Working with Kids

This was my first thought. My wife and I see a local attorney every few years to revise our will and POA docs. We do OK professionally, but I'm not sure how many couples our age (~40) could afford basic legal services, much less be able to vigorously defend their reputations in court. A prominent venture capitalist once remarked (I'm paraphrasing): "Single digit millionaires don't have access to the legal system." He funded Hulk Hogan's successful civil suit against a tabloid magazine because he and Hulk Hogan (a single digit millionaire) shared a common enemy in the tabloid. Hulk Hogan, whose net worth had been reduced to "only" a few million after a divorce and other legal issues, could not afford to sue a tabloid without the backing of a billionaire who also had an axe to grind against the same tabloid. Good luck, Mr. Falsely-Accused Scouter.

Gold Standard Checklist (Child USA's Gold Standard pages 19-21)   Primary Prevention Background Screening Written, signed employment or volunteer application Conducts structured interviews Calls and speaks to at least 3 references Conducts multiple levels of checks for every employee or volunteer Conducts background screenings for all third-party contractors who have contact with children Conducts international background checks for all potential employees and volunteers who have lived in other countries Employee must pass background investigation before beginning employment Repeat background screening at least every five years Safe Physical Environment and Adequate Supervision Visibility throughout the building, Bright lighting in all areas Clear windows to allow visibility into offices and meeting rooms Formal screening procedures for building entrances and exits, including a sign in/out sheet and a staff monitor Video surveillance technology in all spaces where adults have contact with children. Adequate staff-to-child ratios Adequate supervision to staff to perform regular, unannounced site visits Separate sleeping, changing, and bathing accommodations for adults and children during overnight trips Prohibit staff / volunteers from providing one-on-one transportation for children Prevention Training Provides child sexual abuse prevention training for employees / volunteers, parents, and children Require training for employees / volunteers to be completed within 30 days of being hired and before working with minors Repeat training at least annually Utilizes evidence-based training programs Code of Conduct Provides guidelines on appropriate physical contact Provides guidelines on verbal interactions, prohibiting sexualized conversations or emotional boundary violations Provides guidelines for interacting digitally and/or on social media [12] Prohibits grooming behaviors such as forming special relationships or giving children special gifts or privileges Prohibits sharing sleeping quarters with children during overnight trips or travel for competitions The Code of Conduct explained to children and parents and posted on the organization’s website Prohibits off-site interactions between staff / volunteers and children unless part of organizational activity with parental permission. Prohibits one-on-one interactions between adults and children Requires staff and volunteers to sign a statement of receipt and agreement with the Code of Conduct upon being hired and annually thereafter Reporting Red-Flag Behaviors Designates an internal officer within the human resources department to receive all reports of “red flag” behaviors and coordinate a response Provides a confidential means of making reports if the reporter wants to remain anonymous Conducts a risk assessment following reports of concerning behaviors Determines fitness for employment and decide on any restrictions Limits contact with minors to supervised interactions until decision is made Notify all future employers of boundary violation concerns   Response to Abuse Reporting Abuse to Civil Authorities Makes it clear in policies that abuse only needs to be suspected; personnel are not to attempt to carry out their own investigation Reports all allegations of abuse, including those beyond any statute of limitations, to authorities as required by law Requires reporting within 24 hours of first knowledge or disclosure of abuse Lay out who to call, information to include in call, and phone numbers to call Provides information on how to report abuse on website and in child-friendly posters on the organization’s premises Suspected abusers should not be confronted by staff; first contact should be made by law enforcement Establishes penalties for failures to report, including organizational and legal consequences Establishes whistleblower protection policies and provide good-faith immunity for reporters Cooperation with Independent External Investigations Informs law enforcement of suspected or known abuse and cooperate with investigation Seizes evidence in a timely fashion Describes and documents evidence in writing and preserve descriptions in records Turns all evidence over to civil authorities Suspends accused staff member or volunteer during investigation Prohibits accused from contacting or retaliating against victim in any way Asks coworkers and direct supervisors to report any inappropriate behavior they have observed Prohibits transfers within the organization or employment recommendations while investigation of abuse is pending Victims' Rights and Assistance Posts victims’ rights throughout the premises, on the website, and in an employee / volunteer handbook Establishes rights for victims to: Physical and emotional safety Privacy Report abuse Receive support and assistance (e.g., counseling, mental health treatment) Know the status and results of any investigation An apology letter from YSO leadership Not be bound to a confidential settlement agreement Acquire legal representation Establishes an independent victim’s assistance coordinator Provides funding for counseling or mental health treatment regardless of victim’s decision to pursue legal action Recognizes need to prevent revictimization and develop a plan to meet any special needs of the child so that he or she can feel safe within the organization Monitoring and Evaluation Takes corrective action to strengthen policies and practices following the completion of civil investigations Strengthens policies and practices through continuous evaluating effectiveness of practices and programs Evaluates policies and programs with evidence-based methods and strategies Establishes regular benchmarks and milestones for meeting prevention goals Considers external audits to probe for other areas of weakness in program and policies

Nov 20, 2024 Scouting America will adopt Child USA's Gold Standard Tool According to Glen Pounder, Chief Safeguarding Officer at Scouting America, “As an organization, Scouting America is dedicated to becoming a leader in safeguarding youth, inside and outside of Scouting. We are impressed with CHILD USA’s Gold Standard not only because of its efficiency, but also what we have been able to learn from it. We would recommend this for any youth-serving organization dedicated to effective and comprehensive child sex abuse prevention.” Conclusion from Child USA's Gold Standard Tool   "YSOs exist to improve children’s lives. Unfortunately, organizations have failed too often to put adequate protections in place to prevent CSA and to respond appropriately when abuse is uncovered. CHILD USA’s Gold Standard provides an accessible set of recommendations that YSOs can implement to make sure they are up to date on best practices in CSA prevention.    Youth-serving institutions need strong policies to provide a blueprint of appropriate behavior. Policies and procedures also represent important risk-management tools for the prevention and early identification of sexual misconduct and for protecting those vulnerable to or already victimized by misconduct.   However, good policies are only the first step to preventing CSA. Risk of CSA grows in an atmosphere of secrecy. Preventing future abuse requires educating children, parents, and personnel at all levels of an organization about abuse and encouraging them to speak up whenever a concern arises.   YSO leaders must also work closely with their employees and volunteers to constantly reinforce an organizational culture of prioritizing child protection first and foremost. Values such as transparency, accountability, and an emphasis on children’s rights can form the basis of such a culture. Ultimately, it is up to the adults responsible for caring for children to demonstrate a total commitment to their safety, which starts with sound policy and continues as a constant process of vigilance, evaluation, and recommitment to preventing CSA.  - Child USA Gold Standard" Sources: https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2024/11/20/2984723/0/en/CHILD-USA-Partners-with-Scouting-America-to-Prevent-Child-Sexual-Abuse-Through-the-Adoption-of-the-CHILD-USA-Gold-Standard-Diagnostic-Tool.html https://childusa.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/CHILD-USAs-Gold-Standard.pdf  

Most Scouters I know do not have a personal attorney, nor can they afford one. As for the CO, most I have encountered are not active. And if they are active, councils tend to give them very little info on the situation in my experience. Heck when I was a DE, the SE kept info from me, and when I called him to tell him something about a situation, was told , " Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you....."  And another organization's investigation won't mean squat to BSA. I knew someone falsely accused of sexual assault. There was a criminal investigation, and the evidence they found supported my friend. Even though she was cleared, she was still banned by the BSA.

The Charter Representative was even kept in the dark on this whole deal. The Council Executive revoked the membership of the person and then informed the Charter Representative what he did. Gave vague details and then changed them later. The same Executive refuses to provide any details even to the person that was removed. Just vague, generalized charges with no specific information. The information he has provided does not even match up to the information provided to the Charter Representative and Charter Organization.  Real sketchy deal all around.