Dear Parents/Guardians,
The YMCA of Central Ohio encourages adults and organizations in the community to play a vital role in making Central Ohio a safer place for children. So that we can best nurture the full potential of all kids, I am personally asking you to join forces with us in making a commitment to protect children: know how abuse happens, see the warning signs and respond quickly to prevent abuse.
As the largest child care provider in the region, we understand that you are trusting us, and we do not take this lightly. The protection of every child is our top priority as we enrich the lives of almost 44,000 children each year throughout our youth development programs, and we enforce a zero-tolerance philosophy for child abuse.
We participate in many active efforts to prevent abuse, including exceeding our Praesidium Accreditation requirements by conducting references and criminal background checks for staff and volunteers, requiring ALL staff to participate in child abuse prevention training and staying vigilant for events out of the ordinary by conducting formal and informal interviews and evaluations with children and parents. Praesidium Accreditation is the highest distinction awarded to youth-serving organizations, and reinforces our shared responsibility to ensure the YMCA remains one of the safest places for children and families in Central Ohio.
Finally, we take allegations and suspicions of child abuse seriously by reporting to the police and state agencies for investigation.
As part of Child Abuse Prevention Month this April, the YMCA is participating in the Five Days of Action (April 13–17), a national campaign to raise awareness and inspire adults to take action to protect children. In 2026, the focus is Keeping Kids Safe in the Digital Space. From social media and online gaming to texting and digital communication, these environments are constantly evolving. In the same way we stay vigilant in our community centers, as youth development experts, we must protect children in the digital world. It’s important that both kids and caregivers understand the risks, recognize red flags of abuse in digital spaces and know how to guard against them.
Child sexual abuse is 100% preventable. When adults know how abuse happens, see the warning signs and respond quickly to prevent abuse, they foster a culture of child abuse prevention. To make sure your child remains safe outside of Y supervision, we encourage you to follow our “Know. See. Respond.” protocol:
Know.
Stay informed about warning signs and unusual behavior and digital interactions, and talk to your child about them. Our Know. See. Respond. graphics are visible on staff shirts and in our spaces as a reminder. Recommended steps include:
- Explaining to your child that he/she has a basic right to privacy and that no one should touch them in any way that makes them feel uncomfortable or compel them to touch someone else inappropriately.
- Talking to your child about the importance of telling you if someone does or says something that makes them feel uncomfortable. Emphasize that adults should not ask them to keep secrets from you.
- Do not leave your child at a YMCA facility, school site or playing field without YMCA staff members/volunteers present to supervise your child.
- Talk to your child about safe use of devices, apps and online communication, including not sharing personal information, photos or messages with people they don’t know or trust.
- Do not let YMCA employees or volunteers babysit, host sleepovers or spend time one-on-one with your child outside of YMCA programs.
See.
Pay close attention to your children and the people in their lives, watching for signs of abuse.
- Watch for signs of potential abuse from adults, such as spending too much time with a child, choosing favorites or possessiveness.
- Be concerned if your child suddenly becomes withdrawn or balks at attending certain activities or being around a particular person. Gently find out why.
- Stay in touch with your child’s day-to-day experiences. Ask questions like:
- Is anyone scaring or threatening you?
- Is anyone asking you to keep secrets?
- Has anyone said anything to you that made you feel bad?
- Is anyone touching you in a way that you don’t like?
Respond.
Report any inappropriate or suspicious actions by YMCA staff or volunteers (or expressions of discomfort from your child) to the Executive Director of your local YMCA branch.
Together, we can bring awareness to the issue of child sexual abuse in our communities and have important conversations about how we can all work together to prevent it from happening. Thank you for your help in protecting children.
Sincerely,
Tony Collins, CEO & President
YMCA of Central Ohio