Safety at Boys & Girls Clubs of the Danville Area is Job No. 1. 

Ensuring child safety is fundamental to the mission of BGCDA.

 

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 misconduct, and we put resources behind that stance.

 

Culture of Safety

BGCDA 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. 

 

Safety Policies

BGCDA has comprehensive safety policies in place that protect youth - including, but not limited to, supervision, transportation, communication and prohibiting 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, BGCDA members and staff have access to a confidential 24-hour toll-free Child Safety Hotline, 886-607-SAFE or email safeclub@praesidiuminc.com. 

 

Mandatory Background Checks

Mandatory criminal background checks are required every year for every staff and board member at BGCDA. In addition, criminal background checks are required for any volunteer who has direct contact with children. All potential employees and volunteers are also run though the National Sex Offender Registry. 

 

Required Immediate Reporting

BGCDA 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 Safety Assessments

We complete a safety assessment each year to ensure we continually make improvements to safety at our Clubs. 

 

Safety Trainings

Ongoing training and supervision of staff is critical. We participate in a wide variety of child safety trainings conducted locally, regionally as well as nationally. We also engage leading third-party experts wot 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

BGCDA has a dedicated safety committee to provide input and guidance on local policies and safety strategies. Members of the committee include members of local public service partners (law, fire, police, etc.).

 

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 & Local Laws

We comply with federal, state and local safety laws, including those impacting facilities and vehicles. 

 

Safety Partnerships

National, 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
• Mental Health First Aid
• Crisis Text Line

Nationally, Boys & Girls Clubs of America has advocated the passage of the U.S. Protect Act, which improved background screen systems and access. The national organization has also partnered with the FBI, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children and the Center 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 BGCDA. To learn more about our national safety policies and actions, please visit Boys & Girls Clubs of America's Child Safety page.