Club Safety & Non-Discrimination Policy
| The Safety and Well-being 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: Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Kansas City continually updates robust safety policies, programs, and training for our staff and volunteers that are designed to promote child safety and protect young people from threats that are present in our society. We implement layers of safety policies and guidelines to keep our kids safe, including:
Safety Policies: Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Kansas City 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 Clubs of Greater Kansas City Club members and staff have access to a confidential 24-hour toll-free Child Safety Hotline, 866-607-SAFE (7233) or email SafeClub@Praesidiuminc.com. Mandatory Background Checks: Mandatory criminal background checks are required every year for every staff and board member at Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Kansas City. In addition, criminal background checks are required for any volunteer who has direct contact with children. All potential employees and volunteers are also run through the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Kansas or Missouri State Registry. Required Immediate Reporting: Employees and Volunteers of Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Kansas City area are all mandated reporters. We are required, by law, to report any reported or suspected child abuse or neglect to the state’s Child Abuse and Neglect Hotline. In addition to this, we are also required to report any critical incident to Boys & Girls Clubs of America within 24 hours. Mandatory Annual Safety Assessments: We complete a safety assessment each year 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 conducted, such as Child & Club Safety 101, Preventing Bullying in Youth Organizations, Keeping Your Boys & Girls Club Safe, Social Media Safety, Annual Suicide Prevention Training, Workplace Safety Orientation, Annual Child Abuse Awareness Training, and annual Mandated Reporter training, Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Training, and CPR/First Aid and AED training. We also engage leading third-party safety experts to provide guidance for our policies and approaches, including Praesidium, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, and the National Children’s Advocacy Center. Safety Committee: Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Kansas City has a dedicated safety committee to provide input and guidance on local policies and safety strategies. Priorities and initiatives include:
Mandatory Employee Reference: Any employee interested in moving to another Boys & Girls Club is required to have a reference from the previous Club, even if the Clubs are within the same community. 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:
Locally, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Kansas City 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 and Prevention 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 protecting every child who is entrusted to our care at Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Kansas City. To learn more about our national safety policies and actions, please visit Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s Child Safety page here.
Non-Discrimination Statement In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity. Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ad-3027.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:
This institution is an equal opportunity provider. |