[Artemisia] RE: Background checks required for supervising activities for minors

[Raymond Garrison]

I am forwarding this from the SCA-Chirurgeon list, because we need to
discuss this.

THL Daniel d'Aurelle

Shire of Dragonmarc

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George Reed, Society Seneschal and Vice President of Operations, has
announced that the SCA will begin requiring background checks for
adults who will be supervising youth activities at SCA functions.
Mr. Reed, known in the SCA as Aaron Faheud Swiftrunner of the Stone
Keep, provided both the initial announcement and a Frequently Asked
Questions (FAQ) document today. Details of the policy's
implementation will be released following the upcoming meeting of the
Board of Directors. Initially, the policy applies only to activities
in the United States.

Policy Announcement
In response to repeated occurrences of the SCA having to deal with
abuse of minors by SCA participants, risk to our membership from such
predatorial behavior, and legal liabilities if we fail to execute
proper due diligence, the SCA will be implementing a background check
program to minimize risk of harm to our people and the organization.
This program will revolve around conducting---via a properly licensed
vendor--background checks on all persons wishing to serve in a
leadership or supervisory position where minors are expected to be
taking direction from--or be in the direct control of adults who are
not their parent or legal guardian.

An example of officials who must receive the background check are:
Youth activities officers at all levels, Adults acting as youth
marshals for any martial activity, persons organizing/in charge of
youth activities for an event.

These checks will return a pass/fail status. A pass status will cause
the corporate office to issue a card good for two years that must be
presented in order to be accepted as an official as described above.

It is expected that this process will be streamlined and simplified
as much as possible without invalidating the value of the background
checks themselves. The cost of the checks will be billed back to the
Kingdoms whose programs these volunteers are supporting.

It is worth noting that these measures are less stringent than those
being used today by the Boy Scouts of America.

Further details, to include the actual process and an implement-by
date will accompany the implementing guidelines to be issued after
the April Board Meeting.

Background Check FAQ
The SCA has long had a policy of parents being ultimately responsible
for their children at SCA activities. We have policies in place
prohibiting a single adult from being alone in supervising youth that
are not their children by birth or legal document. These have not
sufficed to prevent harm to some of our minor participants at the
hands of adult participants. Since 2002, there have been 88
revocation and denial of membership decisions rendered by the Board
of Directors. 29 of these have been for conviction of predatory
crimes. 24 of these have been with regard to abuse of minors. It
would seem clear that the old policies are not sufficient to protect
our minor participants. Any number greater than zero of these
incidents is profoundly unacceptable.

There are many organizations similar to the SCA in that they have
well-defined programs for minor participants. These organizations
conduct a due-diligence check of volunteers who would like to be in
positions of control, teaching, or supervision of minor participants.
The vast majority of these organizations vet possible volunteers via
background check. There are a variety of methods used.

The SCA feels a responsibility to the wellbeing of our minor
participants and will implement a program of background checks to
enhance their safety.

Some Questions and answers about this endeavor follow:

Q: Are Kingdoms required to implement the Society policy?
A: Once upheld by the Board of Directors, the Kingdoms will have a
timeline to implement the policy or cease offering youth-activity
programs.

Q: I had a background check for work. Can you just use that?
A: No. All checks for this program will be performed according to the
same criteria and by the same vendor for all participants. The vendor
is a licensed, bonded provider of background examinations.

Q: Will the SCA be privy to specific details of my background,
whether I pass the exam or not?
A: No. The SCA will only receive a pass or a fail notice from the
background-examinat-ion provider.

Q: Will my personal information be exposed to other SCA participants?
A: No. Information is provided directly to the vendor in order to
perform the background examination, and does not go through the SCA.

Q: How long is my pass status good for?
A: It is planned that the pass status will be good for two years.

Q: Will all existing officers have to be checked?
A: All officers/volunteers with supervisory positions, teaching, or
direct control of minor participants - new or existing - would
require a background examination.

Aaron Faheud Swiftrunner of the Stone Keep OL OP
c/o George L. Reed

Society Seneschal and Vice President of Operations
SCA, Inc.