PROTECTING CHILDREN AT THE Y

The YMCA is committed to providing a safe environment for every person who enters our doors, most importantly children who are entrusted to our care. As an organization, we take the following actions to keep kids safe in our Y facilities, camps and programs and to maintain the reputation of safety we have built during our 160+ year history.

Screening

• Conduct criminal history and sex offender registry checks on staff and volunteers upon hire and every two years thereafter.
• Conduct reference checks and interviews of staff and volunteers.
• Conduct nightly screenings of YMCA members against the National Sex Offender Registry.

Training

• Require staff and volunteers to complete training on abuse awareness and prevention procedures as well as abuse response and reporting.
• Lead personal safety discussions with children in youth development programs semi-annually. These discussions are intended to encourage children to help themselves, and to get help whenever they are being abused or when they find themselves in situations that make them feel uncomfortable.

SAFETY EXIT

SAFETY EXIT

Prevention

The Y does not tolerate the mistreatment or abuse of children in its programs by an adult or the mistreatment or abuse of one child by another child, including any behavior that is classified under the definition of bullying. Staff, volunteers, and the children in our programs are expected to act in a caring, honest, respectful, and responsible manner. Staff and volunteers abide by the Child Protection Code of Conduct.

Child Protection Code of Conduct

In summary, these abuse prevention procedure ensure our staff and volunteers provide sight and sound supervision and are NEVER alone with a child (including outside of Y programs) as well as practice appropriate touch, talk, and electronic communications with children. The YMCA’s procedures also seek to eliminate privacy in abuse high risk areas like restrooms, locker rooms, playgrounds, buses or any hidden/out of the way space and to especially ensure appropriate care during intimate and vulnerable activities like diapering, naptime and overnight programming.

Auditing

The YMCA of Greater Richmond has been awarded Praesidium Accreditation® by Praesidium, the leader in abuse risk management. Praesidium Accreditation® is a prestigious honor that publicly demonstrates the organization has worked to achieve the highest industry standards in abuse prevention. To achieve Accreditation, The YMCA of Greater Richmond underwent a rigorous process to implement Praesidium’s Accreditation Standards focusing on eight primary operational areas within their business: policies, screening and selection, training, monitoring and supervision, consumer participation, internal feedback systems, responding, and administrative practices. Praesidium then verified The YMCA of Greater Richmond’s successful implementation of these standards. The YMCA of Greater Richmond will be accredited for three years, and during this time will commit to uphold fundamental organizational values and stringent safety practices that demonstrate their commitment to protecting those in their care from abuse.

SAFETY EXIT

SAFETY EXIT

Community Awareness

The YMCA provides guardians of childcare and camp programs pertinent education on abuse prevention. In addition, the YMCA participates in the national child abuse prevention campaign, 5 Days of Action, every April.

Reporting

At the Y all reports of suspicious or inappropriate behavior with children or allegations of abuse at the Y will be taken seriously. The Y will fully cooperate with authorities if allegations of abuse are made and investigated. The Y cooperates fully with the authorities to investigate all cases of alleged abuse. Any staff or volunteer is expected to cooperate to the fullest extent possible in any external investigation by outside authorities or internal investigation conducted by the Y or persons given investigative authority by the Y. If you have any questions or concerns about Y staff or volunteers, or another program participant, you can:

• Report concerns to Y staff.
• Call the YMCA Safety Line 804.474.4345
• Email ethics@ymcarichmond.org or, contact the Executive Leadership of the YMCA by sending an e-mail to executiveleadershipteam@ymcarichmond.org
• Use the Confidential Reporting form below.
• Use Ethics Point (staff and volunteers only). See below for more information.

YMCA staff and volunteers are mandated reporters of child abuse and neglect, as identified in the Code of Virginia (§ 63.2-1509). YMCA staff are expected to report when they suspect that a child is being abused or neglected. If a mandated reporter fails to report as soon as possible, but no longer than 24 hours after having reason to suspect a reportable offense, the mandated reporter can risk fine penalties or may be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.

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. The YMCA provides anonymous ways for staff, volunteers and the community to report rule breaking or concerns to senior leadership.

Confidential Reporting

Please be as specific as possible when detailing the issue or concern.  If you would like a member of the YMCA Risk Management department to contact you, please indicate this on the form.

Access Confidential Report Here

Ethics Point

Each employee is responsible for bringing to the YMCA’s attention any circumstances that the individual believes constitutes an act of Misconduct, including any apparent or suspected violations involving the YMCA’s financial reports, accounting, or internal control policies and procedures. Any retaliation against any employee or other reporting individual because that individual, in good faith, reported a violation is strictly forbidden.

To facilitate reporting of suspected violations, especially in those situations where the reporting individual wishes to remain anonymous, the YMCA has established a hotline for employees and volunteers which may be accessed here.