in your VBS program is not a background check. It is a culture of accountability — one built through training, policy, and community awareness.
- Volunteers who know how to recognize the warning signs of grooming and abuse
- Clear policies around adult-child interactions — two-adult rule, open-door policies, check-in procedures
- A community where reporting concerns feels safe and expected — not shameful or disloyal
- Training that gives every volunteer the language and confidence to act when something feels wrong
The Power of 2 — Background Checks + Child Abuse Awareness Training
This is why SecureSearch partners with Safeguard from Abuse® to offer what we call the Power of 2 — comprehensive FCRA-compliant background screening combined with nationally recognized child abuse awareness training. Together they protect children in ways that neither can alone.
Safeguard from Abuse training covers warning signs of grooming and abuse, appropriate boundaries, mandatory reporting obligations, and how to build a child-safe culture within your organization — all in an engaging online format your volunteers can complete before VBS begins.
Your VBS Screening Timeline
The most common mistake churches make is starting too late. Background checks — especially county courthouse searches and federal court records — require time. Build your VBS screening around this reality.
12 Weeks Before VBS or Camp
- Finalize your volunteer list and identify all roles requiring screening
- Open your SecureSearch account if you haven’t already — approval takes one business day
- Draft or update your written background check and child protection policy
- Identify which volunteers are due for annual rescreening
10 Weeks Before
- Send disclosure and authorization forms to all volunteers
- Begin initiating background checks through SecureSearch’s SearchMyBackground™ portal
- Assign Safeguard from Abuse training to all child-facing volunteers
8 Weeks Before
- Follow up on any incomplete volunteer authorizations
- Review returned reports — flag any records with your SecureSearch team for guidance
- Confirm Safeguard from Abuse training completions
4 Weeks Before
- All background checks completed and reviewed
- Follow adverse action process for any volunteers with disqualifying records
- Final volunteer assignments made based on cleared screening results
- Brief leadership on two-adult rule and open-door policies
Week of VBS or Camp
- Keep screening documentation accessible to program leadership
- Conduct a brief volunteer orientation covering child protection policies
- Review check-in and check-out procedures with all volunteers
Rock RMS and Pushpay Integration
If your church uses Rock RMS or Pushpay as your church management system, SecureSearch integrates directly with both platforms. Pull your volunteer list from Rock or Pushpay, initiate background check requests with a click, and have results flow back into your system automatically — no duplicate data entry, no switching platforms, no paperwork.
For large VBS programs or camps with many volunteers, this integration dramatically reduces the administrative burden of running a thorough screening program. Learn more about our Rock RMS integration →
Frequently Asked Questions
Do we need to screen volunteers we already know?
Yes — without exception. Most abuse in church settings is perpetrated by someone known and trusted by the organization. Familiarity does not replace documentation, and consistent screening of everyone protects your church legally. One exception policy creates the gap predators look for.
How often should we rescreen VBS volunteers?
SecureSearch recommends annual rescreening for all volunteers working with children. A background check captures a single moment in time — someone can develop a criminal record after their initial screening. For year-round volunteers, continuous monitoring ensures you are notified immediately if a new record appears.
What if a volunteer has a record on their background check?
Not every record is automatically disqualifying. Your church should have a written policy defining which types of records disqualify a volunteer from specific roles. Any adverse action based on a background check must follow the FCRA adverse action process. Your SecureSearch team will walk you through each step.
Can volunteers pay for their own background check?
Yes. SecureSearch offers Applicant Pay — the volunteer covers the cost of their own background check directly through the online portal. This is a popular option for VBS programs with many volunteers and tight budgets. No setup fees, no minimums.
What is the difference between a national database search and a county courthouse search?
A national database search scans a compiled — and incomplete — database of criminal records. County courthouse searches access the actual courthouse records in the specific counties where a person has lived. For thorough, defensible screening, both are essential. SecureSearch’s Gap Coverage Request (GCR) automatically orders courthouse searches at every address in your volunteer’s residential history.
Is Safeguard from Abuse training legally required?
Not universally, though some states and dioceses have specific mandates. What is required — morally and from a duty of care standpoint — is that your organization takes every reasonable step to protect the children in its care. Given that up to 95% of child predators have no prior criminal record, a screening program without abuse prevention training is incomplete by definition.
Ready to Protect Your VBS and Summer Camp?
SecureSearch and Safeguard from Abuse are ready to help your church build a complete child protection program this summer — one that starts with thorough FCRA-compliant background screening and goes all the way to building a culture of accountability that protects children from the risks a background check alone cannot see.
Start Your VBS Screening Program Today
No setup fees. No minimums. No contracts. Accounts approved within one business day. Questions? Call 866-891-1954 — our team is ready to help you build the right program for your church.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Consult qualified legal counsel regarding your organization’s specific FCRA compliance obligations and state law requirements.