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Club Safety

Ensuring child safety is fundamental to the mission of Boys & Girls Clubs of Sonoma Valley and the work of Teen Services.

The Safety and Well-being of Young People is Our Number One Priority

We work every day to create a safe, fun environment so kids can have every opportunity to be successful in life. We have ZERO tolerance for inappropriate behavior of any kind, including child sexual abuse or misconduct, and we put resources behind that stance.

Culture of Safety

At Boys & Girls Clubs of Sonoma Valley, we continually update our robust safety policies, programs, and training for our staff and volunteers that are designed to promote child safety and protect young people from threats that are present in our society. The priority of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Sonoma Valley is the physical and emotional safety of its members, staff, and volunteers. We implement layers of safety policies and guidelines to keep our kids safe, including:

  • Child Sexual Abuse Prevention training (includes mandated reporting requirements)
  • Active supervision and appropriate contact with Club members training
  • Group management and supervision training
  • Active intruder/shooter training and simulation
  • Positive behavior management training
  • Trauma-informed care, emergency preparedness, and diversity, equity, and inclusion training
  • Security cameras were installed in our main Clubhouse as well as our Teen Club for ongoing supervision

Safety Policies

Boys & Girls Clubs of Sonoma Valley has comprehensive safety policies in place that protect youth – including, but not limited to supervision, transportation, communication, and prohibiting private one-on-one contact. To review our Policies for the Protection of Youth packet, please click 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, Boys & Girls Clubs of Sonoma Valley members and staff have access to a confidential 24-hour toll-free Child Safety Hotline, 866-607-SAFE (7233) or email [email protected].

Mandatory Background Checks

Mandatory criminal background checks are required every year for every staff and board member at Boys & Girls Clubs of Sonoma Valley. 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 FBI database, Department of Justice database, County, State, and Federal crime databases and the National Sex Offender Registry.

Required Immediate Reporting

Boys & Girls Clubs of Sonoma Valley 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 Club(s).

Safety Training

Ongoing training and supervision of staff is critical. We participate in a wide variety of child safety training conducted such as seminars, conferences, webinars, and a semi-annual safety symposium. 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

Boys & Girls Clubs of Sonoma Valley as a dedicated safety committee to provide input and guidance on local policies and safety strategies. Priorities and initiatives include:

  • Participant Safety
  • Facility and Grounds Safety
  • Employee Safety
  • Procedural Safety
  • Safety as part of the Club’s Culture

Safety Committee Members

  • Stuart Price, Construction – Chair
  • Kathy Bloch, Legal
  • Chief Brandon Cutting, Law Enforcement
  • Doug Hanford, Construction
  • Cheryl Johnson, Health Care
  • Gary Johnson, Fire & Rescue
  • Esmeralda Sanchez Moseley, Education
  • Lt. Greg Piccini, Law Enforcement
  • Osvaldo Oz” Robledo, Information Technology
  • Jeanette Rodriguez-Chien, Education
  • Angela Ryan, Education
  • Cary Snowden – Staff
  • Brooke Padgett – Staff
  • Dawn Holman – Staff

Director of Child & Club Safety  

(707) 938-8544
[email protected]

2021 Svb&gc Staff 178 Brooke Edit R
BROOKE PADGETT

Proud BGCSV Alumni. Once a Club kid, always a Club kid.

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, Boys & Girls Clubs of Sonoma Valley partners with:

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 Boys & Girls Clubs of Sonoma Valley. To learn more about our national safety policies and actions, please visit Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s Child Safety page, here.

Confidential Help Hotlines

NATIONAL CHILD ABUSE HOTLINE: 800-422-4453

  • Provides free 24/7 access for adults and youth to professional child abuse crisis counselors who offer crisis intervention and confidential referrals.

CHILD SAFETY HELPLINE: 866-607-7233

  • Praesidium provides employees, volunteers, parents, and youth with an anonymous helpline for reporting suspicious or inappropriate behaviors regarding children.

ETHICS POINT HOTLINE: 866-295-3701

  • Provides employees, volunteers, and parents with anonymous reporting of any unethical or illegal workplace activities.

CRISIS TEXT LINE: TEXT CLUB TO 741741

  • Provides free 24/7 access for adults and youth to confidential support with professional crisis counselors.

REPORT TO CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES: 707-565-4300

  • Provides 24/7 access for adults and youth local anonymous reporting of child abuse and/or neglect.

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