At Waltham Boys & Girls Club, Child Safety is Job No. 1
Ensuring child safety is fundamental to the mission of WBGC
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.
WBGC 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:
- Board and staff safety committee is to continuously review and update all safety protocols to align with the latest in federal and state guidelines and recommendations
- All staff are required to get fingerprinted and undergo a national background check
- All staff are required to participate in safety training twice a year – including an annual mandated reporter training
- Cameras have been installed in all program areas, hallways, and stairways, as well as around the perimeter of the building
- Unsupervised one-on-one is prohibited
WBGC has comprehensive safety policies in place that protect youth – including, but not limited to, supervision, transportation, communication and prohibiting private one-on-one contact.
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, WBGC 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 criminal background checks are required every year for every staff and board member at WBGC. 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 National Sex Offender Registry (SORI) and the Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI).
WBGC staff and volunteers are all mandated reporters. We 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.
We complete a safety assessment each year to ensure we continually make improvements to safety at our Club.
Ongoing training and supervision of staff is critical. We participate in a wide variety of child safety training conducted annually. 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.
WBGC has a dedicated safety committee to provide input and guidance on local policies and safety strategies. Priorities and initiatives include:
- Identifying and addressing potential risks
- State and federal safety compliance
- Emergency action plan and safety policies review
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.
We comply with federal, state, and local safety laws, including those impacting facilities and vehicles.
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, comprised of local Club leaders charged with providing input on the safety direction and key safety initiatives
- Mental Health First Aid, is 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
Locally, WBGC partners with:
- Waltham Public Schools
- Waltham Police Department
- Waltham Health Department
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 WBGC. To learn more about our national safety policies and actions, please visit Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s Child Safety page, here.