What are Policies and Procedures?
Policies and Procedures are an essential backbone of your prevention strategy at your Youth-Serving Organization (YSO), providing an overarching…
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Home / Training / The Value of Training in YSOs
Your organization has the opportunity to support and empower young people to feel confident, protected, and safe in their homes and communities. Since they collectively share the responsibility for preventing child sexual abuse, your staff, volunteers, parents, and young people need the information and skills to confidently create safe environments for children/youth. While the scope of training must be adapted to your organization’s size and unique characteristics, the universal goal of maintaining safe environments for children/youth is attainable—regardless of your organization’s mission, culture, or resources.
By providing comprehensive training to your staff and volunteers, you’ll let potential offenders know you’re keenly aware of the threat of sexual abuse, are committed to talking about it, and are capable of confronting and exposing anyone who abuses or attempts to exploit children/youth. You’ll also send the important message to victimized children and youth that they are not to blame, but are heard, believed, and supported, and you can serve as a model and resource for parents and communities to take positive action.
Policies & Procedures
Policies and Procedures are an essential backbone of your prevention strategy at your Youth-Serving Organization (YSO), providing an overarching…
Sustainability
Community interaction and involvement is important in maintaining a culture of safety surrounding your Youth-Serving Organization (YSO). In order to…
Code of Conduct
Once your Code of Conduct is in place, it’s important to implement it through training and by disseminating the information widely, in a variety…
Training
Training Best Practices To protect the children/youth you serve, your organization needs a comprehensive framework: a set of abuse prevention…
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,…
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…
Reporting
Staff and volunteers should have a detailed understanding of their responsibility to report child abuse and neglect. At your YSO (Youth-Serving…
Reporting
All staff must be aware of the warning signs and symptoms of child abuse and neglect, know how to respond appropriately, and report suspected cases…
Reporting
Visit the website, Massachusetts Department of Children & Families Locations to find contact information for your local office and see…
Safe Environments
Physically safe spaces, with proper supervision, are required to maintain safety standards at your Youth-Serving Organization (YSO). Ensure policies…
Customized child sexual abuse prevention guidelines to meet the unique needs of any organization that serves children.
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