Child Safety

The safety and well-being of the youth we serve in our community 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 or misconduct. The safety and well-being of the youth we serve is our number 1 priority. We work every day to create a safe, fun environment for our youth. We have ZERO tolerance for inappropriate behavior of any kind, including child sexual abuse or misconduct. 

Culture of Safety

The Boys & Girls Club of Western Lane County continually updates our safety policies, programs, and training for our staff, volunteers, and board members. 

Safety Policies

The Boys & Girls Club of Western Lane County has a comprehensive set of safety policies in place that protect our youth. The Boys & Girls Club of Western Lane County does not hire or employ minors under the age of 18 nor does it use non-Club member minors under the age of 18 as volunteers. Registered Club members are permitted to participate in a wide range of internal and external volunteer opportunities as part of Club programming. All normal Club safety protocols – including those regarding supervision and one-to-one contact – remain in effect during these activities.  

24-hour Toll-free Child Safety Hotline

The Boys & Girls Club of Western Lane County encourages anyone that walks through our doors to report any incident or situation they feel is unsafe. Through our national partnership with Praesidium, one of the nation’s leading safety experts, Club 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 annually for all staff, volunteers, and board members. The requirement also applies to staff and volunteers from other organizations who may work in local Clubs as part of a partnership or collaboration. All potential employees and volunteers are also run through the National Sex Offender Registry.  

Mandatory Reporting

Our staff and volunteers are all mandated reporters. We are required to report any critical incident/safety concern to local authorities immediately and to Boys & Girls Clubs of America within 24 hours.

Mandatory Annual Safety Assessments

We complete a safety assessment each year to ensure we are abiding by best practices, editing policies as needed, and providing the safest environment possible for our Club members.

Safety Trainings

We participate in a wide variety of child safety training conducted such as seminars, conferences, and webinars. 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

The Boys & Girls Club of Western Lane County has a dedicated safety committee to provide input and guidance on policies and safety.

State and Local Laws

We comply with all federal, state and local safety laws.

Safety Partnerships

Nationally, 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, made up of leading experts and organizations
• Blue Ribbon Taskforce, comprised of local Club leaders charged with providing input on the safety direction and key safety initiatives
• Mental Health First Aid, a national program that teaches skills to recognize and respond to signs of mental illness and substance abuse
• Crisis Text Line, a confidential text message service for youth in times of crisis

Locally, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Western Lane County partners with:

• City of Florence, OR
• Florence Police Department
• Siuslaw School District

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