Monday, January 29th, 2018
If you look up the term “grooming” on a dictionary website, you’ll find a definition that sounds like this: “to get into readiness for a specific objective.” As it applies to those who prey on children and youth, you’ll find that word to be particularly disturbing. What exactly does grooming mean when it comes to […]
Read More >>Monday, January 29th, 2018
Imagine this scenario: You are a staff member at a youth camp, and a parent approaches you with questions about your showering policies. You look through your policies but can’t find anything related to the topic. What do you do? First, don’t panic. It’s not unusual for policies to be incomplete in one area or […]
Read More >>Monday, January 29th, 2018
We’d like to share some good news with you about a new feature you can share with your applicants. They now can recover their username if they have forgotten it! All they have to do is click on the “Forgot your username?” link and they will receive an email with the correct information. In addition, […]
Read More >>Wednesday, October 25th, 2017
“Love one another” and “forgiveness” are at the heart and core of the message of churches and other faith-based organizations. But one of the greatest challenges for a church can happen when someone in the congregation has been cast out from society because of wrongdoing. In particular, many churches struggle with what to do with […]
Read More >>Wednesday, October 25th, 2017
All background checks are not created equal. Hearing that a background check has been run on someone can provide a false sense of security. Background checks are a very good risk management tool, but can also be confusing. Are you receiving the individual’s most recent and accurate information—no matter where he or she has lived? […]
Read More >>Wednesday, October 25th, 2017
Imagine this scenario: You are the coordinator for your organization’s youth group. You get an angry call from a parent—her daughter’s photo was posted on the organization’s Instagram page and has gone viral. Some of the comments are not flattering to the girl, and she is very upset. What do you do? First, apologize to […]
Read More >>Wednesday, October 25th, 2017
Do you know the most frequent reason that a Safe Gatherings application is delayed? Do you want to help speed up the process? The most frequent reason is because of references not responding to reference requests. There may be several reasons for this, including that the reference doesn’t see the email, it goes to the […]
Read More >>Tuesday, July 25th, 2017
Did you know that we offer tutorials for administrators, staff, and applicants? We want to make it as easy as possible for you to share information about Safe Gatherings with people in your organization. If you’re getting a number of questions about a certain aspect of the Safe Gatherings system, call or email us—we probably […]
Read More >>Tuesday, July 25th, 2017
It’s camping season: time for marshmallows, campfires, and avoiding those pesky mosquitoes. In addition to the valuable skills young people are learning as they navigate the great outdoors, many are leaving home for the first time and sharing new experiences. Off-site and overnight camping situations can create challenges and require a set of best practices […]
Read More >>Tuesday, July 25th, 2017
Imagine this scenario: You are a volunteer working with young children. One day, a mother drops off her special-needs child. Your supervisor and one of your colleagues attend to the child during class time. Later in your volunteer shift, you have a chance to interact with the child and he starts making loud noises. You […]
Read More >>Tuesday, July 25th, 2017
Dr. Larry Nassar was fired by Michigan State University last fall after multiple allegations of sexual abuse. As of this writing, he has been charged with 25 counts of criminal sexual misconduct in state court and accused of molesting more than 100 young women while acting in his role as a sports-medicine doctor and USA […]
Read More >>Monday, April 24th, 2017
In story after story, the headlines tell us that abuse knows no typical child and has no boundaries. This month, Choate Rosemary Hall in Wallingford, Conn., and the Emma Willard School, Troy, N.Y., both released reports that detail decades of alleged sexual abuse of students. Choate Rosemary Hall hails President John F. Kennedy, actor Michael […]
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