Creating child protection policies is a significant milestone for youth serving organizations (YSO). But writing effective policies is just the beginning. The real challenge—and the real opportunity—lies in ensuring your child protection policy remains a living, breathing part of your organizational culture rather…
A story from Southaven, Mississippi illustrates the importance of good training and policies in how to deal with a dilemma that youth organizations often face — when sexual activity between minors becomes a mandated reporting event. The district attorney…
In recent years, development NGOs have reenergized their efforts to safeguard children and vulnerable adults they work with from abuse and sexual exploitation. Many NGOs have adopted zero-tolerance policies for harassment, abuse, and exploitation. But safeguarding scandals continue, and even strenuous…
I am thankful I failed. So often we hear of failure as if it is a bad thing! It’s not! Not giving life a “good fight” with the chance of failure, now that can lead to a purposeless life. Giving up won’t get you anywhere. But, stepping…
On Veterans Day, we pause to honor those who have served our nation in uniform. We recognize their courage, their sacrifice, and their commitment to protecting our freedoms. But behind every service member stands a family that also serves—spouses who manage households through deployments, children…
When thieves pulled off a brazen daylight robbery at the Louvre this October, this article says security experts weren't particularly surprised. The investigation revealed what security professionals already knew: even the most prestigious institutions struggle with fundamental questions about where to place cameras, how to…
In the world of youth serving organizations, whether in schools, camps, or community programs, we often witness tense moments between kids. Is it just a spat over a toy, or something more sinister like bullying? As we mark National Bullying Prevention Month in October, it’s…
Despite the lessons about child protection policies provided by multiple highly-publicized sex abuse and safeguarding scandals, why do so many organizations that serve children, youth, and vulnerable adults still fall prey to the fast-talking, dynamic predator? Even after task forces and special commissions push for…
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act require youth-serving organizations to provide reasonable accommodations for disabilities, including developmental delays, behavioral disorders, and mental health problems. Putting that principle into practice can be very difficult, particularly…
One area that all youth-serving organizations and parents with children enrolled in YSOs need to understand is what the law requires as far as children with disabilities. It can be a complicated question, such as when a child’s disability harms other children or when a program…
Whatever it is that you are feeling, thinking, fearing, hating, or loving I want to offer you a reassurance in the fight towards finding hope and resilience by saying–it is okay! We all need to hear this. May we all read it, speak it,…
This past month has given us all a lot of gut-punches, from the shooting in Minneapolis to the murders in Charlotte and Utah to the anniversary of 9/11. I won’t repeat the many eloquent essays on how to view these…