Child Safety is Job No. 1 at Wakeman Boys & Girls Club

• Staff and volunteers must review and agree upon our written employee standard of conduct

• Prior to working with our youth members, staff and volunteers complete online trainings through Praesidium, including Keeping Your Boys & Girls Club Safe, Abuse Risk Management, Duty to Report: Mandated Reporter as well as the CDC Heads Up Concussion Training. In addition, staff complete the CHRO Sexual Harassment Prevention Training and the State of CT Mandated Reporter Training. Learn more about Praesidium and Wakeman BGC Staff Guardian Designation.

• Video surveillance systems at each facility.

Safety Policies: Wakeman Boys & Girls Club has comprehensive safety policies in place that protect youth – including, but not limited to, supervision, transportation, communication and prohibiting private one-on-one contact. View WBGC policies here.

24-hour Toll-free Child Safety Hotline: We encourage all staff, members and families to report any incident or situation they feel is unsafe. Through our national partnership with Praesidium, one of the nation’s leading safety experts, Wakeman Boys & Girls Club members and staff have access to a confidential 24-hour toll-free Child Safety Hotline, 866-607-SAFE (7233) or email SafeClub@Praesidiuminc.com . 

Health & Hygiene: All members are expected to practice good basic hygiene when at the Club (i.e., wash hands, cover coughs & sneezes, etc.) Parents are expected to keep sick children at home, following the same guidelines as public schools to determine when it is appropriate to return.

Mandatory Background Checks: Mandatory criminal background checks are required every year for every staff and board member at Wakeman Boys & Girls Club. In addition, criminal background checks are required for any volunteer who has direct contact with children. All potential employees and volunteers are also run through the National Sex Offender Registry. 

Required Immediate Reporting: Wakeman Boys & Girls Club staff and volunteers are all mandated reporters. We are required to report any critical incident/safety concern to local authorities immediately. We are also required to report any critical incident to Boys & Girls Clubs of America within 24 hours.

Mandatory Annual Safety Assessments: We complete a safety assessment each year to ensure we continually make improvements to safety at our Clubs.

Safety Trainings: Ongoing training and supervision of staff is critical. We participate in a wide variety of child safety training conducted such as  
• Crisis Management including Active Shooter, Conflict Resolution & Weather Emergency Drills.

• Diversity, Inclusion & LGBTQ Families

• Program Management

• Concussion Management

• First Aid, CPR/AED & Medication Administration

• Mental Health First Aid

• CT Department of Children & Families Mandated Reporter

We also engage leading third-party safety experts to provide guidance for our policies and approaches, including Praesidium, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, and the National Children’s Advocacy Center.

Safety Committee: Wakeman Boys & Girls Club has a dedicated safety committee to provide input and guidance on local policies and safety strategies. 

Mandatory Employee Reference: Any employee interested in moving to another Boys & Girls Club is required to have a reference from the previous Club, even if the Clubs are within the same community.   

State and Local Laws: We comply with federal, state and local safety laws, including those impacting facilities and vehicles. 

Safety Partnerships: Nationally, Boys & Girls Clubs of America works with leading experts in the areas of safety, security and technology to develop state-of-the-art solutions for Clubs. Partners include:

• National Child Safety Advisory Task Force, made up of leading experts and organizations

• Blue Ribbon Taskforce, comprised of local Club leaders charged with providing input on the safety direction and key safety initiatives

• Mental Health First Aid, a national program that teaches skills to recognize and respond to signs of mental illness and substance abuse

• Crisis Text Line, a confidential text message service for youth in times of crisis

Locally, Wakeman Boys & Girls Club partners with:

• Center for Family Justice

• Fairfield Public Schools & Bridgeport Public Schools

• Fairfield Police Department & Bridgeport Police Department

• Fairfield Fire Department & Bridgeport Fire Department

• Connecticut Office of Early Childhood

Nationally, Boys & Girls Clubs of America has advocated the passage of the U.S. PROTECT Act, which improved background screening systems and access. The national organization has also partnered with the FBI, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children and the Centers for Disease Control to contribute to the development of safety practices that benefit ALL youth-serving organizations.

America’s young people deserve nothing less than our constant focus on their safety and our firm commitment to protect every child who is entrusted to our care at  Wakeman Boys & Girls Club. To learn more about our national safety policies and actions, please visit Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s Child Safety page, here .

Parents, guardians, members, volunteers and staff may reach Chief Executive Officer Sabrina Smeltz at 203-908-3381 x208 and sabrina@wakemanclub.org .

Wakeman Boys & Girls Club’s after-school program, serving 5 through 12 year olds, is exempt from the State of Connecticut childcare licensure as per the Office of Early Childhood. All Wakeman BGC programs adhere to the membership and safety standards set forth by Boys & Girls Clubs of America.