Me, a reported child abuser working with kids

The United States has something called a "central registry".
When someone abuses a child or is investigated for abuse they go on this list. Usually if they were simply investigated it says so on there and it comes off very quickly.
Unfortunately it is abused by the SS. (social services).
I was thinking recently how I'd like to bring up that churches need to take more precautions with who they allow to teach children. I knew about the central registry and thought that I'd bring it up as a tool that needed to be utilized by churches to screen those working with children.

However, I was also recently horrified to learn that I am on the list, and will be for 10 years.
I was anonymously turned into children's services and investigated, as many here know. The charges were found to be unsubstantiated but I refused to answer their standard list of approx. 30 intrusive questions plus whatever they feel like. (they included extremely personal questions I wouldn't share with my best friend let alone a stranger)
The director of social services and I got into it over the issue, lawyers got involved, I was put on the registry and told I'd stay there for at least ten years or until I answered the questions.
The problem is that I have been asked to work with young children and have been doing a class in the past. I'm going to have to talk to the pastors wife though and tell her why I don't want to do this. If anyone in that church were ever accused of doing anything wrong the first thing authorities or the media would probably do is match all the teachers and help against that list to see who's on there.

So now what? Never work with children or the elderly for the next ten years? It's really not fair to people to have someone on an abuse list caring for their kids or elderly ones without them knowing that person is on there, but it's so completely wrong and unfair that I'm on there in the first place, and people have such a love affair with the government and it's ways that I'm afraid nobody's going to believe me or think I'm telling them the whole story if I explain but I AM AND NEVER ABUSED MY CHILDREN. Unfortunately you don't have to be charged with anything or any proof provided to go on that list, you just have to tick off a social worker.
So what is a person in this situation supposed to do?
Gina

 

That would kinda ruin the whole point of what I want to be done in the church and in the way the SS operates, I refuse to back down and be bullied into government commands, and btw I answered their questions a few times but they wanted to repeat the process over and over everytime this ridiculous anonymous caller called in and I finally started standing up for my rights to not be harassed....
I really do think there should be a way for people who work with kids, including teens, to be checked out. It should be implemented in churches.
It would be hypocritical to work with kids while on the "list" and promoting this concept.
I could say no and will now but I really think that I should tell them the reason. It doesn't just involve working in a baptist church btw, it's the principle of it and will affect my work as I want to go back to being a nurse's aid this fall and will have to find other type of work.
But, part of my question is what a church is supposed to do in a situation like this where the government reports are not accurate. If a church wants to check out someone's background this registry will be part of the background check I assume since it's what daycares and nursing homes use, right?
And of course the rest of the question is how to deal with it personally. Would I be wrong not to tell them why I will refuse to work with kids? Would it be wrong to continue working with them and just not say anything? (I personally don't think so which is why I plan on telling them).
But, others may have different opinions and input, which is why I ask.
Has anyone else had such a situation in their church and how was it handled, or has this happened to anyone else?
Gina

 

Had one gb, he said that the government can pretty much do what they want, particularly since their resources are pretty much endless and mine aren't. I've heard some people are moving out and others in so I'm hoping when that happens I can have this taken care of without the fight. If that doesn't happen I'll get back with a constitutional attorney I spoke with.

Diane, are your church workers paid or volunteers?

Gina

 

It is a record of child abuse investigations.
For example, if you are investigated for child abuse your name will go on the registry, along with the outcome of your case. It will stay on the registry for x amount of time. If you were found to be a low risk case, it is about 3 months before your name is removed. If it turns out to be an extremely high risk situation you are on there for ten years. (note that I was told all mine were closed as not even low risk, but unsubstantiated yet the supervisor put me in there for ten years)
It cannot be viewed on the internet nor is it available to everyone.
It is available to social services, the courts, police officers, and people who need access to it. For example, if I apply for a job in a daycare or in a nursing home the place I apply with can request to find out if I am in the registry. Being there usually results in your license being taken away if you are a healthworker (in my case a CNA) or not being granted until x amount of time.
Most states maintain their own registries, and I believe that each state's registry is available nationwide.
Gina

 

Yes, I attempted to file a report against that woman personally with the police dept. and they refused to take the report.
I did end up going to a number of other people in authority and am still waiting to see what happens, since I received replies from all but one of them. (the governor, the state rep, the Ohio state agency for them, etc.)If what I heard
is correct she has been disciplined in the past for displaying the type of behavior she showed me within the workplace, and her job may be at risk now.
My pastor is aware of the situation and I did make his wife aware last week of being on that list. I don't really know their thoughts on it, but she had already found others to work with the kids anyhow, so that worked out well.
I did find out a few things from someone within the court system today that might prove helpful, so I'm going to patiently stow away that info until needed.
Gina

 

4. Every paid and volunteer worker should have an application on file with the church. The application should include relative questions pertaining to working in a children or youth ministry. The application should include areas of current address information, former churches, references, prior instances of child abuse as a victim or accusation, and general experience in working in a children or youth ministry. Also, a legal release statement should be on file in the church office to conduct criminal background and reference checks. A volunteer should be a member of the church for six months before serving.

It really is nobody's business whether an employee has suffered through abuse as a child, and it's very wrong for social workers to be able to require people to tell them of abuse they went through as children and to further use it to put a person as a higher risk to children because of it.
I went through their (the ss) interview and felt thoroughly disgusted by it. My past should have been allowed to be kept my PAST, not the business of anyone else but me unless I had willingly chosen to reveal that. I'd be even less willing to give that information to someone I had to work with on a regular basis.
What's worse is the number of people who agree with this government agency and their tactics. It's scary to think of the freedoms we give up on a regular basis without a second thought.
Gina

 

That's very true about their power free at last. Even in Ohio where they cannot remove a child without a court order unless they are in immediate danger, there's been times when they state things twisted and still obtain the order. For example, getting two swats with a paddle will be presented as "child is being punished by being hit with a piece of wood", etc..

I am of the same thought you are now, I'd rather not be in such a position at a church whether they wanted me there or not because you never know what problems it could bring.

I do appreciate those that have put their input into this subject. I know I did the right thing now. It was embarassing and humiliating, but oh well. That's life in the US now I suppose!
Gina