Determine if the minimum physical and procedural standards for a safe environment are present.

Minimum physical standards include:

• Facilities designed or adapted to ensure clear sightlines
• All children and youth can be seen
• Unused areas/rooms secured and locked
• Off-limits areas clearly marked
• All areas well lit
• Safety rules and regulations posted

Minimum procedural standards include rules and regulations for using the space:

• Child/youth entry and release procedures (Check-in/sign-in/sign-out)
• Visitor entry policy and expectations while in the facility
• “No closed-door” policy
• Rules about 1-on-1 meetings
• Adequate staff-to-child/youth ratios for supervision, and a clear understanding of which adults are responsible for which children and youth
• Procedures for bathroom use, and changing and shower facilities (if applicable)
• Code of Conduct for employees/volunteers/children/youth (see Code of Conduct section)

Determine what additional activities, circumstances, risks or regulatory/licensing, or accreditation requirements pertain to the YSO.

• Are there additional requirements established by local, state, and national organizations/agencies?
• What size and how dispersed are the physical space(s) occupied by the YSO?
•  What kind of control does the YSO have over the design, maintenance, utilization of, and access to the physical space it occupies?
• Is transportation to/from the YSO and to/from YSO activities one of the services the YSO provides?
•  Are overnight activities, trips, competitions, exhibitions, etc. conducted by the YSO?
• Are 1-on-1 interactions between staff/volunteers and children/youth (mentoring, tutoring, counseling, etc.) a normal part of the services provided?
• Do the ages and circumstances (intellectual/physical disabilities or other limitations) of the children/youth being served, and the risk of the activity require modification of the staff and volunteer to child/youth ratio? How and when?
• By what means will staff and volunteers be able to communicate with one another – especially in emergency situations – if they are not co-located.
• Is electronic communication between staff/volunteers and children/youth prohibited/necessary/allowed, and under what circumstances?

Select and utilize additional safe environment measures as needed.

• Understand and implement additional statutory and/or regulatory requirements.
• Additional staff will be required for supervision of multiple rooms or space on multiple floors or in different buildings. A clear way to identify staff (badges, tee-shirts, caps) and an efficient means for staff to communicate with one another (walkie talkies, company cell phones, etc.) are important for larger spaces.
• If vendors and other service providers must enter the premises, you’ll need procedures for entry, identification, badging, monitoring, and notification to all staff. Children/youth also need to know that work areas are off-limits.
• Larger spaces may require surveillance cameras and mirrors to monitor adequately, and the designation of a single (possibly monitored) entry point to minimize/eliminate unauthorized entry by adults, and children/youth “wandering” through the building.
• Spaces not owned by the YSO (and unable to be modified) or that are in buildings with public access, will need additional signage to steer children/youth away from areas that are off limits, accompaniment to toileting facilities (for younger children), and periodic security checks of any public spaces through which children/youth must pass.
• Mentoring and relationship-oriented programs that require 1-on-1 meetings off-site will require visiting/inspecting the mentor’s home and additional supervision and vigilance.
• Off-site activities will require policies and procedures about the use of YSO transportation (ensure parental consent), additional screening of drivers (Also see the section on Screening and Hiring), policies about the use of personal vehicles to transport children and youth or, alternately, reliance on parents and other caregivers to transport their children to and from events.
• Overnight activities will require additional policies about room accommodations and sleeping arrangements, who is allowed in the rooms, who will check in on the children/youth, and how often, etc.
• If necessary, the use of social media and electronic communication between YSO personnel and children/youth should be governed by a social media policy and outlined in the Code of Conduct.
•  It is important for YSO leaders to periodically (at least annually) update themselves and their staff on advances in social media technologies in order to evaluate and review how these safe environment protocols are working and whether/how they need to be revised in order to remain effective.