Sexual abuse is the form of abuse about which nonprofits are usually most concerned. Beyond these reasons, no other form of abuse serves as a motivation for individuals to seek employment or volunteer for the purpose of gaining access to a potential victim. Access to children for possible sexual purposes is often the primary reason a potential molester seeks to become involved with a youth-serving nonprofit. Poverty alone is not a legal basis for child neglect. Rather it is a failure to provide what is in the power of the parent to supply, such as affection, attention and protection, that is the basis for reportable neglect.
Child neglect is the most common form of child maltreatment.
Drug and alcohol abuse by caregivers is a common contributing factor to child neglect. Organizations offering services to children and youth are expected to keep the participants in their programs safe from harm within the context of reasonable standards of care. The applicable standards may change depending upon specific activities, ages of participants, and physical environments in which the programs occur. For the most part, standards of care are not well documented unless the program is required to meet licensing or other credentialing requirements. Your nonprofit must be prepared to demonstrate that it exercised reasonable care.