Child Safety

Culture of Safety: Boys & Girls Club of the Umpqua Valley continually updates robust safety policies, programs and training for our staff and volunteers that are designed to promote child safety and protect young people from threats that are present in our society. We implement layers of safety policies and guidelines to keep our kids safe including: 

• Conduct pre-employment and pre-volunteering background checks on employees and volunteers 
• Mandatory incident reporting
• Mandated reporter requirements
• Prohibition of one-on-one contact between staff/volunteers and Club members
• A limited restroom usage policy with separate bathrooms for adults and minors
• Supervision of Club members
• Transportation of Club members and staff
• Emergency preparedness 
• Ongoing staff training 

Safety Policies: Boys & Girls Club of the Umpqua Valley has comprehensive safety policies in place that protect youth – including, but not limited to, supervision, transportation, communication and prohibiting private one-on-one contact. 

24-hour Toll-free Child Safety Hotline: We encourage all staff, members and families to report any incident or situation they feel is unsafe. Through our national partnership with Praesidium, one of the nation’s leading safety experts, Boys & Girls Club of the Umpqua Valley members and staff have access to  a confidential 24-hour toll-free Child Safety Hotline, 866-607-SAFE (7233) or email SafeClub@Praesidiuminc.com. 

Mandatory Background Checks: CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECKS: All local Club employees and board volunteers must undergo an annual criminal background check, and all volunteers (including minors) who have direct, repetitive contact with children must also receive an annual background check. The requirement also applies to staff and volunteers from other organizations who may work in local Clubs as part of a partnership or collaboration. All potential employees and volunteers are also run through the National Sex Offender Registry.  

Required Immediate Reporting: Boys & Girls Club of the Umpqua Valley staff and volunteers are all mandated reporters. We are required to report any critical incident/safety concern to local authorities immediately. We are also required to report any critical incident to Boys & Girls Clubs of America within 24 hours.

Mandatory Annual Safety Assessments: We complete a safety assessment each year to ensure we continually make improvements to safety at our Clubhouses. 

Safety Trainings: Ongoing training and supervision of staff is critical. We participate in a wide variety of child safety training conducted such as seminars, conferences, and webinars. We also engage leading third-party safety experts to provide guidance for our policies and approaches, including Praesidium, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, and the National Children’s Advocacy Center.

Safety Committee: Boys & Girls Club of the Umpqua Valley has a dedicated safety committee to provide input and guidance on local policies and safety strategies. Priorities and initiatives include: 

• Employee and Volunteer background checks to scan the Sex Offender Registry and other databases  
• Emergency Preparedness and Crisis Management
• Employee and Volunteer Training
• Facility Maintenance and Upkeep
• Safety in the neighborhoods around the Clubhouse
• Transportation Policies & Procedures
• The safe arrival and exit of members 

Mandatory Employee Reference: Any employee interested in moving to another Boys & Girls Club is required to have a reference from the previous Club, even if the Clubs are within the same community.   

State and Local Laws: We comply with federal, state and local safety laws, including those impacting facilities and vehicles. 

Safety Partnerships: Nationally, Boys & Girls Clubs of America works with leading experts in the areas of safety, security and technology to develop state-of-the-art solutions for Clubs. Partners include: 

• National Child Safety Advisory Task Force, made up of leading experts and organizations
• Blue Ribbon Taskforce, comprised of local Club leaders charged with providing input on the safety direction and key safety initiatives
• Mental Health First Aid, a national program that teaches skills to recognize and respond to signs of mental illness and substance abuse
• Crisis Text Line, a confidential text message service for youth in times of crisis

Locally, Boys & Girls Club of the Umpqua Valley partners with:

• City of Roseburg, OR
• Douglas County Sheriff’s Department
• Roseburg Police Department
• Roseburg School District

Nationally, Boys & Girls Clubs of America has advocated the passage of the U.S. PROTECT Act, which improved background screening systems and access. The national organization has also partnered with the FBI, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children and the Centers for Disease Control to contribute to the development of safety practices that benefit ALL youth-serving organizations.

America’s young people deserve nothing less than our constant focus on their safety and our firm commitment to protect every child who is entrusted to our care at Boys & Girls Club of the Umpqua Valley. To learn more about our national safety policies and actions, please visit Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s Child Safety page, here.