Boys & Girls Club of Moorpark & Simi Valley
At the Boys & Girls Club of Moorpark & Simi Valley, Child Safety is Job #1
Ensuring child safety is fundamental to our mission.
The Safety and Well-being of Young People 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 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: The Boys & Girls Club of Moorpark & Simi Valley 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:
- First aid, CPR, AED and Emergency Response training
- Monthly facility safety checks and walkthroughs
- Member accident and incident review
- Building security and surveillance
- Transportation safety and daily vehicle checks
- Monthly safety drills
Safety Policies: The Boys & Girls Club of Moorpark & Simi Valley have comprehensive safety policies in place that protects 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, club members and families to report any incident or situation they feel is unsafe to their immediate supervisor and/or Director of Operations. Staff, Club Members, and Families 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 annual criminal background and national sex offender registry checks are conducted for every staff, board member and volunteer at the Boys & Girls Club of Moorpark & Simi Valley.
Required Immediate Reporting: The Boys & Girls Club of Moorpark & Simi Valley 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 an on-line safety assessment each year to ensure we continually follow safe practices and make improvements to safety at our Club.
Safety Trainings: Ongoing training and supervision of staff is critical. We participate in a wide variety of child safety training conducted such as first aid & CPR, mandated reporting, evacuation, active shooter, lockdown and more. 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: The Boys & Girls Club of Moorpark & Simi Valley has a dedicated board-led safety committee to provide input and guidance on local policies and safety strategies. Priorities and initiatives include:
- Safety planning and measurement
- Safety assessment and review
- Monthly facility checks
- Policy review
- Safety expertise and community involvement
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, the Boys & Girls Club of Moorpark & Simi Valley partners with:
- Ventura County Sheriff’s Office
- Moorpark Police Service Station
- Simi Valley Police Department
- California Highway Patrol
- Ventura County & Simi Valley Fire Department
Nationally, Boys & Girls Clubs of America has advocated the passage of the U.S. PROTECT Act, which improved background screening systems and access. The national organization has also partnered with the FBI, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children and the Centers for Disease Control to contribute to the development of safety practices that benefit ALL youth-serving organizations.
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 the Boys & Girls Club of Moorpark & Simi Valley. To learn more about our national safety policies and actions, please visit Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s Child Safety page, here.
