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Our Dedication to Safety
At The Vacaville Neighborhood Boys & Girls Club, child safety is a priority focus and fundamental to delivering on our mission to ensuring each child has an opportunity to reach their full potential. Every child deserves nothing less than our constant focus on safety and a firm commitment to protect all children entrusted to our care. Our team works continuously to enhance and implement robust safety guidelines to keep our kids safe including:
Background Checks
All staff and volunteer members undergo a thorough, mandatory annual criminal background check. The threshold for clearance is very clearly outlined in our safety policy
Mandatory Reporting
All staff, board members, and program volunteers are trained and required to immediately report any suspected abuse or victimization to Child Protective Services and then to Boys & Girls Clubs of America within 24 hours.
Board-Led Safety Committee
Elevating safety to the highest level of governance is the task of this committee. The safety committee ensures and evaluates:
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Online safety assessment of every Club site annually
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Facility safety check of every Club site annually
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Provide advice and oversight to VNBGC’s safety policies
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Ensure the Club is meetings its membership requirement as it relates to safety
Mandatory Safety Assessments
Annually, the VNBGC and all sites are required to complete a mandatory annual safety assessment which is reviewed by the site staff and leadership, and the Safety Committee.
3rd Party Experts
BGCA and local Clubs engage leading 3rd party safety experts on training, policies and resources. Recently BGCA worked with RAINN, the nation’s leading organization dedicated to abuse prevention, awareness, and response to conduct a safety review.
Reference Requirement
The VNBGC follows the Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s requirement that any employee looking to move to another Club, MUST have a reference from the previous Club to be eligible for rehire.
Resources for Youth Members
Every Club site is required to prominently display key safety resources and information, including the Child Safety Helpline and Crisis Text Line.
Safety Plan
Our Clubs maintain a comprehensive safety plan that includes emergency procedures and reporting requirements for any incident that could pose harm to a youth or staff. The plan is updated annually, and all Club staff are trained during their onboarding process and twice per year afterwards.
Safety Policies
We work with Boys & Girls Clubs of America continuously to enhance safety policies, practices, and trainings to ensure they are centered on youth’s needs. There is nothing more important to us than keeping children safe and protected.
Safety Training
Ongoing training and supervision of staff are critical. Expectations about the responsibility that every VNBGC staff person has for the safety of children start with the orientation and comprehensive training at the beginning of summer or school year. We participate in a wide variety of child safety training through online courses, seminars, conference, webinars, including local trainings. Quarterly safety drills are conducted and a safety manual guides staff through emergency scenario.
24 Hour Toll Free Child Safety Hotline
We encourage all Club staff, members, or families to report any incident or situation in which they feel unsafe. Through a partnership with Praesidium, one of the nation's leading safety experts, Boys & Girls Clubs of America provide a confidential 24-hour toll-free Child Safety Hotline, 866-607-SAFE (7233) or email SafeClub@Praesidiuminc.com.
Contact
If you have questions about our Safety policies, please reach out to us via phone or email!