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 At Dickson Kids, our mission is to be and make disciples of Jesus among our children. We want to see our children grow in their knowledge of God and in understanding of what it means to have a personal relationship with God now and for the rest of their lives. We want our children to know they are valued as part of our church family, and for them to feel included, safe, and happy to be at church.   

 Our children’s program runs on Sunday morning during our 9:30 am service for children aged 0 – 12. We have a creche for 0 - 3 years olds, and a structured program for 4 – 12 year olds. The children stay in church for the first part of the service before being invited to move to the hall.   You are very welcome to keep children in church with you if this is your preference. There is a cry room at the back of the church if your children need some space during the service. You are also welcome to attend Dickson Kids with your child to settle them in, see what goes on at DK, or provide them with support. 

Creche

 Our creche room comes off our main hall through double doors. We have two workers rostered each week on creche. We run a flexible program, with 2–3-year-olds welcome to join in suitable Dickson Kids activities. 

Dickson Kids - Preschool and Primary

 At Dickson Kids our preschool and primary program operates using a ‘one room’ approach.  Each week we have two teachers and a helper rostered on in the main room. Younger children are invited to spend some time in creche if they need some wiggle time.   In 2023 we will be using the gospel focussed Dig In resources from Group Publishing as the basis of our curriculum. 

What happens at Dickson Kids?

 All children need to be signed in by a parent at the start of the program and signed back out at the end of the service.  

We start with a welcome, followed by songs. Each week we sing a song used in ‘big church’ with actions in addition to a song chosen from the Dig In or You Tube resources.  

After a game that introduces the topic, we move into a time of interactive Bible teaching which regularly includes a game, drama, or other activity. At DK we use thinking prompts – for example we ask the children what they ‘see, think and wonder’ about the bible passage or verse - to encourage a deeper exploration of the Bible.  

Each week we include a time of prayer. We have a variety of prompts that can be used to disciple our children in praying.  

A craft activity, teaching video, or an additional game are included when time permits. 

How do we keep our children safe?

 At Dickson Baptist the leadership, teachers and helpers are committed to keeping children safe.  

All our children’s volunteers are interviewed and have had referee checks. It is mandatory for all of our children’s volunteers to hold current Working with Vulnerable People (WWVP) registration, and attend Safe Spaces training regularly.   We ensure through our allocation of volunteers across creche and the teaching program that no staff member is alone with children. Our doors are glass panelled for additional visibility.  

Children are encouraged to use the family toilet during our program, which a volunteer will check prior to use, so there is no need for supervision in shared toilets. A volunteer remains outside to assist if needed. If your child needs help to toilet, you will be called to assist them. 

A copy of our safe spaces policy can be found here. Further policies and procedures can be found in the 'Documents and Policies' section of our website.