Commitment to Safety
At Boys & Girls Clubs of King County, there is nothing more important than the safety of our youth members. We work every day to create a safe, fun environment, so kids can have every opportunity to be successful in life.
- A safe, positive environment (encompassing both physical and emotional safety)
- Youth development experts trained in social-emotional learning and trauma informed care
- Innovative safety policies that protect the physical and emotional well being of our young people
Ensuring the safety of our Club kids
At Boys & Girls Clubs, we incorporate national safety standards and work with other community organizations to consistently strengthen our safety programming through new trainings.
Background Checks
Mandatory criminal background checks are required for every employee, volunteer, and board member who has direct contact with children. These are conducted in advance, as well as each year.
Training & Tools
Each year, staff receive training on the requirements of being a Mandated Reporter, how to prevent, recognize, and react responsibly to childhood sexual abuse, First Aid/CPR, Supervision of Children, Safety First, and more.
Equipment
Boys & Girls Clubs of King County focuses on safety when making resource allocations and decisions regarding equipment and other capital expenditures.
Facilities
Club-owned facilities have been renovated or built to maintain clear lines of sight throughout the building, allow for single-use restrooms, and eliminate any blind spots from supervision.
Policies
Our Safety Policies & Procedures outline clear steps to prevent safety issues and concerns. See below for more information on the steps we take to ensure safety is our #1 priority.
BGCKC employs a zero-tolerance policy for any disregard of our procedures. If any issues or concerns are brought to our attention, we contact the police and Child Protective Services immediately. If you have any safety-related concerns or questions, please contact your local Club OR our CEO, Laurie Black. Additionally, the national organization offers a 24-hour hotline, 1-866-607-SAFE, and has developed a Child Safety Portal.
Please read about all the steps we take to ensure the safety of our Club members.
Our Safety Committee
Nick Biesold
McKinstry
Laurie Black
CEO, Boys & Girls Clubs of King County
Tomeka Brooks
SE Network SafetyNet Administrative Assistant, Boys & Girls Clubs of King County
Dr. Dena Brownstein
MD, Pediatric Emergency Medicine (Retired)
Stephen Charlton
Hanover Insurance
Matt Earnhardt
McKinstry
Jamie Heil
Area Director (East/Bainbridge), Boys & Girls Clubs of King County
Ellie Hooman
Chief Human Resources Officer, Boys & Girls Clubs of King County
Stacy Kain
Executive Director of Program Quality
Internal Committee Lead
Boys & Girls Clubs of King County
Steve Legg
Starbucks
Emily Mathiesen
Senior Program Director (East)
Boys & Girls Clubs of King County
Adam Monda
Senior Program Director (NE)
Boys & Girls Clubs of King County
Chief Harold Scoggins
Seattle Fire Department
External Committee Lead
Jordan Stair
The Partners Group
Antione Taylor
Teen Director (Federal Way) Boys & Girls Clubs of King County
A/Lieutenant Heidi Tuttle
Seattle Police Department
