27th Annual MASOC & MATSA Joint Conference:…
27th Annual MASOC & MATSA Joint Conference: Preventing Sexual Violence through Assessment,…
Guidelines for Screening & Hiring in 3 Steps
A key method to prevent child sexual abuse in your Youth-Serving Organization (YSO) is to develop a screening process to determine an individual’s suitability to work with children while screening out those who may pose a risk of harm before they are hired or permitted to volunteer. The intention of your hiring and screening process should be to select highly skilled and qualified people for staff and volunteer positions and to screen out those who may not be safe individuals. Our following guidelines can help you keep the kids in your care safe.
Step 1- Basic requirements
To better assist staff in adhering to a protocol for potential new hires, it’s crucial to establish a standardized process for collecting screening information. This should include a timeline with designated staff for each step, and an outline of documentation procedures. Clearly designate the level and type of screening that will happen based on the needs of the YSO. Personal interviews are a great way to get to know potential staff and can be used to learn about the candidate’s interest and suitability in working with children. Live reference checks should be used to get more information about the potential staff, to verify past employment, and gauge potential signs of risk factors for harmful behaviors. Consider requiring a written application and signed Statement of Suitability that asks them to confirm that all answers are true, no information was withheld, and nothing in their background would prevent them from working safely with children.
Step 2- Assess risk and additional screening requirements
When implementing safety protocols, what works for one YSO may not be effective for another. As a result, additional risk and screening requirements may need to be considered. Examine the nature, duration and frequency of contact between staff and youth, as well as the physical locations of activities where adults interact with children and youth. Determine which employee interactions with children and youth are supervised, monitored and unsupervised. Recognize the ages and vulnerabilities of the youth being served and find potential situations for any staff to be alone with any child or group of children. Lastly, include any additional requirements in Massachusetts and Federal laws that must be added to your screening policies and procedures.
Step 3- Implement additional screening measures
To better customize safety protocols to your organizational needs, your YSO may consider completing additional screening measures, such as:
- Conducting a state criminal records check (CORI) and national criminal background checks at the time of hire and periodically during employment.
- Verifying state and national child abuse registry checks annually.
- Confirming the candidate’s past training, academic, and employment records to ensure that the potential staff has adequate experience for the position they are applying for.
- If staff will be transporting children, checking the candidate’s driving qualifications and records to verify safe transportation.
Screening and Hiring procedures will demonstrate a YSO’s commitment to safety to all candidates and may help YSOs determine the suitability of the candidates who will come in contact with children in their care. To better protect kids, YSOs need to follow basic requirements, assess risk and additional screening requirements, and implement additional screening measures.
Visit safekidsthrive.org to learn more about Screening and Hiring.
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