CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION 

Our Commitment to Child Protection

As a youth-serving organization the Y’s most important work is creating safe environments for young people. That any child or teen would experience harm in our care is unacceptable. Ensuring the safety and well-being of young people is foundational to everything we do at the Y to help them learn, grow and thrive.

How We Create Safe Spaces for Children and Teens

As an organization, we have taken the following actions to keep kids safe in our Y facility, camp and programs and maintain the reputation of safety we have built during our history.

  1. All Ys in the U.S. are required to implement child sexual abuse prevention practices and policies to remain a member in good standing with the National Council of YMCAs. These requirements include:

    • Completing a child abuse prevention self-assessment at least every two (2) years and implement an Action Plan to address opportunities for improvement. 

    • Having a policy that requires criminal background checks for staff and volunteers.

    • Providing and requiring annual training for staff and high-access volunteers on preventing and responding to youth-to-youth sexual activity and adult-to-child sexual activity or abuse.

  2. In addition to requiring all staff and volunteers to report child abuse in accordance with applicable laws, all allegations of sexual abuse or victimization of minors (under 18) involving Y staff, volunteers, members or participants must be reported to the appropriate authorities. 

  3. Having a policy that requires screening all adults against a national sex offender registry and written protocol for how to respond when adults are identified as registered sex offenders

  4. Implementing policies that define boundaries with youth 

  5. Implementing procedures for identifying and managing high-risk activities 

  6. Assigning youth protection to a leadership staff member’s responsibility and a committee’s chart of work 

Child Protection Resources

Learn more about steps everyone can take to help create a culture of safety and prevent child sexual abuse.