News
One and Done: 5 Reasons Why 1 Background Check is Not Enough
Monday, January 27th, 2020
Most organizations today recognize that it is essential to screen employees and volunteers. But of those organizations, it is evident there are two prevailing opinions regarding the frequency of background checks: those who run one background check at the beginning of a person’s service and then never again; and those who run background checks at regular intervals. Which camp do you fall in, and why?
If you fall into the camp that thinks one background check is enough, we want to give you 5 reasons to reconsider:
- Over time, people and their situations change. A background check is only as up-to-date at the time it is completed. Conducting background checks at regular intervals helps ensure parents and members that leaders and volunteers are consistently being monitored. Does a background check from 1980 give you confidence in a person today? From 2000? How about 2015? Things change.
- Gaps between volunteer service. Many volunteers serve at annual events such as camps or Vacation Bible School. Sometimes, these volunteers are from outside the organization or even a different part of the country. A background check every 2 or 3 years is a worthwhile investment to stay up-to-date on their activities. In addition, people often change volunteer or staff positions, which means they may have new or more frequent access to vulnerable populations.
- People are people. When a person is convicted of a crime, whether it’s a DUI or an act of violence or an accident, they typically don’t want people to know about it. Regular background checks take the “human” element out of the equation and keep you informed about potential problems.
- It’s a risk management best practice. A thorough screening process that includes regular background checks is important because of the legal risks that churches and other faith-based organizations face. No system is perfect, but consistency helps establish a track record of due diligence when it comes to your protection program. Getting people in the habit of rescreening and retraining puts it in their routine and consciousness, especially when people at all levels are conforming to the same standards.
- You can never be too careful, especially where children, youth and vulnerable adults are concerned. Abuse happens in communities large and small, and “We know everyone” has been proven wrong time and time again.
Repeated background screening at regular intervals can give your organization the peace of mind that comes with knowing you have done what you can to prevent abuse. Make sure your background checks offer the most comprehensive and quality information, too. Don’t settle for just a sex offender search or “national” criminal search. A multi-county background check is going to give you the most information for your investment. For more information about background checks, read our archived newsletter article, “Are Your Background Checks Worth Their Salt?”
News
Time for Camp
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 and protection requirements for everyone working around young people.
Every camp should have policies that address behavior of adults working or volunteering around children and youth. Whether it is day camp or overnight camp, best practices include:
- Make sure all staff and volunteers working with children and youth have completed background checks.
- All staff and volunteers working with children and youth should be trained on your child-protection policies, as well as general knowledge about how to spot abuse, how to spot abusers, how to report abuse, etc. In addition, they should be trained about the policies specific to your church or camp.
- The two-adult rule, or two-deep leadership, should be followed during all camping activities. No staff member or volunteer should be alone with a camper. When traveling to different areas of the camp, there must always be at least three people (two counselors and one camper, or two campers and one counselor).
- When transporting children, there should always be more than one child or youth in a car with an adult. Counselors should not transport campers in personal vehicles, unless given permission by the campsite director.
- Staff and volunteers should only touch campers in appropriate ways as determined by the campsite director. Appropriate touch can include side hugs, high fives, pats on the back, hand-holding for safety, and touches on the shoulder. Touching should be initiated by the child or youth.
- Staff and volunteers should not request to add campers on any social network, or post pictures of campers on any social network, blog, or personal website.
- Staff and volunteers should not talk about their personal lives with campers or ask too many details about a camper’s personal life. Staff and volunteers should not exchange personal information, such as phone numbers, email, etc., with campers.
- All conversations with campers should be age- and language-appropriate.
- On camping trips, male and female young people must sleep in separate tents.
- For large rooms with many bunk beds or cots, such as cabins, male and female young people must sleep in separate cabins with adult leaders of the same gender, or separate sides of one large room with adult leaders between the two sides.
- Youth should not enter the sleeping quarters of youth of the opposite gender.
It is essential to communicate these and other best practices to volunteers, staff, parents, and youth prior to camping activities taking place.