Above Suspicion Guidelines for Working with Minors

Heifer Community Engagement staff and volunteers are expected to adhere to Above Suspicion guidelines when working with children. These guidelines are in place to keep everyone above suspicion and to provide protection from potentially abusive situations.  Failure to follow these guidelines may result in immediate termination.  Staff and volunteers should:

• Avoid, whenever possible, one-on-one situations that isolate them from a supervised area of activity or approaching a child or group of children without a group chaperone or another staff member present.
• If a child or group of children needs attention for any reason, request that the group leader, parent or guardian handle the situation.
• Respect the privacy of the individual. Do not become intrusive or curious more than is necessary to fulfill the requirements of your assignment.
• Respect children’s boundaries. Not all children are comfortable with displays of affection.
• Establish your own boundaries. Use common sense in discussing sensitive subjects. Do not give out personal information.
• Restrict activities to the designated site or the area you have been assigned to.
• Report any suspicions of abuse or neglect to your supervisor immediately. Do not attempt to handle these issues yourself.
• Always err on the side of caution while interacting with children.

Thank you for your attention to these guidelines.