Safety

At Boys & Girls Clubs of the Capital Area, Child Safety is Job No. 1

Ensuring child safety is fundamental to the mission of the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Capital Area (BGCCA)

 

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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: BGCCA 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:

 

• Foundations of Safety Training

• Mandated Reporter Training

• Continuously updated Employee Manual

• Regularly scheduled building inspections and preparedness drills

 

Safety Policies: BGCCA 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, BGCCA 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 BGCCA. In addition, criminal background checks are required for any volunteer that regularly interacts with youth. All potential employees and recurring volunteers are required to be cleared in accordance with the New York State Office of Children and Family Services regulations.

Required Immediate Reporting: BGCCA 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.

Mandatory Annual Safety Assessments: We complete a safety assessment each year to ensure we continually make improvements to safety at our Club(s).

Safety Trainings: Ongoing training and supervision of staff is critical. We participate in a wide variety of child safety training such as seminars, conferences, webinars and a semi-annual safety symposium. 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: BGCCA has a dedicated safety committee to provide input and guidance on local policies and safety strategies. Priorities and initiatives include:

 

• Updating security for our facilities including new cameras and secure entry features

• Reviewing emergency procedure training and processes 

• Implementing mental health safety program

 

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:

 

• 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, 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, BGCCA partners with:

 

• Albany County Sheriff’s Department

• Rensselaer County Sheriff's Department 

• Albany County District Attorney's Office

• Albany Police Department

• Troy Police Department

 

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