Quality In Action webinar series hosted by Mentoring Partnership of Minnesota. August 4, 2010, 12-1:30pm CST. Going Beyond the Background Check: Incorporating SAFE Practices in Volunteer Programs Features Sarah Kremer of Friends For Youth.

1. Quality in Action Going Beyond the Background Check: Incorporating SAFE Practices in Volunteer Programs August 4, 2010 Mentoring Partnership of Minnesota

2. Webinar Logistics Asking Questions & Sharing Comments During the Webinar “Raise your hand” & MPM Organizers will unmute you Or, type questions (and comments) in the question/answer section and submit; we will respond directly to you or possibly share your question with all attendees When unmuted, please monitor your background noise April Riordan, Director of Training and Community Partnerships 2 2 2

3. Webinar Presenter Sarah Kremer, Program Director of Friends for Youth’s Mentoring Institute 3 3 3

4. Going Beyond the Background Check: Incorporating SAFE Practices in Volunteer Programs Sarah E. Kremer, ATR-BC, Program Director © 2010 Friends for Youth, Inc. Mentoring Partnership of Minnesota Webinar August 2010

7. Informed Intuition

8. Red Flags

10. Grossman and Rhodes, 2001

12. Follow through

13. Characteristics and skills

14. Open to learning

15. Work within program guidelines

16. Ability to set limits/boundaries

18. Take responsibility for relationship

19. Respect youth viewpoint

20. Help youth through issues

21. Realistic expectations

22. Cannot solve all mentees’ issues

24. Non-judgmental

25. Unconditional, hopeful, positive regard

26. Able to share life stories

27. Sensitive and responsive to issues of individual youth/general youth population

28. Flexible

29. Seeing potential, not faults

30. Maintain boundariesMcLaughlin, Irby & Langman; Sipe; Johnston

31. Why do we have to talk about this? “ A percentage of predators will target child-service groups because they provide access to samples of highly vulnerable children and often there are opportunities for isolated access. Many of these children have already been molested, making them more vulnerable to the predator.” Dr. Perry Sirota

32. Why do we have to talk about this? Extremely uncomfortable topic Generates anxiety and fear Potential danger for youth Liabilities for organization

34. Increased ATOD use

35. OCD, PTSD, depression, personality disorders, increased risk of suicide

37. Demonstrates good judgment

38. Has safe home environment

40. Screening is not useful, it costs too much, it may offend potential volunteers

41. Majority: interview

42. Fewer: check references

43. Even fewer: engage in full background checks

44. 50% using background checks look in only one state or do not use national database

45. 50% report screening has identified inappropriate candidatesApril 2008, Who’s Lending a Hand? A National Survey of Nonprofit Volunteer Screening Practices

47. Staff intuition can disqualify applicant for 69%

48. 33% using youth as volunteers use only one step

49. Majority: written application

50. Fewer: sex-offender registry check

51. Even fewer: internet searches

52. 82% report screening has identified inappropriate candidatesJanuary 2009, Going Beyond the Background Check: The Status of Volunteer Screening in San Mateo County Youth-Serving Organizations

53. Priorities First priority: keep children in programs SAFE Supporting volunteers is important, serving youth is ultimate and primary goal

54. Case Study Oprah's Conversation with Child Molesters, parts 1 - 3 Winter 2010 http://www.oprah.com/oprahshow/Oprahs-Conversation-with-Child-Molesters The Secret Life of Child Molesters Summer 2002 http://www.oprah.com/tows/pastshows/tows_2002/tows_past_20020426.jhtml

55. Case Study Chicken Hawk: Men Who Love Boys 1994, Adi Sideman, Director

57. 50 - 60% are intra-family

60. 01/10 DC Peaceaholics Counselor/Mentor

61. 11/09 Grand Rapids, MI Public School mentor/advocate

62. 11/09 St. Paul, MN Public School coach/mentor

63. 10/09 Buffalo, NY caseworker/mentor (registered sex offender)

64. 08/09 Lakeland, FL church mentor (informal)

65. 07/09 Tulsa, OK BBBS mentor

66. 06/09 San Diego, CA church minister/music teacher/volunteer

67. 01/08 Nashville, TN Big Pal Little Pal

69. Curious about sex

70. Want to please

71. Need attention or affection

72. Taught to obey adults

74. 1 out of every 6-10 boys(under-reported)

75. Boys > girls to be abused by non-family member

76. Victimization rates constant from 3+

77. Peak vulnerability: 7-13

79. Lack other important protective factors - adult supervision, protection

81. Pressure to meet goal numbers

82. Little training or literature available

83. Consistent monitoring difficult with high turnover rates

84. Organizations conceal abuse to avoid liability and loss of credibility

86. Perpetrators Who makes up your volunteer pool? Could you imagine any of your current volunteers as potential child molesters?

87. Part Two Screening Strategies: Tools Informed Intuition Teamwork/Supervision/Staff Training

88. Screening Strategy This training should not be viewed as the rendering of legal advice and programs are strongly encouraged to consult their legal counsel prior to implementing the recommendations from this workshop

90. No limitations on what information you can ask from volunteers but may be limitations on who can view information and how stored

91. Every candidate must go through same process, regardless of who referred themPrinciples

93. After candidate is accepted and introduced to mentee, relationship must continue to be monitoredPrinciples

95. 25% info session match

96. 50% interview match

97. 85% training matchPlace steps requiring more resources toward end of process Conversion Rates

98. Screening Strategy What criteria has your program set for rejection? What are your non-negotiables?

100. Conviction of other crime involving children

101. History of extreme violence or sexually exploitive behavior

102. Termination from paid/volunteer position because of misconduct with child

103. Failure to disclose felony conviction, especially related to violence, abuse, or children

104. DUI within last 3/5/7 years

106. Date of offense

107. Level of offense (misdemeanor)

108. Result of offense (acquittal)

109. Type of sentence

110. Sum of record of offenses

113. Program Orientation

114. Written Application

115. Interview

116. Background Checks

117. State and Federal

118. Sex Offender Registries

119. Child Abuse Registry

120. Internet Search

121. Character References

122. DMV Record

123. The Diana Screen

124. Volunteer Training

125. Final Decision

127. Informed Intuition “I have investigated hundreds of child predator cases involving thousands of victims. In the case of every single victim, there was a woman -- mother, agency staff, teacher -- who looked back and said, “I thought something wasn’t right. I had a funny feeling about him.” Detective Steven McEwan, SJPD Child Exploitation Unit

128. The most critical factor in determining whether or not candidate is accepted into your program is using INFORMED INTUITION

129. Intuition Gut feelings, intuition, hunch, unconscious intelligence: judgment appears quickly in consciousness not fully aware of underlying reasons strong enough to act upon Has its own rationale Simple rules of thumb/heuristics Evolved (through extended practice) capacities of brain Gigerenzer, 2007

131. Extreme Behavior

132. Inappropriate Behavior

133. Over-Involvement with Children

134. Under-Involvement with Adults

135. Focus on Personal Needs

136. Unhealthy Attitudes

137. Problematic Personal Interests

139. Response to screening process and requirements

140. Inappropriate behavior with child/youthInteractions

142. Overly cooperative

143. Secretive about activities or is too busy to talk for very longExtreme Behavior

145. Socio-economic status

146. Race

147. Education

148. Marital status

149. Religion

151. Include statement that all application material is confidential and becomes property of agency

152. Look for inappropriate or unusual questions or comments

153. Notice any responses to screening process and requirementsProgram Orientation or Information Session

155. Overly concerned about child/youth liking him/her or being rejected

156. Displays excessive physical contact, “child’s play”Inappropriate Behavior

160. Check for completion, gaps in profile, timely submission, content, and signatureSAFE: Sample Volunteer Written Application Written Application

161. Case Study “According to a source close to Devlin’s family, no one noticed any red flags: ‘Other than that you had a 41-year-old guy who never dated or aspired to a career and who is quiet, it was a normal situation.’” People, 02/19/07

162. Case Study “…But according to retired FBI behavior analyst Kenneth Lanning, those leading double lives, especially sex offenders, can become quite adept at compartmentalizing their behavior. ‘The person may look normal: have a job, work hard, go to church,’ says Lanning. ‘The indicators are things the average person is not trained to recognize.’” People, 02/19/07

164. Assess both verbal and non-verbal communicationSAFE: Sample Volunteer Interview Interview

166. Talk to children as if equal partners

167. Seek as many opportunities to have access to youth of specific preferences

168. Feel misunderstood and discriminated by society

170. Parents chosen for being vulnerable and lonely, too, and may not wish to end relationship even after abuse is revealed

171. Families and communities may “discount” what they see, hear, and feel

172. “Grooming” child: developing relationship in order to win trust, becoming indispensable, isolating from family

174. Recently experienced major life change and needs friends in life

175. Wants to terminate position suddenly without reasonFocus on Personal Needs

177. http://www.nonprofitrisk.org/csb/csb_crim.htm#apndxb for state agency informationNonprofit Risk Management Center’s document, Criminal History Record Checks Background Checks

179. Police record, even if seemingly unrelated to crimes against children

180. Applied/was not accepted or “didn’t like” other local youth-serving programsProblematic Background Indicators

182. Even though applicants knew background check would be performed, over 50% of those with criminal record indicated that they did NOT have oneSafetyNET Pilot Program Manual http://www.mentoring.org/safetynet

184. “…large number of missed records and false positives generated… when analyzing… background checks in the state of Florida… the database missed 11.7% of the criminal records it should have identified. Even worse - of the more than 10,000 criminal records found, 5.5% of them were falsely attributed to those who were not convicted of a crime.”National Association of Professional Background Screeners, www.napbs.com

188. http://www.caag.state.ca.us/megan State of California Attorney General’s Office website

189. Calling California Department of Justice Sex Offenders Program at 916-227-4974Background Checks

190. Law Enforcement If convicted sex offender applies to volunteer, can report California State Violations 290.95(a)Pc(misd) Any 290 registrant shall disclose status as registrant upon application to any employment or volunteer assignment with children 290.95(b)Pc(misd) Any 290 registrant convicted of crime involving minor shall not be employed or volunteer around children in unaccompanied setting

192. In California: Child Abuse Central Index http://ag.ca.gov/childabuse/

193. “Information also is provided to designated social welfare agencies to help screen applicants for licensing or employment in child care facilities and foster homes, and to aid in background checks for other possible child placements, and adoptions. Dissemination of Index information is restricted and controlled by Penal Code.”

194. Partner with agency that has accessBackground Checks

195. Remember that fingerprinting is just tool to identify individuals who have actually been caught, but it does not guarantee safety of youth in program

197. Social networking site pages or “identities” (e.g., Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn, etc.)

198. YouTube, blogs, public forums

199. Warrants discussion with potential mentors - if you can find it, mentees can, too!Internet Searches

202. Over-indulges child/youth; unable to set limits

203. Involves other boys/girls on outings when not expectedOver- Involvement with Children

205. Always emphasize confidentiality of conversation

206. Ask “Would you feel comfortable placing your child in care of this applicant?”SAFE: Sample Volunteer Mentor Reference Check Employment & Personal Character References

208. Lack of adult dating experiences or relationships

209. Difficulty providing references that know him/her wellUnder- Involvement with Adults

211. In California, visit http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/calawquery?codesection=veh

212. Proof of insurance confirms applicant has current coverage on automobileDMV Record and Insurance

214. Screens for men and women who have beliefs about rights of adults to have sexual contact with children and teens - will not protect children from other adults/older children who may be sexually inappropriate and will not protect organization from these sexually inappropriate adults/older children)

215. Abel Screening www.dianascreen.comThe Diana Screen

217. Drug/alcohol screening

218. Psychological tests -- be sure to have appropriately trained staff/consultants

219. In-home visitsOther Screening Mechanisms

221. Response to scenarios presented and agency policies and procedures

222. Ability to be flexible yet hold boundariesSAFE: Volunteer Code of Conduct SAFE: Volunteer Roles and Responsibilities Pre-Match Training

224. Wants to be one to teach child/youth about sex education

225. Overstates problems with child’s family; tries to get agency involvedUnhealthy Attitudes

227. Does candidate’s interests, motivations, and overall application material fit with agency’s goals and objectives?

228. Would you place your own child into care of candidate?SAFE: Volunteer Rejection Form Final Decision

229. Tools to Gather Data Presence Stability Attitude Actions Preferences Permanent Disqualifiers Mitigating Circumstances Final Decision

230. Never be afraid to reject volunteer - it is about finding right fit and, ultimately, safety of youth

232. Includes direct communication, observations, and contact with volunteer, child/youth, family, and referring agent and/or school officials

233. Completion of certain components of process if volunteering again with different menteeOngoing Monitoring and Rescreening

235. Excessive in gift giving

236. Over-invested in child/youthLack of Balance

238. Expresses strong interest in camping, hunting, hiking, backpacking

239. Child/youth complains about too much sedentary timeProblematic Personal Interests

240. Tools to Gather Data Are there any previously listed tools that you would not be able to use? Peer/Cross-Age Mentors

245. local Child Abuse Prevention Council

246. Initial shadowing of more-experienced staff

247. Thorough documentation training

248. Resource list of services available in your community

249. Latest research and literature on child molesters

250. Internet predators

251. Red Flags

253. Discuss problems, address concerns, and help solve problems

255. Reexamine application materials – were there any flags missed?

257. because your volunteers meet with youth in closely-supervised environment

258. because you have good feeling about your volunteers

260. The Starfish Story A man was jogging down the beach after a major storm had just come through the area. He was dismayed by the large amount of starfish that the storm had washed up on the beach. He thought that there was nothing he could do because of the immense numbers. As he continued down the beach, he saw an old man throw something into the water. As he got closer, he saw the old man walk a little farther down the beach, bend over, pick up a starfish, and throw it back into the water. As the jogger approached, the old man stopped again, bent over, picked up another starfish, and was about to throw it into the water. The jogger stopped him and asked, “Why are you doing that? There are thousands of starfish on the beach. You can’t possibly make a difference.” The old man looked at the starfish, threw it back into the water, then replied, “I made a difference to that one, didn’t I?” Adapted from The Star Thrower” by Loren Eiseley

261. Webinar Special Order SAFE online at www.mentoringinstitute.org and use promo code SAFEMENTOR to receive 20% off!

263. 10:00 – 11:15 am PDThttp://www.friendsforyouth.org/Webinars.html

265. Trainings for program staff, mentors, and mentees

267. Thank You! Next Quality in Action webinar is September 1, 2010; 12:00 – 1:00 pm CDT Across Ages Mentoring ProgramFeatured panelist, Andrea Taylor., Ph.D. Dr. Taylor is the keynote presenter for the 2010 Minnesota Mentoring Conference. . 102