Youth Safety
Child safety is our number one priority at Big Brothers Big Sisters. We work closely with your family, your child, and your child's Big to maintain their safety at all times. Unfortunately, we know all too well that children are at higher safety risks due to peer pressure, bullying, social media, age, neurodevelopment, and certain life circumstances. Our goal is to ensure the safety and protection of all children, both while in a match in our program and at home or in the community. Please use and share the information provided below and reach out to the agency or your Match Support Specialist for further support.
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Interactions with Law Enforcement
*Trigger Warning*
"Black Parents Explain How to Deal with Police" - Cut "ACLU: Here's what you should or shouldn't do if you are stopped by police" - Business Insider
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Media exposure is something that occurs on a daily basis for our Littles. Like us, our Littles see injustices at the hands of some law enforcement officers portrayed on our TV screens, news apps, and social media outlets. It's important to acknowledge the fears that our Littles have in this climate. While we have many Bigs and Parents/Guardians who serve honorably as police officers, we need to acknowledge and validate the fears of our youth, respond and guide appropriately, and work towards a solution for a more peaceful and just tomorrow.
Before interacting with police, take the time to know your rights. This ACLU website offers prompts, scenario examples, and other helpful information. The page is offered in Spanish/Espanol as well. Additional resources to guide these important conversations with youth: |
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Encountering Racism
"Because I'm Latino, I can't have money? Kids on race." -WNYC
"A Kids Book about Racism by Jelani Memory"
- A Kids Book About |
Racism can look a multitude of ways: "can I touch your hair?," "where are you from?," "oh, you live in the bad part of town," or "aren't all Black people good at sports?"
Micro-aggressions and blatant racism are something that we know our youth face while interacting with peers at school, watching it portrayed in a cartoon show, seeing it reported on the news, or elsewhere. At Big Brothers Big Sisters, we encourage our Bigs to engage in several trainings to learn how to have conversations with Littles around these challenging topics. These conversations are an excellent opportunity for youth to learn about race, explore similarities, celebrate differences, and work towards unity within their community. Find suggested reading material for how to have these difficult conversations about race on our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion page, with even more suggested reading materials on racism and recent protests here. Articles to help open and lead these conversations with youth:
Additional Resources:
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Social Media / Cyber Bullying"Teen Voices: Oversharing and Social Media" - Common Sense Education
"Cyberbullying: There is a Way Out" - DeleteCyberBullying
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Social media is an integral part of our children's lives. It is a great way to stay connected with friends/family, but can also cause severe safety concerns if not used cautiously and safely. Youth should be informed of the dangers of giving out personal information, posting pictures, having location enabled on social media apps, and contacting strangers online. Unfortunately, with increased social media use, also comes the risk of cyberbullying.
Bullying (both in person and online) can include spreading rumors/gossip, exclusion, sharing personal information, name calling, threats to physcial and mental health, and physical harassment/assault. Relational aggression, in particular, is an imbalance in perceived power which is used to manipulate someone or make them feel excluded. Steps to take if you are being cyberbullied: click here! Online Resources:
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Underage Use of Drugs and Alcohol"Talk. They hear you." - SAMSHA
"Strategies for parents to prevent underage drinking" - City of Hamilton
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A young person's brain does not fully develop until the age of 25. Underage use of alcohol and other drugs can negatively impact brain development, so much so, that early exposure can result in higher risks for alcoholism in the future and higher likelihood for mental health diagnoses such as depression and anxiety. Drugs and alcohol can physically change the chemical balances in your brain and, in excess, can result in permanent damages to your brain or even death.
We always want to believe our youth are being safe in their choices, especially when it comes to alcohol and other drugs. However, we understand that when it comes to peer relationships, teens can feel pressured to engage in risky behaviors. Here's what we know about teen usage:
Advice from SAMSHA:
Additional online resources:
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Sex and Human Trafficking"Tools that Teach: What is Human Trafficking?" -Department of Homeland Security
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Human and sex trafficking happens in all 50 states. Those who recruit victims are known as traffickers. Traffickers target victims who are classmates, peers, family friends, or neighbors. They take time to get to know their victims, establish trust, and learn how to lure them in. Human and sex trafficking is something that should be discussed with youth because children are becoming targets at an increasing rate. The average age of youth, both boys and girls, to be trafficked is 13 years of age, sometimes as young as 9 years of age.
Human and sex traffickers do not discriminate, but prey on our most vulnerable youth. Youth who are more at-risk include those who have experienced homelessness, have a history of maltreatment and/or system involvement, and those who live in poverty. As traffickers are also opportunists, they use large events to blend in and complete "transactions" or to recruit new victims. In Kentucky, the Derby, Thunder over Louisville, and NCAA games are some of the most popular events for trafficking. Signs that someone you know may be a victim of trafficking:
Any signs of the above are a cause to ask questions. If you suspect someone you know is being trafficked, please call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888. Online Resources:
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Experiencing School Violence
"Teen Health: Violence Prevention" -Penn State PRO Wellness
*Trigger Warning*
"Sandy Hook Promise: Evan's Story" -Sandy Hook Promise "Area School Superintendents & Hardin County Law Enforcement Discuss School Safety" -HCEC TV
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There have been more than 400 school shootings since 2010. In 2019 alone, there were 45 school shootings. As this reality of school violence can happen anywhere, at anytime, schools have taken precautionary measures and have youth participate in lockdown and active shooter drills on a regular basis. Unfortunately, these drills may also have a negative impact on children's sense of stress and safety at school.
While the pronounced fear of school shootings is ever-present within our schools, students also see verbal and physical assaults take place amongst peers. Witnessing these violences can have an impact not only on a child's ability to learn in school, but their mental health as well. Leading conversations with youth about school violence is a first step to help them understand their feelings and deal with any possible trauma they may have already witnessed. Check out these articles to help open and lead these conversations with youth:
Additional Online Resources:
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LGBTQ Discrimination
"How to Support Transgender Students"
- GLSEN "Advice for LGBTQ+ teens" - Seventeen
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Youth and adults that identify with the LGBTQ community know all too well how common LGBTQ+ discrimination is. In fact, in many areas across the United States, it is still legal to discriminate against someone in the job field or housing market, simply due to their gender or orientation.
For our youth, school can be especially challenging, as protections from discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity are not adequate or enforced in many areas. For example, in a recent study by GLSEN, 88% of LGBTQ youth heard homophobic remarks at school on a regular basis. This can lead to a multitude of negative health outcomes for our youth, including low self-esteem/self-image, depression, isolation and withdrawal from peers/family, and higher likelihood of self-harm and suicide ideation. To help protect our youth against this discrimination, check out the following safety tips and resources for LGBTQ Youth :
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Child Protective Services (CPS) Reporting"Reaching Out: Child abuse, how and when to report" -Cook Children's Healthcare System
**This video is based out of Texas, however, the information is very similar to Kentucky's processes.** |
What is a Mandated Reporter?
As per KRS 620, every person residing in the state of Kentucky is a mandated reporter. A mandated reporter is any person required by law to report suspected child abuse or neglect. There are several different types of abuse, neglect and dependency. Definitions of each can be found here. When should I make a report? Any time someone suspects abuse, neglect or dependency, they should report it. Making reports can be done anonymously online here. After doing so, a professionally trained Child Protective Services worker will decide next steps. You will not be informed about the investigation, but you might be asked for additional information. **It is not your job to investigate suspected abuse, neglect, or dependency. Will this break trust with the youth and/or family that I am reporting? As a state mandated reporter, you have an obligation to report. With this comes a heavy and important responsibility. We cannot promise that trust will not be broken. However, our staff is trained to mediate, facilitate, and guide you through any obstacle your match or family might face. Please call us anytime. |
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*Page content developed, formatted, and created by Valerie DiGangi, MA, NCC and Marianna Strasz, MSSW*