Grounding Training Programs in Informing Frameworks
The approaches in the chart below can provide frameworks that make your organization most effective when training adults and/or children/youth….
Home / Reporting / Reporting: Responding to Allegations of Abuse
Staff and volunteers at the YSO (Youth-Serving Organization) should be proficient in discussing abuse and responding to disclosures of abuse. YSO leadership should create environments in which staff and volunteers feel safe to discuss any question, concern, or issue about behavior toward children in the workplace, and report suspicions and allegations of abuse without fear of negative consequences.
To support appropriate responses:
Maximize opportunities to talk with staff about child protection issues and policies to build comfort with the topic of child abuse. It is critical that conversations about child abuse prevention occur frequently to increase children safety as well as staff and volunteer comfort with the subject. Open conversations with staff and volunteers can help encourage asking questions about responsibilities of safety and reporting.
Use supervision to support staff in coming forward to discuss concerning behaviors, or to report suspicions, observations, or disclosures of child abuse. Leadership should continuously discuss child safety with staff and volunteers and clarify concerns or questions they may have. Encourage observations and support staff and volunteers in coming forward when there are concerns, suspicions, or disclosures of sexual abuse.
Reinforce and remind staff that how adults respond to a disclosure of abuse can impact the recovery of the child. In-depth training should be provided to support staff and volunteers in responding properly to disclosures of sexual abuse. Adults should respond by validating and supporting the child when they disclose sexual abuse.
Certify that staff and volunteers know reporting suspected abuse affords protections for the reporter under Massachusetts law. All staff and volunteers should be aware of the protection they are given when they report suspected abuse to DCF. Without concerns of personal liability, the reporter is more likely to come forward.
Ensure staff and volunteers who report suspected abuse will not be subject to any adverse action by the organization or their colleagues. Mandated reporters should also be afforded protection from any negative action at the organization. Staff and volunteers should feel safe to report, without retaliation from the organization or from others at the organization.
Appropriate responses to disclosures or suspicions of sexual abuse increase the likelihood of safe outcomes for children at your YSO. Leadership should train and frequently discuss responses to potential abuse with staff and volunteers in order to reinforce the YSO’s mission of safety.
Training
The approaches in the chart below can provide frameworks that make your organization most effective when training adults and/or children/youth….
Reporting
All staff must be aware of the warning signs and symptoms of child abuse and neglect, know how to respond appropriately, and report suspected cases…
Policies & Procedures
Policies for youth-serving organizations in Massachusetts should clearly identify the duties and responsibilities of all staff, reflect both Federal…
Code of Conduct
Your Code of Conduct will be unique to your organization, based on your size, purpose, location, staffing, ages served, additional vulnerabilities…
Screening & Hiring
Finding and retaining a qualified and diverse workforce is one of the greatest challenges for youth-serving organizations like yours. Given the…
Code of Conduct
Your Code of Ethics helps to guide the behavior and decision-making of your staff, volunteers, and participants by clarifying the standards and…
Screening & Hiring
Start with Basic Screening It is very important that all applicants who provide direct services and who are seeking positions of trust—either…
Screening & Hiring
Additional screening and hiring measures should be implemented based on the specific needs, responsibilities, and risks of your Youth-Serving…
Training
Training Program Design Checklist Each youth-serving organization is unique, and each community has its own set of values, strengths, and…
Policies & Procedures
In order to create concrete and detailed Policies and Procedures at your Youth-Serving Organization (YSO), it is necessary to analyze what policies…
Customized child sexual abuse prevention guidelines to meet the unique needs of any organization that serves children.
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