Summer's Coming and It's Time For Camp: Background Screening and Volunteers
Just as children are counting the days down to summer vacation, parents are beginning to dread the onset of summer. Across the country many two-income households face the daunting task of caring for children when school is out. Every summer children will attend camps and summer school and, often times, be instructed and cared for by volunteers. One might assume a safe and secure environment, especially when it comes to volunteers but the question remains:
Are volunteers background checked?
In Delaware a new law goes into effect on April 7th "mandating background checks for all ... summer camp employees." (1)
This new law originates due to a task force discovering a significant inconsistency in volunteer background screening.
From DelawarePublic.org (Mar. 29, 16):
Cara Sawyer with the Department of Services for Children, Youth and Families says the task force looked at background checks across the state over an eight-month period.
“It was eye-opening to see the differences across the board for people who work with kids but in a different capacity. We really felt it was important that we try to streamline this, make it as uniform as possible," Sawyer said. (2)
Adam Almeida, President and CEO of CriminalBackgroundRecords.com states: "Whether a camp involves overnight stay or just a day camp, all volunteers should be background checked. A complete and thorough background check can act as a deterrent to predators."
In New Orleans the recent arrest of a volunteer baseball coach highlights a clear need for background screening.
From NOLA.com (Mar. 10, 16):
...questions about the screening process arose after... a former football, baseball and basketball coach who had volunteered for decades, was arrested in October. In February, a grand jury charged him with aggravated rape of a child younger than 13, four counts of sexual battery, four counts of indecent behavior with a juvenile and nine counts of production of pornography involving juveniles. (3)
Certainly associations take responsibility and recommend background checks.
From the American Camp Association's webpage (www.acacamps.org):
Performing criminal background checks on the people who will be working with the children in your care is not only a standard of the American Camp Association (ACA); it is your obligation to the families that have entrusted you with their kids...
Almeida states: "Protecting our children is critical, and while camp groups rely on thousands of volunteers every year each volunteer must be background checked."
Valuable background screening reports that might be considered are:
- Criminal History - Will show convictions that may have occurred over a given period of time.
- Sex Offender Registry - A sex offender registry may be available at the state and national level.
- DMV Report - A must for any individual charged with transporting children.
- Professional License Verification - Important to validate any certificates that may be critical to volunteer's role.
Almeida states: "Combining public record review with a rigorous interview may act as a deterrent against potential predators and weed out anyone with a criminal past that may be detrimental. Working with a well qualified third-party background screening company is a best practice for volunteer groups and organizations."
CriminalBackgroundRecords.com is a national third-party background screening company that works with companies and organizations of all size. They provide safe, secure, and fully-compliant background screening documents.
Notes:
(1) delawarepublic.org/post/background-checks-required-summer-camp-workers-starting-april#stream/0
(2) delawarepublic.org/post/background-checks-required-summer-camp-workers-starting-april#stream/0
(3) nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2016/03/jefferson_parish_background_ch.html
This has been a CriminalBackgroundRecords.com News Publication - All rights reserved
CriminalBackgroundRecords.com is “An Information Enterprises Solution”
|
June News
