Child Protection

ABUSE PREVENTION

At The Family YMCA, it is our most important work to create safe spaces for children and teens to play, to learn, to be healthy, to discover who they are and what they can achieve.

What The Family YMCA Does to Protect Children

Screening - All new employees and volunteers undergo a background check prior to hiring, and they must provide at least four references. All staff and volunteers must also go through new checks on an annual basis, or if they're returning to the Y after a six month break or transferring into a licensed program. Our members and guests are also screened through a system daily that integrates with The National Sex Offender Registry. 

Training - Comprehensive online and in-person child abuse prevention training is mandatory to all YMCA employees and volunteers, and they are required to refresh their training annually. The goal is to educate on inappropriate conduct, while also teaching the warning signs of abuse.

Reporting - Should any allegation arise, the YMCA will proactively work with the authorities and all parties involved to respond in a prompt, thorough and empathetic manner.  In New Mexico any person having reasonable cause to believe that a child has been subjected to abuse or acts of abuse should immediately report this information to CYFD. (Citation: Ann. Stat. § 32A-4-3) If the child is in immediate danger, call 911.  A concerned caller does not need proof to report an allegation of child abuse and can make the report anonymously. 

Policy - The Family YMCA maintains a zero tolerance policy toward child abuse and child endangerment, and staff are to report any questionable behavior they see, or violations of their Employee Code of Conduct.

Auditing - To ensure we continuously uphold the highest standards in child safety and protection, we have developed internal teams that routinely audit our operations, and utilize the Praesidium assessment tool developed by Praesidium, a consulting firm that specializes in abuse prevention and risk management.  We are currently going through an accreditation process with Praesidium that will result in enhanced policies practices and procedures around child protection.

Read Our Policies and Practices 

Child Protection Policies                                 

High Risk Activity Management 

 

The Facts about Child Sexual Abuse

• 1 in 10 children are sexually abused before their 18th birthday.
• 60 million adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse are walking among us; 80 percent never reported their abuse
• In 90% of cases, the child knows and trusts the abuser.
• More than 70% of children who are sexually abused are abused by a peer.
• Survivors of child sexual abuse have a higher likelihood of psychological disorders, excessive drug and alcohol use, eating disorders, suicidal tendencies, and violence.
• Approximately 30% of children who are sexually abused are abused by family members.
• False reports are rare. Research shows that less than 5% of child sexual abuse reports are fabricated.

Sources: Darkness to Light and Praesidium

Short Video: The Impact of Child Abuse

Additional Resources:

Talk to Kids about Safety & Boundaries
Talking to Kids about Digital Safety
Suicide Fact Sheet
Concussions
Playground Safety
Safer Sleep Overs
Healthy Sexual Development 
Step up and Speakout