Danger of policies you don t follow
One of the most common mistakes I see my youth-serving clients make is having written child protection policies that they don’t adequately explain to on-the-ground staff. The case I highlighted last week may be an example of that problem. Having written policies that your staff members either don’t know about or don’t follow can set your organization up for big legal problems.
In that case, the appellate court considered a claim that clergy privilege exempted church leaders from a mandated report of child sexual abuse. The court opinion noted a church handbook that requires disclosure to civil authorities “when disclosure is necessary to prevent life-threatening harm or serious injury.” According to the court, those facts raised a jury issue whether the defendant clergy were obligated to report a disclosure of abuse. At this point in the case, it’s impossible to tell what the evidence in the case will show. The opinion, however, serves as a warning to all youth-serving organizations about how your own policies can cause you major legal headaches.
Why Child Protection Policies Are Non-Negotiable
Strong child protection policies are the backbone of any youth-serving organization’s child protection efforts. They’re not just rules—they’re your commitment to safety and trust. Here’s why they matter:
1. They Protect Kids: Policies like mandatory reporting or supervision protocols are designed to prevent harm. When your staff follows good policies, they will do a better job protecting the kids in your care.
2. They Ensure Consistency: Policies provide a clear playbook, so everyone handles situations the same way. Without them, you get chaos—different staff making different calls. The church’s leaders ignored a clear reporting mandate, creating a gap that let abuse continue.
3. They Protect Your Organization: Policies are your legal and ethical shield. Following them reduces the risk of lawsuits or reputational damage. I can’t say that you will never be sued. But if your staff follows your policies, you will be better able to defend your practices.
Embedding Policies into Your Organization’s Culture
To avoid having a child protection policy that just sits on a shelf gathering dust, you need to make policies a living part of your organization’s culture, not just a binder on a shelf. Here are some ways that I’ve seen work well in various YSOs:
1. Relentless Training: Don’t just hand out a child protection manual and expect all your staff to read all of it. Hold regular, interactive training sessions where staff and volunteers apply policies to real scenarios. Use examples like stories from the news (or my posts) to show the stakes. Train everyone on key rules like reporting abuse or ensuring supervision.
2. Accessible Policies: If your handbook is a 500-page PDF buried on a server, it’s useless. Create concise, user-friendly summaries of critical policies—like reporting or safety protocols—and make them accessible via posters, handouts, or frequent emails. Ensure staff can find and understand them in a crisis.
3. Accountability Culture: Foster an environment where following policies is non-negotiable. Encourage staff to report violations without fear of retaliation or that they will be responsible for getting a co-worker fired. Conduct regular audits to check compliance, and recognize employees who consistently follow the rules. Distinguish between malicious or reckless violations and good-faith mistakes. Accountability is not the same as finding someone to throw under the bus.
4. Regular Policy Reviews: Laws and best practices change, so review your policies at least annually. Ensure they align with regulations like your state’s mandatory reporting laws. Clarify vague terms—like what constitutes a “serious incident”—and update outdated rules. Involve staff and other stakeholders in the process to build buy-in.
5. Celebrate Compliance: Reinforce policies by celebrating when staff follows them. Share stories of staff who acted swiftly to report an issue or followed safety protocols to prevent injuries. Build a culture where policies are tools for success, not burdens.
The Bottom Line
For youth-serving organizations, this is your call to action: policies are your commitment to kids’ safety. Train relentlessly, make rules accessible, and build a culture where following them is second nature. When you live by your policies, you protect kids, shield your organization, and uphold your mission. Let’s make sure those handbooks aren’t just collecting dust and creating future problems.
