Keeping Children Safe & Secure

The YMCA is committed to providing a safe environment for every person who enters our doors, most importantly children who are entrusted to our care. As an organization, we take the following actions to keep kids safe in our Y facilities, camps & programs to maintain the reputation of safety we have built during our 55+ year history.

Screening

• Conduct criminal history & and sex offender registry checks on staff prior to hire & frequently thereafter.
• Staff and volunteers working within our child care facilities must undergo a fingerprint based background check specific to child abuse and neglect prior to hire and every five years thereafter.
• Conduct staff reference checks.
• Conduct nightly screenings of YMCA members against the National Sex Offender Registry.

Training 

• Staff & volunteers are required to complete training on preventing, recognizing & responding to abuse. 
• Staff are required to complete mandated reporter training upon hire and Youth Development Center employees receive monthly mandated reporter training.
• Staff receive monthly Child Abuse Prevention training.
• Require staff & volunteers to agree to our child safety code of conduct which includes rules such as:
  • Prohibiting staff & volunteers from being alone with a child; interactions must be observable & interruptible.
  • Restricting staff & volunteer contact with children outside of YDC programs (including babysitting, social networking, offering additional services, etc.)
  • Detailing acceptable & unacceptable physical & verbal interactions.
  • Requiring allegations or suspicions of abuse be reported to the proper authorities in accordance with state law.
• Youth Development Center staff are trained to implement a developmentally appropriate child abuse prevention curriculum.

Mandated Reporting

• Individuals working directly with children are required by law to report suspected child abuse and neglect.
• Our facilities work in cooperation with the appropriate agencies in the event of suspected child abuse or neglect.

Policy 

The Y maintains a zero-tolerance policy toward child abuse & child endangerment &  staff are to report any questionable behavior they see, or violations of the Child Code of Conduct.

Auditing 

To ensure we continuously uphold the highest standards in child safety & protection our Safety and Employee Development Specialist conducts regular audits using assessment tools developed by Praesidium, a consulting firm that specializes in abuse prevention and risk management. And, all Ys in the U.S. are required to implement child sexual abuse prevention practices & policies to remain a member in good standing with the National Council of YMCAs.

We are passionate about working with kids to develop their potential, while helping them to learn, grow & thrive. Locally, with hundreds of children visiting our branches daily, our staff are trained to be alert. It is our responsibility to ensure the kids in our care are happy & free to learn & grow at every turn. And so our YDC has comprehensive child protection policies & procedures that are reviewed regularly & part of continuous conversations at the Y. We invite our members, parents & community, to support us in our success by learning these basic practices & procedures that will help keep our children safe: 

1. Know: Understand the common practices of those who harm you & the best practices to stop them.
2. See: Recognize the warning signs or behaviors that signal abuse or risk for abuse.
3. Respond: Take action in response to behaviors we recognize as being inappropriate or questionable.

Together, let’s commit to protecting the youth in our YDC & our communities, by practicing these three habits of child abuse protection each day. Because when we know & understand how abuse happens, see the warning signs & are prepared to respond quickly to prevent it, we create a culture of child abuse prevention that results in even safer environments for kids to reach their full potential.

Our Youth Development Center is lead by a Certified Praesidium Guardian. Learn more about this important program here.