CREATING A CULTURE OF SAFETY THAT PREVENTS ABUSE OF MINORS

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Aaron Lundberg
President and CEO, Praesidium
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The Harvard Business Review previously reported that 70% of all change initiatives fail.[1]This statistic acts as a reminder to leaders of one very important fact: The mere existence of a goal, however worthy, is not enough to enact change. Youth-serving organizations would be hard-pressed to identify a worthier goal than abuse prevention. So, what is that extra ingredient needed to create a culture of safety?

During Praesidium’s 25-year existence working toward prevention of abuse of minors and vulnerable adults, we have observed that organizations fall into three categories. Some organizations fall into a state of complacency. Complacent organizations tend to rest on their laurels as well as their history of no serious incidents. A second category of organizations have reached a state of compliance. We hear compliant organizations describe how they satisfy the legal requirements and do things like complete background checks, train employees on mandated reporting, or adhere to licensing requirements. However, these organizations can lack a quality possessed by those in the third category – commitment.

Committed organizations have moved past the stage where abuse prevention exists as a concept on the periphery of their core organizational goal. These organizations recognize the connection between child abuse prevention and their organizational purpose. They are also aware that an incident of child abuse will detract from their ability to accomplish goals in the short term and may also jeopardize the organization’s existence in the long term.

The transformation to commitment takes place through a four-step process where organizations:

  1. Gain support from a voice at the top
  2. Set clear expectations
  3. Build a system of support and resources
  4. Establish systems of accountability

Organizations need to gain the support of individuals that can provide resources, support initiatives through positive and negative consequences, and engage with the hearts and minds of the organizational community in order to establish a culture of safety. Rather than simply offering training that educates employees when hired, committed organizations develop a training program that continuously reminds employees of their role in preventing abuse. The culture of safety needs to be defined so that a common understanding exists within the organization regarding what needs to be done and why it needs to be done. The organization must establish a system of accountability that reinforces goals at every level, not only vertically from leadership but horizontally across teams. Mechanisms must be developed by which the organization can continuously learn from successes and failures. Leadership must continue involvement both in the creation of the culture of safety and the maintenance of its continued existence.

Whether beginning from a state of complacency or compliance, your organization can become committed to establishing a safe environment for the minors in your care.

[1] Nitin Nohria and Michael Beer. “Cracking the Code of Change,” Harvard Business Review (May-June 2000). Available at https://hbr.org/2000/05/cracking-the-code-of-change.

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By: Aaron Lundberg
President and CEO, Praesidium

Summary of Qualifications

Aaron Lundberg oversees all operations and product development at Praesidium. For the last 17 years, he has worked with the leadership of large-scale human service organizations across the United States and abroad to develop, implement, and monitor abuse prevention policies and training programs. He supervises Praesidium’s team of account managers and has personally trained thousands of direct care workers, supervisors, administrators, and boards of directors in preventing the sexual abuse of children and vulnerable adults. Mr. Lundberg has assessed, analyzed and consulted on hundreds of cases of sexual abuse within a wide range of organizations. With a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Texas Tech University and a master’s degree in social work from the University of Texas at Arlington, Mr. Lundberg has conducted extensive research in the etiology, scope, and prevention of abuse in organizations.

Responsibilities

As President and CEO, Aaron Lundberg oversees all operations and product development at Praesidium.

Professional Affiliations

University Risk Management and Insurance Association (URMIA)
Society of Corporate Compliance and Ethics (SCCE)
Foster Family Treatment Association (FFTA)

Education

Bachelor's in psychology, Texas Tech University

Master's in social work, University of Texas at Arlington

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