SAFETY

At Boys & Girls Clubs of Kennebec Valley,

Child Safety is Job No. 1

Ensuring the safety of children and teens is fundamental to the mission of Boys & Girls Clubs of Kennebec Valley (BGCKV). Child protection and safety have been the bedrock principles of our work. Our policies and operational

procedures are designed to ensure we employ the highest standards of

member safety.


The Safety and Wellbeing of Young People is Our Number One Priority

We work every day to create a safe, inclusive, and fun environment so kids can

have every opportunity to be successful in life. We have no tolerance for

inappropriate behavior of any kind, including child sexual abuse or misconduct.


Culture of Safety

Boys & Girls Clubs of Kennebec Valley has safety policies, programs, and

training for staff and volunteers to promote child safety and protect young people from threats in our society. These resources include but are not limited to:


  • Child safety and sexual abuse training for all staff members and

volunteers

  • Clean and safe youth development facilities
  • Organization policies regarding one-on-one interactions between youth

and adults, restroom use, background checks, bully and drug free workplace and transportation safety


Safety Policies

BGCKV maintains comprehensive safety policies that protect youth, including

but not limited to policies on supervision, transportation, communication, and

prohibition of one-on-one contact.


Our facilities and vehicles comply with all applicable federal, state, and local safety laws. We employ an annual multi-tiered safety assessment approach to ensure we continually make improvements to safety at our Clubs.


Safety Trainings

Ongoing training and supervision of staff are critical. We participate in a wide

variety of child safety training through online courses, in-person training and Boys & Girls Clubs of America events and webinars.

Safety Committee

BGCKV’s Board of Directors oversees a Safety Committee to assess and

manage all facility and operational safety related priorities 24-hour Toll-free Child Safety Hotline. Communication around safety is encouraged. Program directors have an open- door policy for members, parents, staff, and volunteers to discuss any issues.


Additionally, the Child Care Director and Chief Executive Officer are available.

Through BGCA’s partnership with Praesidium, one of the nation’s leading safety experts, there is a 24 hour toll-free Child Safety Hotline, 1-866-607-SAFE

(7233) or SafeClub@Praesidiuminc.com to allow Boys & Girls Club staff

members, volunteers, and parents to confidentially report suspicions or concerns.


Mandatory Background Checks

Mandatory criminal background checks are required upon hire and annually for every staff and board member at BGCKV. In addition, criminal background

checks are required for any volunteer who has direct, repetitive contact with

children. All potential employees and volunteers are run through First Advantage, one of the country’s largest data sources for criminal history records, to provide the most comprehensive screenings available today.


Required Immediate Reporting

BGCKV staff and volunteers are all mandated reporters and are required to report any critical incident/safety concern to local authorities immediately. We are also required to report any critical incident to Boys & Girls Clubs of America within 24 hours.


State and Local Laws

We comply with federal, state, and local safety laws, including those impacting facilities and vehicles.


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:

  • National Child Safety Advisory Task Force, made up of leading

experts and organizations

  • Blue Ribbon Taskforce, composed of local Club leaders who provide

input on safety direction and key safety initiatives

  • Mental Health First Aid, a national program that teaches skills to recognize

and respond to signs of mental illness and substance abuse

  • Crisis Text Line, a confidential text message service for youth in times of

crisis


To learn more about our national safety policies and actions, please visit Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s Child Safety page.