We are often asked the question, whose responsibility, is it? In our newsletters over the next few months, we will be offering a series on “Whose responsibility, is it?”  

Check out our blogs for the first two segments in the series:

1. The role and responsivities of the Board

2. The role and responsibilities of Senior Leaders and Staff.  

Hats off to Plan to Protect^®Administrators! You really deserve the summer off, but unfortunately you know as well as I do that September is coming and you must gear up for the on slot of a new team of volunteers and staff that need to be screened. 

There are five steps of implementing Plan to Protect^®:

1. Conducting a Risk Assessment

2. Preparing for and Establishing your plan: Professional Development and Policy/Procedure Writing

3. Implementing the plan by screening and training your volunteers

4. Maintaining your plan and your documentation

5. Leveraging your experience and raising the bar of protection even higher

If you have heard me speak of the five steps, you have heard me state that Step #3 is the most difficult and challenging step in the process. This is the stage where the Plan to Protect^® Administrator/Committee often gets push back, and will face obstacles. This is where the hard work is of identifying who all needs to be screened and trained and ensuring your volunteer files are in order. 

I do feel your pain! I have been there and done that. If you are a solo Plan to Protect^® Administrator and not working with a committee, the burden of Plan to Protect^® rests on your shoulders. 

As a Plan to Protect^® Administrator/Leader you will be responsible to administer, implement and maintain a strong abuse prevention program. 

Your role and responsivities include: 

• Uphold the standard of protection and abuse prevention that Plan to Protect^® recommends and the requirements of the insurance company; 
• Demonstrate an understanding of the value and importance of abuse prevention and vulnerable sector protection and disseminate that to volunteers and staff;
• Understand the legal requirements for reporting and responding to abuse of children and youth, and vulnerable adults, ensuring the organization adheres to those legal requirements;
• Assist and support volunteers and staff in reporting abuse
• Assist with the development and maintenance of your Plan to Protect
• policy, ensuring amendments are approved the Board
• Identify and develop a strong recruitment and screening process for volunteers and staff outlined by the policies and procedures

• Ensure a 6-month waiting period for newcomers
• Application
• Interview
• Reference Checks
• Police Record Checks
• Orientation Training 
• Sign a Covenant of Care
• Secure final approval from Senior Leadership

• Work with the Trainer and Department Heads to communicate the needs of screening requirements 
• Schedule Hall Monitors in conjunction with department heads 
• Ensure the Information Management System captures all the necessary fields necessary to track data needed for documentation management 

• Update and maintain personnel files
• Ensure volunteers and staff know when upcoming training dates are scheduled
• Assure personnel are up to date and current with their Police Record Checks
• In conjunction with leadership determine next steps for individuals that have red flags regarding

• Flagged criminal record checks
• Unfavorable references
• Lack of compliance with training

• Ensuring documentation is created, stored, protected, and maintained permanently
• Annually submit safeguarding budget needs to the Board for approval
• Prepare and submit an annual report 
• Prepare for and comply to annual policy audit (the Administrator should not be the one doing the audit)
• Stay current with Plan to Protect^® and your certification as a Plan to Protect^® Administrator
• Support the Crisis Response Team during a Crisis

The list is long. You will also see that this is not a role or project that you undertake and complete, rather it needs ongoing maintenance. Due to the learning curve, we recommend a three-year term of office. Truthfully, we recommend that a committee share the responsibilities of the Plan to Protect^® Administrator. If you are reading this and you are a Board Member or Senior Leader, please work with the Administrator to recruit and mobilize a committee to share the load. (More about a committee in an upcoming newsletter). 

If you are doing this role as a volunteer or just one segment of your portfolio on a staff team, you are our heroes! I truly believe you will receive extra jewels in your crown in heaven for the work that you do. 

Thank you so much.