Violations for Mandated Reporters (civil and criminal penalties)
Inability to lease or use 3rd party facilities
Potential lawsuits with high punitive damages (generally not insured - can leave church exposed and responsible for $$$ )
Employment with SECC - disciplinary action, including holding back of youth funds, administrative leave, and/or up to termination.
Jeopardizes child safety – protecting our children is the highest priority
Two Adult Rule
“To the greatest extent possible, the presence of at least two mandated reporters whenever administrators, employees, or volunteers are in contact with, or supervising, children.”
Rationale
Increase accountability and decrease isolation – avoid the one-on-one interactions between a single adult and child
Benefits of having two sets of adult eyes in any given situation with a child – additional supervision
Significantly reduces the risk of an incident of abuse (i.e., grooming)
Protects against false accusations or allegations
Reduces liability and a potential claim of negligence
Offers additional help in the event of an accident or emergency
Unclear whether law requires two mandated reporters be on premises, or actively supervising that activity
Volunteers (Level 1 or 2) are not considered mandated reporters at this time.
Important to meet the underlying principles and apply with consistency.
During busier times, ask church to assign another qualified employee to assist temporarily
Make sure activities in the room are visible (large windows in doors and walls, leave doors open if no windows, install doors with glass windows, or have glass windows put into doors)
Practice close monitoring and patrolling by a mandated reporter (”Supervising and walking around”)
Sporadic visits from pastoral staff and supervisors/directors (“Drop ins”)
Frequently Asked Questions
Are training certificates completed with another organization valid for employees/volunteers at our church so they don’t have to re-take the training?
No – there are no exceptions. They will have to take the training again when starting their engagement with SECC.
What about those have already had a prior background check via Live Scan?
There is no exception under the statute for someone who had prior background check done, even if Live Scan. One cannot use the background check performed by another entity. You must rerun the search under our Live Scan account and ORI number.
Do only new employees and new volunteers need to undergo the fingerprinted Live Scan?
AB506 requires that all administrators, employees and regular volunteers shall undergo the Live Scan background check, regardless of when they undertook their respective role.
Do all employees, regardless of their interaction(s) with children, need to take the mandated reporter training?
Yes, this is a requirement for all employees of SECC, whether they work with children or not.
What if someone refuses to get a Background Check?
You cannot continue to employ or engage the services of an individual who refuses to comply with the law.
Are all SECC employees, including locally funded employees, required to meet AB506 requirements or just the employees that interact with children/youth?
All employees are required to meet the requirements of AB506 regardless of role or extent of interaction with children. A paid administrator, and any employee of a youth organization shall complete training in child abuse and neglect identification and training in child abuse and neglect reporting.
If I have been Live Scanned already to serve at an SECC School, do I need to go through another Live Scan background check for the church or visa versa?
No, if you have completed a Live Scan for the SECC Office of Education, you do not have to complete one again for our churches. Please let the HR Department know and we will confirm with the Office of Education.
