Monitoring and responding to inappropriate behavior is a part of the job of every individual involved in your organization. It means observing interactions and reacting appropriately. This includes interactions involving employees and volunteers with children/youth, as well as  child-to-child and youth-to-youth interactions. Youth leaders often require more supervision and monitoring because they’re young, lack experience, may lack judgment, and are harder to screen. Your monitoring requirements should be defined based on your organization’s mission and activities. 

Supervisors and managers have a particular responsibility to remain vigilant and available to staff and volunteers who deal directly with children and youth. Your staff will need to know how to respond to behaviors that appear inappropriate or are causing concern, how to intervene appropriately and effectively, and how to report harmful behaviors. Staff are also responsible for helping other staff, especially new staff members, understand and adhere to your Code of Conduct. Your staff members and volunteers should be aware that if they see something, and don’t correct or report it, they become part of the problem. 

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