Child Safety

Our first priority is the safety and well-being of our Littles.
As the nation’s oldest, largest and best-known youth-mentoring organization, we take this obligation very seriously.

We place great importance on carefully screening the men and women who volunteer to serve as Big Brothers and Big Sisters. In addition, we provide ongoing professional support services to our Littles, parents and Bigs.

To help ensure child safety, Big Brothers Big Sisters National Standards of Excellence require that each Big Brother or Big Sister must complete a thorough screening process that includes:

  1. Completion of a formal written application
  2. A criminal history record check
  3. At least three references
  4. An in-person interview
  5. An assessment of the volunteer’s home environment
  6. A professional assessment of the volunteer’s suitability to work with a child
  7. An orientation and training process that outlines the individualized needs of the Little and provides information and resources on how to encourage the child’s healthy development

Big Brothers Big Sisters also provides child-safety tips to parents, Littles, and Bigs. We require that our Bigs engage our Littles in activities that are safe, legal, and healthy.