Establishing Minimum Training Standards
Training should be used to increase knowledge and awareness of child abuse prevention, to teach staff about responding to children who disclose…
Child sexual abuse is a difficult topic. If you find yourself triggered by any of the website’s content, please stop and take the time you need to talk with someone to get support. If you need help now, please contact one of these resources today.
Home / Screening & Hiring / Why Do You Need a Screening Process?
One way you can help prevent child sexual abuse within your organization is by screening out those at risk to cause harm—before they are hired or allowed to volunteer. The goal of your screening process should be to recruit and select skilled, qualified individuals for staff and volunteer positions, and to screen out individuals who have sexually abused children/youth, may be at risk to abuse, or may not be safe individuals.
The good news is that most organizations conduct some form of screening—and you may already have some screening and hiring processes in place. Our guidelines can help you ensure that you’re doing as much as possible to keep the children and youth in your care safe. This is especially important in situations where there is a potential for your staff and volunteers to have unmonitored access to minor children, including those who provide transportation to them.
Whether your organization is a large corporation with hundreds of employees, a program with few staff, or a small sole proprietorship, you can implement an effective screening program to protect children. Not every screening method we describe will necessarily apply to your program. Though some organizations have licensing or accreditation standards that outline specific screening requirements, many do not. You can use these as guidelines to help you adopt the best possible screening practices for your environment and risk level. What’s important is that you incorporate some level of applicant screening into your program and treat it as a mission-critical business practice and thoughtful management technique. Screening is not discretionary; it’s vital to a program like yours that serves children and youth.
Screening doesn’t refer to a single event or tool, but more to a process with multiple components—some that occur as you consider a potential applicant for employment or volunteer service, some that apply after an individual joins your organization, and some that can recur periodically during their employment or tenure. Your screening requirements must be outlined clearly and accurately in your policies and procedures. Keep in mind that the very existence of a screening policy can be a deterrent to individuals who would rather be employed or volunteer in an organization with weak or nonexistent screening practices, so that they can access and harm children and youth.
Training
Training should be used to increase knowledge and awareness of child abuse prevention, to teach staff about responding to children who disclose…
Code of Conduct
Keep in mind that a Code of Conduct is limited; it usually refers only to the most common and expected behaviors staff/volunteers may encounter each…
Monitoring Behavior
Safety: The Most Critical Conversation It’s essential that your staff can easily discern inappropriate behavior and harmful actions. That’s…
Screening & Hiring
Finding and retaining a qualified and diverse workforce is one of the greatest challenges for youth-serving organizations like yours. Given the…
Screening & Hiring
Criminal background checks are an important tool in your screening and selection process—and you should ensure that you’re aware of any federal,…
Screening & Hiring
Your Youth-Serving Organization’s (YSO’s) hiring process should include basic screening measures for potential staff and volunteers through…
Training
Ideally, all children/youth should receive training and education on issues of personal safety and abuse prevention. However, not every organization…
Screening & Hiring
A personal interview provides an opportunity for you to meet applicants and determine if they are a good fit for your organization. It’s also a …
Safe Environments
Your youth-serving organization may provide transportation to children and youth—either on a regular or occasional basis. If you’re a larger…
Training
Effective abuse prevention training provides learners with new information, knowledge, and skills. Your leadership is critical to the ways in which…
Customized child sexual abuse prevention guidelines to meet the unique needs of any organization that serves children.
Learning Center Registration
Sign up for an account and start your learning experience.
Free Online Assessment
Let us help you find out where to start.