1. Principles of Youth Protection John C. Patterson Senior Program Director Nonprofit Risk Management Center March 2, 2005

2. Introduction Children should be protected from harm while receiving services from nonprofit, youth development organizations.

3. Duty to Care The relationship that a child has with your organization places responsibility on the organization to exercise reasonable care to protect the child from foreseeable harm.

4. Negligence Failure to fulfill the organization’s duty of care causing harm to a child.

5. Risk Management A way of coping with the possibility that the future may be significantly different from what may be expected.

6. The Seven Principles of Youth Protection 1) Know your clientele. 2) Select the right staff. 3) Train for the position and the organization. 4) Provide proper supervision. 5) Communicate with children, youths and their families or caregivers. 6) Control the environments in which services are delivered. 7) Take prompt action upon any allegation or suspicion of possible abuse.

7. Know your clientele. Developmental characteristics

8. Select the right staff

9. Are you a target? “Well guys, signed up to be a big recently. I'm supposed to be assigned a match sometime this week. I can't help thinking, why don't more BLs do this??? I mean, come on now, in my area at least, they have 75 kids on their waiting list. Down from 150 over the summer. They're BEGGING for folks to be AFs over there. They even let you profile what you want your yf to look like and be interested in. Am I missing something here???” Actual posting on Internet Website

10. How to meet kids “I don't know how old you are or what your interests are but here are a few ideas that work. Get involved as a tutor with the area school or work with the local boy scouts. Both groups are usually looking for adult assistance. Someone who can spend a few hours a week working with a youngster. Check with the local boy scout unit and see if they need someone to help with merit badges. Then choose what you are good at. All of these will help you get to know some of the local boys. Then you're on your own.” Another Posting on the Website

11. Train for the Position and the Organization

12. Provide proper supervision

13. Communicate with children, youths and their families or caregivers

14. Control the environments in which services are delivered.

15. Take prompt action upon any allegation or suspicion of possible abuse.