PREVENTING SEXUAL ABUSE IN ORGANIZATIONS STARTS WITH THE SCREENING PROCESS

“The employee had a clean criminal background check.” This is often a school’s statement following an allegation of abuse. However, statistics show that even the most egregious predators do not have criminal histories (only 4% – 5% do); and as recently highlighted in this month’s USA Today exposé, teachers who lose teaching licenses in one state often get a teaching job in another state because there isn’t a national teacher disciplinary tracking system.

So, what can schools do to ensure their hiring process screens out applicants trying to hide past discretions? Let us look past background checks and evaluate other critical screening components.

Start with the application. Require all applicants to submit a standardized application (not just a resume). Look for red flags, such as gaps in employment, short tenures at several jobs, or vague reasons for leaving jobs. Then, follow up in interviews. “I see you didn’t list any place of employment from February 2012 through December 2013. Can you tell me more about that?” The applicant might have a good reason (“I took some time off to care for my mother during her chemo”) but follow up with noted red flags and document the response or lack of a good response.

When conducting interviews, Praesidium encourages the use of behavioral-based questions. The best predictor of future behavior is past behavior. “Tell me about a time when you made a difference in a child’s life” or “Tell me about a policy that you disagreed with in a former job and how you handled that situation.” Utilize a set of standardized questions for all applicants and document responses. If feasible, conduct interviews with two personnel (even if one just takes notes). One of you might notice a side comment or nonverbal response that the other didn’t.

And, always conduct reference checks. This is the one source of information that doesn’t come directly from the applicant. Unfortunately, many professional references will only give dates of employment and whether the individual is eligible for rehire. Document who you spoke with and when, and that they would not give further information. This will protect you in case you later find out the organization hid something from you. If possible, ask questions about the individual’s work with children. “Are there any concerns about the applicant working with children?” “Did they engage in appropriate boundaries with children?” Plus, conduct at least one personal reference, asking similar questions and how long they’ve known the applicant. The length of the relationship might be a red flag (“I’m surprised she listed me as a reference … I’ve only known her for a few months.”). Yes, personal references often give positive information from friends or family members. But, our experience is that when they have concerns, they will tell you. In addition, you may learn about former volunteer positions or jobs that the applicant hasn’t disclosed (which is a red flag).

The first step in protecting the children you serve is by ensuring your hiring process screens for abuse risk in applicants. Although this is just one component in how to manage the risk of sexual abuse in schools, it is a great place to start. Contact Praesidium to learn more about what schools can do to manage this risk.