We work every day to create a safe, fun environment so kids can have every opportunity to be successful in life. We have ZERO tolerance for inappropriate behavior of any kind, including child sexual abuse or misconduct, and we put resources behind that stance. 
 

Culture of Safety:

Boys & Girls Club of Kootenai County continually updates robust safety policies, programs and training for our staff and volunteers 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 kids safe including:

​

• Sexual Abuse prevention training through BGCA.net

• Sexual Harassment training during on-boarding and annually

• Collaborate with school district 271 for suicide prevention

​

​

Safety Policies: 

Boys & Girls Club of Kootenai 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. 

24-hour Toll-free Child Safety Hotline: 

We encourage all staff, 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 Kootenai 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 Kootenai County. In addition, criminal background checks are required for any volunteer who has direct contact with children. All potential employees and volunteers are also run through the Sterling Talent Solutions.

Required Immediate Reporting: 

Boys & Girls Club of Kootenai County staff and volunteers 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 Clubs.

Safety Trainings:

Ongoing training and supervision of staff is critical. We participate in a wide variety of child safety training conducted such as monthly and annual staff meetings and training,  BGCA.net, webinars and community trainings. We also engage leading third-party safety experts to provide guidance for our policies and approaches, including Praesidium, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, and the National Children’s Advocacy Center.

Safety Committee:

Boys & Girls Club of Kootenai County has a dedicated safety committee to provide input and guidance on local policies and safety strategies. Priorities and initiatives include:

 

• Continued development of the foundation of safety

• Criminal background checks

• Immediate reporting to authorities, annual safety assessments

• Employee references

• Partnerships with state and local law enforcement

 

 

Mandatory Employee Reference:

Any employee interested in moving to another Boys & Girls Club is required to have a reference from the previous Club, even if the Clubs are within the same community.   

State and Local Laws:

We comply with federal, state and local safety laws, including those impacting facilities and vehicles. 

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:

 

• National Child Safety Advisory Task Force, made up of leading experts and organizations.

• Blue Ribbon Taskforce, comprised of local Club leaders charged with providing input on the safety direction and key safety initiatives.

• Mental Health First Aid, a national program that teaches skills to recognize and respond to signs of mental illness and substance abuse.

• Crisis Text Line, a confidential text message service for youth in times of crisis.

 

​

Locally, Boys & Girls Club of Kootenai County partners with:

• Coeur d’Alene and Post Falls Police Departments

• Child Protective Services

• Coeur d’Alene and Post Falls School Districts