The Safety and Wellbeing of Young People is Our Number One Priority
We work every day to create a safe, fun environment so kids can have every opportunity to be successful in life. We have ZERO tolerance for inappropriate behavior of any kind, including child sexual abuse or misconduct, and we put resources behind that stance.
Culture of Safety: All employees, volunteers, and board members must undergo a thorough criminal background check every year. Our staff frequently participate in safety symposiums and professional development trainings by third-party experts, including the Department of Child Protective Services. Our Board of Directors has a safety committee, which is continually assessing safety levels at all of our sites and implementing policies to address and prevent any possible issues that may threaten the safety of our members. We are also required to complete mandatory safety assessments each year by our national organization, Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA).
Should any allegation be made, we are required to report it to both law enforcement and to BCGA within 24 hours. Clubs are mandated to treat allegations as criminal matters first, which ensures any harm to a child is investigated and handled by law enforcement with the full cooperation of local Clubs. Boys & Girls Clubs of America tracks and monitors allegations of abuse at local Clubs.
Safety Policies: Boys & Girls Club of the Foothills has comprehensive safety policies in place that protect youth – including, but not limited to, supervision, transportation, communication and prohibiting private one-on-one contact.
24-hour Toll-free Child Safety Hotline: We encourage all staff, members and families to report any incident or situation they feel is unsafe. Through our national partnership with Praesidium, one of the nation’s leading safety experts, Boys & Girls Club of the Foothills members and staff have access to a confidential 24-hour toll-free Child Safety Hotline, 866-607-SAFE (7233) or email [email protected].
Safety Partnerships: Nationally, Boys & Girls Clubs of America works with leading experts in the areas of safety, security and technology to develop state-of-the-art solutions for Clubs. Partners include:
Locally, Boys & Girls Club of the Foothills partners with:
Nationally, Boys & Girls Clubs of America has advocated the passage of the U.S. PROTECT Act, which improved background screening systems and access. The national organization has also partnered with the FBI, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children and the Centers for Disease Control to contribute to the development of safety practices that benefit ALL youth-serving organizations.
America’s young people deserve nothing less than our constant focus on their safety and our firm commitment to protect every child who is entrusted to our care at Boys & Girls Club of the Foothills. To learn more about our national safety policies and actions, please visit Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s Child Safety page, here.