Emerging Standards for Child Protection Policies

Developing a child protection policy can be a difficult process, in part because there is little evidence which policies actually work. The best we have are anecdotal surveys of convicted abusers and policies developed by self-proclaimed experts in the field. In 2007, the Centers for Disease Control published a guide that Taylor English attorneys consulted on and that remains the most widely-known compilation of best practices. 

A new study updates and expands on the CDC guide. The researchers, all nationally-known researchers in the child protection field, partnered with “four of the largest and longest operating US organizations focused on positive youth development.” The project sifted through the policies of those youth-serving organizations (YSOs), and organized them into eight (8) specific themes. The categories included codes of conduct, training and education, screening, and supervision.

This study, along with the CDC guide, likely will become extremely important in establishing the standard of care for YSOs. With little research into what procedures actually help prevent abuse in YSOs, the question in litigation turns to what standards are most common. This study and the CDC guide will answer that question.

Thus, your YSO needs to review the CDC guide and be aware of this study to be certain that your policies align with them. Taylor English has created a checklist that may be helpful. You can download it from the illustration below, or you can contact us for a copy. If you need help developing or auditing your policies, Taylor English attorneys have been working in this field for decades and will be happy to help you.