Monitoring Behavior is Everyone’s Responsibility 

Monitoring behavior is the duty of all to hold each other accountable for appropriate and acceptable behaviors and to report inappropriate behaviors to leadership. Everyone at your organization, including all staff, and volunteers have a duty to keep kids safe while under their care at all times.  

Use the three tenets of Monitoring Behavior at your organization to prevent sexual abuse:  

1. Developing the monitoring protocol 

Everyone at your organization must be held responsible for their conduct. Start by specifying the duties of all staff and volunteers hold in recognizing concerning or inappropriate behaviors. All staff must also be aware of when and how to report suspicions or observations of inappropriate behavior when first noticed.  

2. Promoting a culture of safety  

Promoting a culture of safety means that all staff should feel comfortable asking questions and bringing concerns to leadership. Modeling appropriate behaviors and providing positive reinforcement when expected behaviors are observed are two ways leadership can create a safety culture. Parents and guardians should be kept informed about your commitment to keeping kids safe and current structures to prevent sexual abuse.  

3. Sustaining the monitoring protocol 

Sustaining a culture of safety over time involves supervising and continually training staff and volunteers on your monitoring protocol.  Utilize supervision and training to ensure all staff remain informed about their expectations. Outline the areas of need at your organization and create interventions based on routine surveys and assessments. 

Protect children from sexual abuse by continuously monitoring the behavior of all leadership, staff and volunteers at your site. When everyone hold’s each other accountable for appropriate behaviors, children are protected and kept safe from harm. Visit safekidsthrive.org to learn more about Monitoring Behavior.