Child Protection at the Y
The safety and well-being of children in our care is, and always will be, our top priority.
Our Commitment
As a youth-serving organization, The YMCA of the Okobojis is committed to keeping children safe in our community. Ensuring the safety and well-being of young people is foundational to everything we do at the Y to help them learn, grow and thrive.
Creating a Child-Safe Environment
The YMCA of the Okobojis works in partnership with parents and guardians of children in Y programs to protect children from abuse. To keep children in our programs safe, we have a series of measures in place to keep kids safe. Our child protection policies are developed using the Praesidium Safety Equation framework. To keep children in our programs safe, we take the following steps in our intensive screening of employees and volunteers:
- Criminal history and sex offender registry checks are conducted on staff and volunteers.
- Conduct staff reference checks which include questions on the applicant’s suitability to work with children.
- Require staff and volunteers to complete training on preventing, recognizing and responding to abuse. Staff go through refresher training annually.
- Require staff and volunteers to agree to our child safety code of conduct which includes rules such as:
- Prohibits staff and volunteers from being alone with a child; interactions must be observable and interruptible.
- Restricts staff contact with children outside of YMCA programs (including babysitting, social networking, etc.).
- Provides acceptable and unacceptable physical and verbal interactions.
- Require allegations or suspicions of abuse be reported to the proper authorities in accordance with Iowa State law.
- We continually evaluate and improve our child safe practices by conducting an in-depth child abuse prevention self-assessment using Know Your Score every two years.
- We share our policies with parents and the community to create a network that is equipped to know, see, and respond!
Know how to recognize boundary violations and how offenders operate. It’s up to us as adults to do all we can to prevent child sexual abuse and create safe environments for children. Teaching children about their bodies, recognizing warning signs, and responding to any concerns are important first steps. Even very young children can learn some skills to help keep themselves safe from sexual abuse, but it’s up to parents to help them learn what they need to know.
Keep eyes and ears open for signs of abuse and talk with your child, asking them about your concerns. If something is wrong, you may see a sudden change in your child’s behavior, or you may hear unusual comments.
If you see or hear these things, follow up. Find a relaxed time to talk with them.
Respond immediately. If your child tells you about sexual abuse or inappropriate behavior, your response plays a big role in how your child understands abuse and how he/she recovers.
- Stay calm.
- Comfort your child.
- Listen carefully.
- Ask for examples.
- Do not threaten or criticize the person your child is accusing.
Know. See. Respond.
Ensuring children are safe from abuse and able to learn, grow and thrive is the highest priority of the YMCA. We are committed to creating programs that protect children from abuse, but we are also committed to providing our families and community with information to keep kids safe everywhere. It is the power of our community knowing, seeing and responding which will make it more difficult for offenders to abuse.
Reporting Suspected Abuse
Call Iowa State’s toll-free, 24-hour, 7-day-a-week hotline that will connect you directly to the appropriate local office to report suspected child abuse or neglect.
If you suspect that someone is being sexually abused at the YMCA of the Okobojis, please contact us immediately so we can take action. You can reach out to our CEO or Human Resources at 712-336-9622. You may also complete this form.
If you prefer to make an anonymous report, you may call our partners at the Praesidium Helpline 24/7 at 855-347-0751. Praesidium’s Y Helpline provides employees, volunteers, parents, and participants with a way to report suspicious or inappropriate behaviors and policy violations. Anonymously, if desired.
Please note this helpline does not replace any applicable mandated abuse and neglect reporting to state authorities and does not include legal advice.
How to File a Grievance or Complaint
At the YMCA of the Okobojis, we are committed to providing the best programs, services and support to our community. To report a grievance or complaint, please complete this form. All reports are confidential.