KEEPING KIDS SAFE HEADERS (3)

Protecting Children at the Y

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 and programs and to maintain the reputation of safety we have built during our 160+ year history.

SCREENING

  • Conduct criminal history and sex offender registry checks on staff and volunteers upon hire and every two years thereafter.
  • Conduct reference checks and interviews of staff and volunteers.
  • Conduct nightly screenings of YMCA members against the National Sex Offender Registry.

TRAINING

  • Require staff and volunteers to complete training on abuse awareness and prevention procedures as well as abuse response and reporting.
  • Lead personal safety discussions with children in youth development programs semi-annually. These discussions are intended to encourage children to help themselves, and to get help whenever they are being abused or when they find themselves in situations that make them feel uncomfortable.

PREVENTION

The Y does not tolerate the mistreatment or abuse of children in its programs by an adult or the mistreatment or abuse of one child by another child, including any behavior that is classified under the definition of bullying. Staff, volunteers, and the children in our programs are expected to act in a caring, honest, respectful, and responsible manner. Staff and volunteers abide by the Child Protection Code of Conduct.

Child Protection Code of Conduct

In summary, these abuse prevention procedure ensure our staff and volunteers provide sight and sound supervision and are NEVER alone with a child (including outside of Y programs) as well as practice appropriate touch, talk, and electronic communications with children. The YMCA’s procedures also seek to eliminate privacy in abuse high risk areas like restrooms, locker rooms, playgrounds, buses or any hidden/out of the way space and to especially ensure appropriate care during intimate and vulnerable activities like diapering, naptime and overnight programming.

CHILD PROTECTION

Our core values – caring, honesty, respect and responsibility – are part of everything we do. At the Y, children develop a community of friends and have fun in a safe, nurturing environment.

The Y understands that children today are faced with situations that may affect their safety and well-being. It is our job as a community organization to educate ourselves, our children and their parents and guardians, and the community about these potential dangers and to protect them from these dangers:

  • About one in 10 children will be sexually abused before their 18th birthday.
  • About 90% of children who are victims of abuse know their abuser.
  • 86% of child sexual abuse victims never tell anyone.
  • About one in eight youth experience online sexual exploitation.
Statistics provided by Darkness to Light