Parents entrust their children to the staff of a youth serving organization; there is an absolute assumption that the leaders and staff are doing everything they can possibly do to keep their children safe.
But many leaders of youth serving organizations can also carry an assumption. After – what they believe to be – a thorough interview process, referrals/recommendations, or years of service, they think that the people they hire will not harm children. And that is true for the vast majority of youth workers. But when 1 out of 10 children are sexually abused by their 18th birthday, and 90% of those children are abused by someone they know, love or trust, we statistically know that is a false assumption.
It is imperative for leadership to create a culture where youth protection is an absolute priority and staff embrace it because of the policies & procedures, training, and ongoing support they receive. When this is the open culture of an organization, it becomes a less desirable place to work for anyone with ill intentions toward youth. Staff and volunteers need to know how to proactively minimize the risk of abuse, recognize the warning signs of abuse, and know how to respond both morally and legally.
After a thorough risk assessment, Stark Consulting Group will review and/or develop youth protection policies & procedures specific to your organization that reflect best practices, are compliant with local and federal laws, practical, enforceable and effective.
Stark Consulting Group will develop and provide child sexual abuse prevention and response training that will help staff minimize the risk of abuse, recognize the warning signs of possible abuse, and know how to respond to a suspicion of or known abuse. All trainings are research-informed.
To fully wrap the youth in a blanket of protection, Stark Consulting Group offers educational materials for parents that focus on how to talk to their children about body safety, pragmatic ways to minimize the risk of abuse within their families, how to recognize the warning signs of abuse, and how to respond both legally and for the well-being of their child.
For more information or to get started: toby@starkcg.net
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