Every day in America, 1 out of 4 kids leave school with no place to go. There are 20 to 25 hours a week that children are out of school while parents work – hours when kids risk being unsupervised and unsafe.
Providing a Safe Place for Local Youth is Our Number One Priority
We work every day to create a safe, fun environment, so kids can have every opportunity to be successful in life. We do not tolerate inappropriate behavior of any kind. Making sure Club members are safe is the first step to their success.
Culture of Safety
We continually update our safety policies, programs, and staff and volunteer training to promote child safety and protect young people from potential threats. We implement safety policies and guidelines to keep our kids safe including supervision, transportation, communication, prohibiting one-on-one contact, and a drug-free facility.
Our emergency evacuation site is First Congregational United Church of Christ, 54 S. Jackson St., Janesville.
24-Hour Toll-Free Child Safety Hotline
Through Praesidium, Club members and staff have access to a confidential, 24-hour, toll-free Child Safety Hotline, 866-607-SAFE (7233) or SafeClub@Praesidiuminc.com. All staff, Club members, and families are encouraged to report any situation they feel is unsafe to local child protective services or law enforcement.
Mandatory Background Checks
Background checks are required every year for each staff and Board member at the Club. Criminal background checks are required for any volunteer who has direct contact with children. All potential employees and volunteers are ran through the National Sex Offender Registry.
Required Immediate Reporting
All Club staff and volunteers are mandated reporters and are required to report any suspected child abuse or concern to local authorities immediately. We are also required to report any critical incident to Department of Children and Families and Boys & Girls Club of America within 24 hours.
Mandatory Annual Safety Assessment
We complete a safety assessment each year to ensure we continually make improvements to safety at our Club.
Safety Training
Ongoing training and supervision of staff is critical. We participate in child safety training such as fire safety, active shooter preparedness, recognizing child abuse and neglect, bullying prevention, suicide prevention, and social emotional support.
Safety Committee
Our dedicated safety committee provides input and guidance on local policies and safety strategies and focuses on:
- Building Safety
- Emergency Preparedness
- Verifying submission of the annual safety assessment
- Reviewing safety policies and results of all safety assessment to identify areas for improvement
- Implementing solutions to ensure the safety of all members, staff, volunteers, and visitors
Mandatory Employee and Volunteer Reference
We conduct a reference check on all potential employees or volunteers, including Board members. If a potential employee or volunteer has experience with another Club, we get a reference from that Club supervisor before making an offer.
State and Local Laws
We comply with federal, state, and local safety laws, including those impacting facilities and vehicles. We also comply with the Department of Children and Families group childcare license requirements.
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.
Locally, Boys & Girls Club of Janesville partners with:
- Janesville Police Department
- Janesville Fire Department
- School District of Janesville
- Janesville Mobilizing 4 Change
- Rock County Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force
America’s young people deserve nothing less than our constant focus on their safety. To learn more about our national safety policies and actions, please visit Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s Child Safety page.