Who is Ultimately Responsible for Safeguarding?

Reality television shows have become all the rage. One that has intrigued me is “Undercover Boss.” Each episode features a high-ranking executive or the owner of a corporation, going undercover as an entry-level employee in their firm to investigate how the company really works and to identify how it can be improved; as well, to reward the hard-working staff. The executive alters his/her appearance and assumes an alias and fictional back-story. The “new employee” spends approximately one-week undercover, working in various areas of the company’s operations, in most cases, a different location each day. The employee is exposed to a series of predicaments with amusing results and invariably spends time getting to know the employees, learning about their professional and personal challenges.

The concept is brilliant, and we all could benefit from having someone who is so vested in the interest of our organizations to go undercover and learn from the challenges of day-to-day operations. In relation to risk management, organizations could benefit from having an “undercover boss/Board member/Director” walk in the shoes of the individuals running the programs as they strive to implement the policies and procedures that have been set in granite. It would be eye opening to face the challenges employees and volunteers face, the risks, the complex and complicated situations and also, to discover how well the policies are being adhered to.

As I conduct training seminars across North America on abuse prevention and risk management, I often hear the question asked, “Whose responsibility is it?” In too many cases, we find that volunteer coaches, catechism teachers and community service leaders are handed the full responsibility for establishing policies and procedures and told to implement everything from recruitment and screening, protection procedures, protocols for reporting and responding to abuse, and annually training all volunteers. I see two difficulties with this. One is it becomes quite the juggling act to manage the safeguarding, recruitment, screening, registration, program planning and execution, transportation, snacks, and securing venues, all at the same time. No wonder we drop the ball on protection and abuse prevention. The other challenge I see with this is the legal liability it puts on the organization and the Board Members and Trustees, and often they are blind-sided by the risks and the know how.

In situations like this the “Undercover Boss” is needed. Too many a policy has been written around a boardroom table without input from the front-line worker. Too often Board members establish the policies for the organization, only to find out that the staff member or program leader interpreted policies as suggestions and established procedures that do not mirror the policies. I hear from many individuals they are not even aware policies have been established by the Board. And too often Board members never ensure that the policies are adhered to.

“Board members should be aware that they could be exposed to personal liability if they permit their organization to work with children or other vulnerable persons where the Board has failed to implement an appropriate abuse prevention policy that has been customized to reflect the specifics of their organization. Failure to follow the protocol set out in the abuse prevention policy could also lead to liability, so it is important that an organization that has the foresight to implement a policy also makes sure that the policy is strictly followed.” -Terrance Carter of Carters Professional Corporation

Whether the “boss” goes undercover, or they have the foresight to ensure policies are strictly followed by conducting annual policy audits, the Board is indeed ultimately responsible – the buck stops here! Board members should fully understand the ramifications if there is an allegation of sexual harassment, abuse, or misconduct where they have not put appropriate policies in place, secured the appropriate abuse insurance coverage, ensured compliance of Board approved policies, or had the foresight to develop a crisis response plan.

September Specials!

Extended: Crisis Response and Management Course – Register one person and get the second person half off (a $200 savings).  Recommended for Board Members, Trustees and Senior Leaders. CLICK HERE to learn more. Note: *Member discounts apply on the first registration. *No additional discounts apply when using the 50% discount code. *Discount code expires on September 30, 2021.

EARLY BIRD PRICING FOR OUR UPCOMING  TRAUMA CARE CONFERENCE

Register and save with our early bird pricing for our virtual Trauma Care Conference Thursday, October 28th 10:30 am – 4:30 pm EST This one-day virtual conference is designed to equip caregivers with the skills and knowledge to provide trauma care. Topics covered will be: Introduction to trauma care Responses of the trauma victim The role of the caregiver The role of the broader community Plus, networking breakout sessions and a panel discussion Early Bird Pricing $49* (register before September 30th) $69* after September 30th** CLICK HERE to register. *Plus tax, no additional discounts on the early bird pricing. ** Member discounts apply to the full registration pricing. Payment must be received to reserve your seat! Discounts are available for groups of six or more! Cancellation and refund policies in effect.

FAQ

Question: Should we be screening and training our Board members? Answer: Yes, Board members should be fully screened and trained in safeguarding for the following reasons: 1) Board members have the ultimate fiduciary and legal responsibility for the organization including governance, establishing parameters of staff and volunteers, and to ensure that safeguarding policies are in place. 2) Board members approved the policies, and by adhering to the screening and attending training, provide them an opportunity to provide oversight and establishes a standard of care expected of all staff members and volunteers. Role modeling at the Board level will demonstrate leadership buy-in, humility and a commitment to learning. 3) Board members may be called on in the case of an emergency to step in and serve among the vulnerable sectors. They also have authority and are viewed as a trustworthy person. 4) Board members often are the ones that are responding to sexual harassment claims, misconduct, and crises. The training they will receive will better position them to respond appropriately, meet legal requirements and protect the reputation of the organization. 5) Insurance companies often require that Board members be screened and trained in safeguarding. Did you know Plan to Protect® offers quarterly LIVE orientation training for Board members and Trustees, and online orientation training for Leadership?

Become a Member Today!

Calling all Board members! Do you have a member on your Board with expertise in abuse prevention and safeguarding? Who doesn’t want access to a thought-leader when they need it? Let us be your service provider of choice.

If you are not a member of Plan to Protect® you are missing out on having Plan to Protect® as a phone number to call when a crisis occurs. Our members receive emails and phone call customer service and support, help with the review and update of policies, the development of policies, and policy audits. Memberships begin as low as $225.

Along with email and phone support, membership packages include: Access to Plan to Protect® updates Plan to Protect® manual Special Interest webinars Training registrations for our school Access to our library of recorded webinars Use of our Plan to Protect® member logo Networking opportunities Discounts on our services And much more depending on the membership package you choose.

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Check out Our Training in September!

Plan to Protect® Orientation for Board Members and Trustees - LIVE Webinar

September 14, 2021 @ 7:30pm - 9:00pm Eastern Time

Board Members and Trustees of charities and not-for profits have ultimate oversight of, and responsibility for, all aspects of the organization. They are responsible to ensure policies are in place and as the governing body of the charity, are accountable legally to the CRA and regulatory bodies. This training is modified for Board Members and Trustees and meets the requirement of insurance companies for initial and refresher training. Topics include: A Board Member's/Trustee's responsibility when it comes to safeguarding Achieving a high standard of protection and safeguarding Gain a heightened awareness of the prevalence of abuse and the categories and definitions of abuse Responding appropriately to high-risk activities that could place the charity and the Board at risk and more! CLICK HERE to register.

Special Interest: Critical Incident Series - Following Up After a Critical Incident

September 16, 2021 12:00pm - 1:00pm Eastern Time You've been through a critical incident. It's time to get back to a new normal. How do you get there? In this Special Interest Webinar, Charlie Smith-Brake, Plan to Protect® Director of Policy, Consulting and Communications, will walk through a series of tools and steps to help your organization learn, grow, and protect itself after a critical incident.

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September 20, 2021 8:00pm - 9:00pm Eastern Time A one-hour seminar designed to raise the awareness of Elder Abuse. During this community event, we will learn what Elder Abuse is, how to recognize and respond to it, and valuable strategies to prevent Elder Abuse from happening. Everyone is welcome! Let's plan to protect! Click Here to register.

September 21, 2021 12:30pm-1:00pm Eastern Time This is a complimentary webinar. Register to participate LIVE with Q&A time, or to receive access to an instant replay.  Click Here  for details and registration.

September 23, 2021 8:00pm - 9:30pm Eastern Time This webinar is great for individuals and groups who need to be refreshed in Plan to Protect® policies and procedures. Click Here  for details and registration.

September 25, 2021 1:00pm - 3:30pm Eastern Time Join us for this 2 hour orientation training covering awareness of abuse and so much more!  Click Here  for details and registration.

Recommended Resource of the Month

Title: A Church Called Tov: Forming a Goodness Culture That Resists Abuses of Power and Promotes Healing Authors: Scot McKnight and Laura Barringer Publisher: Carol Stream IL: Tyndale House Publisher I just recently read the book, A Church Called Tov, co-written by Scot McKnight and his daughter, Laura Barringer, where they address the importance of creating and sustaining a good (Hebrew tov) church culture. The book is written in two parts: the first four chapters (1) discuss the nature and significance of church culture and (2) diagnose characteristics of a toxic church culture. The remainder of the book describes and elaborates on how to recognize and nurture a good/tov church culture. The book includes a number of case studies predominantly from white evangelical churches, however, whether you are a church or not, white or non-white, we should all pursue a culture of goodness and avoid toxicity. I highly recommend this book for leaders.