Nothing is more important than protecting the safety of the students whom our programs serve. To this end, SEA invests in examining ways that we and our member programs can do more to help ensure the safety of our students. We currently address safety in the following ways: (1) Staff Training, (2) Safety Standards, (3) Safety Hotline, and (4) Best Practices Guides and Resources. 

Staff Training
SEA requires that member program staff be trained in the following topics. New staff must be trained upon hire, and returning staff trained at least every three years, or sooner if required by state law or if needed to maintain active certifications.

All Staff
– Sexual Misconduct: Staff-to-Student
– 15-Passenger Van Safety (for staff who drive 12+ passenger vans)

Program Staff and Supervisors
– Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse/Neglect
– Youth Suicide Awareness & Prevention, or other mental health training that includes suicide awareness
– First Aid and CPR

SafeSchools Accounts: SEA offers these trainings (except for First Aid/CPR) through SafeSchools, which also gives member programs access to 200+ optional courses. SEA member program staff may access their SafeSchools accounts through the following website: squashandeducation-ny.safeschools.com

Alternative Providers: Programs may choose to offer these trainings through another provider, other than SafeSchools. In the case of mandatory reporter trainings, SEA encourages programs to go through a local provider. Programs who choose to offer trainings through another provider should notify SEA by completing a Request for Approval of Alternative Training form.

Safety Standards
SEA requires that all member programs have a Student Protection Plan, and that programs annually submit to SEA a Safety Standards Checklist indicating their compliance with SEA’s national safety standards.

Safety Hotline
SEA has partnered with a third party provider to offer participants (students, staff, families, and volunteers) access to a hotline for reporting safety concerns such as abuse, harassment, threats of violence, or theft. Programs are required to share this hotline annually with all students, staff, families, and volunteers, and are encouraged to post and distribute a hotline flyer, available in English and Spanish.

Hotline: 855-409-9922 (Phone operators speak more than 200 languages.)
Online: squashandeducation.ethicspoint.com
Participants may file reports 24/7 online or via phone, and may choose to identify themselves or remain anonymous. Reports will be shared with SEA leadership staff and the leadership of the relevant member program. Any individuals implicated in a report will not receive the report.

Best Practice Guides
SEA is developing a series of  best practice guides available on our website. We invite programs to send us requests for additional guides, and to work with us in creating and strengthening these guides.