Child Abuse Prevention

 

https://youtu.be/9bNCid0NjV8

What the Rockland County YMCA  Does to Protect Children

  • Screening - All new employees and volunteers undergo a background check prior to hiring, and they must provide at least four references. All staff and volunteers must also go through new checks on a biannual basis, or if they're returning to the Y after a 90-day break or transferring into a licensed program. Our members and guests are also screened through a Raptor system daily that integrates with The National Sex Offender Registry. Read more about Raptor below.

  • Training - Comprehensive online and in-person child abuse prevention training is mandatory to all YMCA employees and volunteers, and they are required to refresh their training annually. The goal is to educate on inappropriate conduct, while also teaching the warning signs of abuse.

  • Reporting - Should any allegation arise, the YMCA will proactively work with the authorities and all parties involved to respond in a prompt, thorough and empathetic manner.

  • Raptor - This web-based platform identifies unwanted visitors instantly by scanning driver’s licenses and state-issued ID’s and keeps unwanted guests from entering our YMCA. If a potential threat is identified, the Raptor system will send an instant alert to designated management staff. If necessary, law enforcement will be notified.

  • Policy - The Rockland County YMCA maintains a zero tolerance policy toward child abuse and child endangerment, and staff are to report any questionable behavior they see, or violations of their Employee Code of Conduct.

  • Auditing - To ensure we continuously uphold the highest standards in child safety and protection, we have developed internal teams that routinely audit our operations, and utilize the Praesidium assessment tool developed by Praesidium, a consulting firm that specializes in abuse prevention and risk management.

 

Make an Anonymous Report

 Policy for an Anonymous Reporting Mechanism for Employees and Volunteers

While we hope that our employees and volunteers feel that they can openly communicate any concerns, complaints, or grievances directly to someone in the organization, we understand that doing so can often be difficult. Because it is important to us that everyone be able to share their concerns, we provide the following mechanisms through which you can make an anonymous report:

The following is a list of anonymous reporting methods.

1. A mailbox, located at 35 S Broadway, Nyack NY 10960, which will be checked every other day by Nancy Bosack.

2. An anonymous online form that you can find and submit here https://forms.office.com/r/0Gb26m8UE2

3. Praesidium’s Helpline you can reach at 866-607-SAFE (7233). For additional information about this Helpline please see Appendix A. Please keep in mind that our ability to respond quickly and adequately may be affected if the information provided is limited.However, we are committed to responding to all anonymous concerns to the extent possible.

You may see these symbols around our branches:

person reading "know," head with glasses "see," hand up "respond"

 

These symbols stand for Know See Respond.

This symbol is a conversation starter for staff, parents, and guardians to talk about child protection. As we mentioned, our staff is fully trained on how to protect children. Please ask them about it. When we KNOW how abuse happens and SEE the warning signs we can RESPOND quickly to prevent it. Together we can foster a culture of child abuse prevention.

We urge you to talk to your children regularly about their experiences at the Rockland County YMCA. Ask them about their instructors. If, as a result, there is ever a concern regarding the safety and protection of your child, please notify our team immediately. You can also contact your YMCA Branch Executive.

Together, we can keep our children safe and cultivate the values, skills, and relationships that lead to positive behaviors, better health and educational achievement.

Thank you for being a part of our Y family.

To report suspected abuse, call 1.800.96ABUSE.

 

The Facts about Child Sexual Abuse

 

1 in 10 children are sexually abused before their 18th birthday.

  • 60 million adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse are walking among us; 80 percent never reported their abuse
  • In 90% of cases, the child knows and trusts the abuser.
  • More than 70% of children who are sexually abused are abused by a peer.
  • Survivors of child sexual abuse have a higher likelihood of psychological disorders, excessive drug and alcohol use, eating disorders, suicidal tendencies, and violence.
  • Approximately 30% of children who are sexually abused are abused by family members.
  • False reports are rare. Research shows that less than 5% of child sexual abuse reports are fabricated.

Sources: Darkness to Light and Praesidium