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Summer Preparedness
Summer programs often involve longer hours, off-site activities, and an influx of temporary personnel, all of which can present new risks if not carefully managed. Take this opportunity to review your policies, reinforce training, and ensure everyone understands their roles and responsibilities in keeping kids safe.
Revisit your Code of Conduct
As the summer approaches—a season when many Youth-Service Organizations (YSO) expand their programming and welcome new staff, volunteers, and participants—it’s especially important to revisit and strengthen your Code of Conduct. A Code of Conduct establishes acceptable interactions and outlines the expectations and responsibilities of any person with access to children at your YSO. It helps establish professional boundaries, promotes accountability, and reinforces your commitment to creating a safe, respectful, and supportive environment for all youth.
A well-communicated and consistently enforced Code of Conduct is one of your strongest defenses against misconduct and a cornerstone of a safe, nurturing space where children can thrive.
Ensure a Safe Environment
Ensuring a safe environment for children includes targeting the five major areas of safety: visibility, access, supervision and communication, transportation, and safe technology use. In preparation for the summer months, your YSO should take proactive steps to assess and reinforce each of these areas.
- Visibility: Ensure that all spaces where children are present during programming are easily observable by staff and supervisors. Adapting physical environments and implementing open-door policies can improve visibility and transparency at your YSO. Continue to reinforce your Code of Conduct and ensure all 1-on-1 interactions between staff and children are observable and interruptible.
- Access: Review who has access to your facilities, programs, and digital platforms. Limit access to authorized individuals, ensure all visitors are vetted and logged, and establish check-in/check-out procedures for both staff and participants.
- Supervision and Communication: Establish clear communication protocols between supervisors, staff, volunteers, and families. Consider adjusting supervision ratios to account for increased attendance or extended hours during summer programming.
- Transportation: If your summer programming includes field trips or transportation, review all related policies. Conduct background checks for drivers, ensure vehicles being used are inspected and insured, and address supervision while in transit.
- Safe Technology Use: With increased access to technology during summer programming, it’s essential to establish clear policies that protect children from online sexual exploitation and abuse, and to prohibit any private messaging between staff and children.
Review Training Standards and Practices
Summer is a great time for staff to receive training to heighten their awareness of your YSO’s commitment to safety and help create a culture of zero-tolerance for child abuse. Training is also an excellent opportunity for staff to review your YSO’s policies and procedures, including your Code of Conduct, Safe Environment, Screening and Hiring, and Reporting. Before the start of summer, review your YSO’s training standards and practices for new and returning staff to see where your minimum standards are being met and where additional training is needed. Re-assess how many staff and volunteers need training and at what levels, starting with those who will have direct, unmonitored access to children. Make sure that your training program covers the different forms of child abuse and neglect, their prevalence in childhood, the long-term impacts on children, and how to recognize the signs and symptoms of abuse and grooming. This will ensure that each staff member at your YSO has the knowledge and skills to take a proactive role in protecting children and intervening before abuse occurs.
Child abuse doesn’t take a break, even during the summer – and neither should we! Following the action steps outlined above will ensure that your YSO is prepared for summer.
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