Why are Abuse Prevention Policies and Procedures Necessary?
Policies inform your staff, volunteers, participants, parents and the community on what your organization will or will not do. Procedures map out how your organization will accomplish what the organizational policies commit to. Policies and procedures are critical because they establish the boundary lines for what are considered appropriate behaviors and what are considered inappropriate behaviors.
They:
- Control ACCESS to those in your care;
- Reduce PRIVACY with potential victims; and
- Limit CONTROL an offender might seek. (i.e., a policy that forbids gift-giving in one-on-one situations.)
Step 1: Create Your Abuse Prevention Policy
Make sure the policy is tailored to your organization’s needs and exposures. Be sure to have your legal council review your policy before finalizing. A great abuse prevention policy should clearly define appropriate and inappropriate behaviors for both staff and participants.
Additional Resources:
Reviver Statutes: A Case for Reviewing Recordkeeping Practices
Abuse Prevention Monitoring Area Assessment
Abuse Prevention Response Checklist
Sample Parent/Guardian Response Notification Letter
Allegations of Abuse Sample Questions
Crisis Response Toolkit: Build Your Abuse Crisis Response Plan