OUR COMMITMENT TO CHILD PROTECTION
 

As a youth-serving organization that reaches thousands of children and teens every year, the Y’s most important work is creating safe environments for young people. That any child or teen would experience harm in our care is unacceptable. Ensuring the safety and well-being of young people is foundational to everything we do at the Y to help them learn, grow and thrive.
 

  • If you need to report a situation involving child abuse

    • For reports of immediate danger, please call 911.

    • To report known or suspected abuse or neglect of a child or vulnerable adult please call the South Carolina DSS 24hr hotline: 1.888.227.3487.

  • If you have any questions or concerns about Y staff or volunteers, or another program participant, you can:

    • Report concerns to a YMCA Director.

    • Call the YMCA Safety Line: 864.635.2913. This is a voicemail.  Please leave a message and our team will contact you.

    • Complete our online reporting form. Your submission is confidential.  SUBMIT A REPORT HERE >

SEE OUR CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION POLICIES HERE
 

    • Screening & Hiring – All new hires go through an interview process, three reference checks, a criminal background check and sex offender check.

    • Training – All staff members complete child abuse prevention training and receive education on creating a child-safe environment. Staff members renew training every year. 

    • Volunteers - Volunteers who will have ongoing interactions with children or young adults also complete thorough background checks and receive abuse prevention training annually.

    • Policies & Procedures – We maintain rigorous policies and procedures which are enforced at all locations to ensure that children are supervised at all times and no single staff person is ever alone with a child.

    • Prevention – The YMCA of Greenville partners with Praesidium, a team of experts in child abuse prevention, to assess all aspects of our programs and implement best practices. Additionally, the YMCA of Greenville operates under the YUSA Child Protection and Aquatics Safety Membership Qualification Standards. 

    • Reporting – If any staff member or volunteer suspects or becomes aware of any inappropriate behavior toward a minor, they are to report the incident immediately.

 

We consider parents/guardians our partners in protecting children. As an ongoing practice, we invite parents to review our written standards and engage with us in the care and development of their children.

The Y does not tolerate the mistreatment or abuse of children in its program by an adult or the mistreatment or abuse of one child by another child, including any behavior that is classified under the definition of bullying. Staff, volunteers, and the children in our programs are expected to act in a caring, honest, respectful and responsible manner. See our Child Abuse Prevention Policies here.