CLUB SAFETY
Safety is Our Number One Priority.
At Boys & Girls Clubs of Missoula County, there is nothing more important than the safety of our youth members. We work every day to create a safe, fun environment, so young people can have every opportunity to be successful in life.
We do not tolerate inappropriate behavior of any kind, including child sexual abuse or misconduct. From strict adherence to policies and guidelines within Club facilities and staffing structure, to equipping young people with the critical thinking and social-emotional skills to make healthy, safe choices, ensuring Club members are safe is the first step to their success.
For the 440+ young people who enter the doors of a BGCM Clubhouse each day, our Clubs offer safe, inclusive spaces and experiences that empower members’ learning and growth.
Culture of Safety
Boys & Girls Club of Missoula County continually updates robust safety policies, programs, and training for our staff 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 youth safe, including:
Safety Policies
Boys & Girls Clubs of Missoula County has comprehensive safety policies in place that protect youth – including, but not limited to, supervision, transportation, communication and prohibiting private one-on-one contact. You can see our full Membership and Safety Policies by clicking here.
24-hour Toll-free Child Safety Hotline
We encourage all staff, Club 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 Missoula county 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
Mandatory criminal background checks are required every year for every staff and board member at Boys & Girls Club of Missoula County. In addition, criminal background checks are required for any volunteer who has direct contact with children.
Required Immediate Reporting
Boys & Girls Club of Missoula County staff 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 Club(s).
Safety Trainings
Ongoing training and supervision of staff is critical. We participate in a wide variety of child safety training conducted such as CPR, First Aid, and recognizing and reporting child abuse.
Safety Committee
Boys & Girls Clubs of Missoula County has a dedicated Board-led Safety Committee to provide input and guidance on local policies and safety strategies. Priorities and initiatives include:
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:
Locally, Boys & Girls Clubs of Missoula County partners with:
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 Clubs of Missoula County. To learn more about our national safety policies and actions, please visit Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s Child Safety page, here.
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