Safety Is Our Top Priority

The safety and well-being of children in the care of our Y is, and always will be, our top priority.

Understanding the facts about child sexual abuse is crucial for addressing abuse and informing prevention efforts, policy decisions, and support services.

We know that today

  • 1 in 10 children are sexually abused before their 18th birthday.

  • 90% of children who are abused know the abuser.

  • There are more than 60 million adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse in the U.S. yet, 80% never reported their abuse.

  • False reports are rare. Research shows that less than 5% of child sexual abuse reports are fabricated.

Sources: Darkness to Light and Praesidium 

Our Commitment to Child Protection

As a youth-serving organization that reaches over 7,000 children and teens every year, the YMCA of Montclair’s most important work is creating safe environments for young people. That any child or teen would experience harm in our care is unacceptable. Ensuring the safety and well-being of young people is foundational to everything we do at the Y to help them learn, grow, and thrive. When we all take action, abuse is preventable. Read our Child Abuse Prevention Policy and our Code of Conduct. 

How We Create Safe Spaces For Children and Teens

As an organization, we have taken the following actions to keep kids safe in our Y facilities, camps, and programs and maintain the reputation of safety we have built during our 175-year history:

All new employees and volunteers undergo a background check prior to hiring, and they must provide three references. All staff and volunteers must also go through new checks on a biannual basis, or if they’re returning to the Y after a 90-day break or transferring into a licensed program. Our members and guests are also screened through a Raptor system daily that integrates with The National Sex Offender Registry. Read more about Raptor below.

Comprehensive online and in-person child abuse prevention training is mandatory for all YMCA employees and volunteers, and they are required to refresh their training annually. The goal is to educate on inappropriate conduct, while also teaching the warning signs of abuse.

Should any allegation arise, the YMCA will proactively work with the authorities and all parties involved to respond promptly, thoroughly, and empathetically.

This web-based platform identifies unwanted visitors instantly by scanning driver’s licenses and state-issued IDs and keeps unwanted guests from entering our YMCA. If a potential threat is identified, the Raptor system will send an instant alert to designated management staff. If necessary, law enforcement will be notified.

The YMCA of Montclair maintains a zero-tolerance policy toward child abuse and child endangerment, and staff are to report any questionable behavior they see or violations of their Employee Code of Conduct.

To ensure we continuously uphold the highest standards in child safety and protection, we have developed internal teams that routinely audit our operations, and utilize the Praesidium assessment tool developed by Praesidium, a consulting firm that specializes in abuse prevention and risk management.

How You Can Help Prevent Child Abuse

At the Y, child abuse prevention is a 365-day effort. During Child Abuse Prevention Month in April, we encourage parents and caregivers to participate in the Five Days of Action – a weeklong campaign to raise awareness of child sexual abuse and empower and equip our communities to prevent it. By taking part in this important campaign and implementing abuse prevention practices year-round, we can all commit to the safety of children in our care.

The Know. See. Respond. campaign ties in three impact areas – preventing child sexual abuse at summer camp, in youth sports, and on the internet. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, U.S. Center for SafeSport , and Praesidium have shared resources to support this campaign.

Child Protection Resources

The YMCA of Montclair is committed to the highest level of professional integrity and conduct that supports a workplace that is free of illegal and unethical behavior.

Staff and volunteers alike are expected to adhere to the policies, procedures, and code of conduct that clarify their ethical obligations and responsibilities.

To anonymously and confidentially report an activity that may involve criminal conduct or violations of the YMCA Standards of Ethical Behavior, please use montclairymca.ethicspoint.com.