Our Commitment to Safety

The safety and protection of children is our number one priority and we work tirelessly to maintain a safe environment for young people.

Boys & Girls Clubs of Oceanside (BGCO) has many procedures and protections in place to ensure the safety of the children we serve. We enforce the following safety policies to provide a safe environment:

• We train staff on safety and comply with mandatory background checks, immediate reporting to authorities and annual safety assessments.
• As a part of Boys & Girls Clubs of America, our national organization, BGCO has a mandatory requirement to immediately report all incidents to the appropriate authorities and to Boys & Girls Clubs of America regardless of severity.
• We perform mandatory, comprehensive criminal background checks on all potential employees and volunteers, including a search of the National Sex Offender Database. In addition, these background checks are done annually on all staff.
• All prospective employees must pass a pre-employment drug screening.
• As part of our Board led Programs & Personnel Committee, we have an ongoing focus on safety, elevating it to the highest level of governance.
• We have comprehensive safety policies in place.
• All employees are mandated to report any suspicion of child abuse and all employees attend annual training on child abuse prevention, reporting requirements and procedures.
• We complete a mandatory annual safety assessment at all of our Club locations.
  
• We collaborate with outside safety experts on training, policies and resources.
• Any employee looking for employment at another Club, MUST have a reference from the previous Club.

At the national level, Boys & Girls Clubs of America has a dedicated Child and Club Safety Team and an extended field staff supporting local Clubs and members. They continually update and provide robust safety policies, programs and trainings for local Club staff that are designed to protect young people from threats that are present in our society. Boys & Girls Clubs of America has also partnered with RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network), a leading expert in child safety, to provide immediate support and guidance to Clubs.

We are committed to providing an environment that ensures the safety and well-being of young people. Every day BGCO provides our youth with safe spaces during out-of-school time. These young people are served by caring professional staff who guide and mentor in positive Club environments. Our focus remains on creating a nurturing environment where children are safe, happy and empowered to become healthy, active and productive adults.