boys and girls clubS of the keys AREA

CHILD SAFETY IS OUR #1 PRIORITY

Ensuring child safety is fundamental to the mission of Boys & Girls Clubs of the Keys. 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 or misconduct, and we put resources behind that stance. We continually update robust safety policies, programs and training for our staff and volunteers that are designed to promote child safety and protect o

SAFETY POLICIES

Boys and Girls Clubs of the Keys has comprehensive safety policies in place that protect youth, including, but not limited to, supervision, transportation, communication and prohibiting private 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, Boys & Girls Clubs of the Keys members and staff have access to a confidential 24-hour toll-free Child Safety Hotline, 866-607-SAFE (7233) or email SafeClub@Praesidiuminc.com.

Mandatory Background Checks:

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

Required Immediate Reporting:

Boys & Girls Clubs of the Keys 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 Annual Safety Assessments:

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

Safety Trainings:

Ongoing training and supervision of staff is critical. We participate in a wide variety of child safety training such as Sex Abuse Prevention, Identifying Warning Signs and How Offenders Operate, mostly through BGCA Leadership University. We also engage leading third-party safety experts to 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:

Boys & Girls Clubs of the Keys has a dedicated safety committee to provide input and guidance on local policies and safety strategies. Priorities and initiatives include:

Child Safety at the Clubs
Structure Safety
Staff Training

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 in our care at Boys & Girls Clubs of the Keys. To learn more about our national safety policies and actions, please visit Boys & Girls Club of America's Child Safety page.