Before being entrusted with the responsibility of working with children coaches, teachers, caregivers and other volunteers need to go through a rigorous background screening to sift out malfeasant and dangerous job applicants from getting hired in a position with exclusive access to minors. Throughout the year tens of thousands of kids participate in after school sports and parents entrust their children under the care of a coach or coaching staff. However, recent news headlines show an urgent need for schools and other organizations to either create or update their current background screening policies. Such a policy should include all available employment background checks.
In Maryland a soccer organization changed their employment screening policies after a coach was arrested for illicit behavior with a minor.
From NBCWashington.com (Jun. 30, 16):
The prior background system appeared to have failed last year, according to an April report by the I-Team. The report found … a man arrested in Fairfax County for trying to sexually exploit a young boy was able to continue coaching youth soccer for the Soccer Association of Montgomery after his arrest.
Changes have since been made to a year-round vetting process as opposed to a single annual check.
In Grand Rapids, Michigan a rowing coach was arrested for illegally recording female students changing from street clothes to athletic clothes. He was subsequently fired.
From AOL.com (Jul. 11, 16):
Police say the Rockford men’s rowing head coach… was responsible for taking the videos by hiding the camera in the changing area. He was arrested and the Kent County Prosecutor’s Office has charged him with child sexually abusive activity, using a computer to commit a crime and child sexually abusive material.
In Florida a Titusville High School coach was arrested on a drug related offense forcing a greater scrutiny on background screening policies and procedures.
From a recent posting from WFTV.com (Jul. 07, 16):
9 Investigates discovered the Brevard County school district said it’s working to make sure people with a criminal past don’t slip through the cracks again and get hired to work with children.
This comes after an assistant coach failed to disclose his criminal history years ago on his employment application, and was recently accused of running a multistate drug ring.
It is imperative in the United States that persons working with or have supervision over children must be fully vetted as a first line of defense in protecting at-risk populations such as children. The ever so common news of coaches or coaching staff being caught committing crimes as a coach or having demonstrated previous malfeasant behavior should never get the chance to work with or oversee children in any capacity. Nefarious actions between coaches and children are being reported every month and now is the time for schools and organizations to either implement or update their background screening polices to further protect children.
A best practice to deter malfeasant individuals from being employed as a coach, athletic trainer or assistant coach either paid or volunteer having access to at-risk populations is to create a strong background screening policy. A rigorous and thorough screening policy that is implemented correctly and is effectively publicized creates a strong barrier deterring potential nefarious individuals from applying for a coaching position as they would know their background history would be discovered. Individuals seeking to harm or exploit children or young adults as a coach or related position would find it tremendously more difficult to get a job at a school or other organization that has a strong background screening policy.
To develop a strong and effective background screening policy it helps to employ a professional background screening company to assist with creating the policy as well as delivering the necessary background reports to ensure all critical data is used in determining who to hire for a coaching position. Reports include criminal background checks, social security number trace, federal courts search, driving records check, employment verification, education verification and reference checks.
Recent headlines show a kind of epidemic across the country regarding coaches with criminal pasts or committing criminal acts as a coach or staff member. Hiring coaches with a history of harming or exploiting children and young adults should no longer be acceptable. Now is the time to make professional background screening for coaches and related staff mandatory in the USA.
To read more regarding why mandatory background screening of coaches is necessary in the USA and how schools and organizations can protect at-risk populations like children by creating a vetting process that is thorough and effective read recent CriminalBackgroundRecords.com press release: Background Screening Paid and Volunteer Coaches Should Be Mandatory, CriminalBackgroundRecords.com