ECHS Strikers

Child Abuse Prevention

Child Abuse Prevention Policy

ECHS Strikers Soccer desires to be a safe place for all children who attend its activities. In order to ensure that our organization is doing its best to care for children, members are required to follow the policies below.


 1. Screening

  • All coaches, volunteers, parents, and participants agree to abide by the ECHS Strikers Code of Conduct.
  • The ECHS Strikers board members will make an effort to personally know the character and reputation of adults within the organization before they are allowed to work with children.
  • ECHS Strikers will obtain criminal background checks for all coaches and volunteers who work directly with children.
  • ECHS Strikers does not permit any adult with a legally documented history of child abuse/molestation or any other conviction that would endanger the health and safety of participants from working directly with athletes.
  1. Accountability
  • All ECHS Strikers practices and games take place in open, public areas.
  • Two adults must be present at every ECHS Strikers event.
    • If possible, the adults will be unrelated.
    • If possible, there will be at least one female adult for teams with female participants and one male adult for teams with male participants.
  • All one-on-one interactions with children should be both observable and interruptible.
  • Communication will be open and transparent. If an adult needs to electronically communicate with a participant who is not his own child, the child’s parent, guardian, or another adult volunteer will be copied on the communication.
  • Transportation to and from events is the responsibility of the athlete’s parent or guardian. ECHS Strikers does not arrange transportation to and from events for athletes.
  • Lodging for athletes for tournaments or away games is the responsibility of the athlete’s parent or guardian. ECHS Strikers recommends that parents or guardians accompany athletes and does not arrange lodging for them.
  1. Training
  • ECHS Strikers provides all members with a copy of its Child Abuse Prevention Policy.
  • ECHS Strikers encourages members to be educated about child abuse and how to prevent it.
  1. Reporting
  • All members of ECHS Strikers are aware that Indiana is a mandatory reporting state.
  • ECHS Strikers will handle any allegations of abuse promptly, secure the safety of the child, notify the parent or legal guardians, and notify civil authorities as required by Indiana law.
  • ECHS Strikers will respect the privacy and confidentiality of all parties involved.
  • ECHS Strikers will not retaliate against the victim, the reporter, or the accused.
  • ECHS Strikers will cooperate with civil authorities when applicable.


 Indiana Law Pertaining to Reporting Child Abuse

 IC 31-33-5 Chapter 5. Duty to Report Child Abuse or Neglect

 IC 31-33-5-1 Duty to make report
 In addition to any other duty to report arising under this article, an individual who has reason to believe that a child is a victim of child abuse or neglect shall make a report as required by this article. As added by P.L.1-1997, SEC.16.

IC 31-33-5-2  Notification of individual in charge of institution, school, facility, or agency; report
 (a) If an individual is required to make a report under this article in the individual’s capacity as a member of the staff of a medical or other public or private institution, school, facility, or agency, the individual shall immediately notify the individual in charge of the institution, school, facility, or agency or the designated agent of the individual in charge of the institution, school, facility, or agency.
 (b) An individual notified under subsection (a) shall report or cause a report to be made.
 As added by P.L.1-1997, SEC.16.

IC 31-33-5-3 Effect of compliance on individual’s own duty to report
 This chapter does not relieve an individual of the obligation to report on the individual’s own behalf, unless a report has already been made to the best of the individual’s belief. As added by P.L.1-1997, SEC.16

 IC 31-33-5-4 Immediate oral report to department of child services or law enforcement agency
 A person who has a duty under this chapter to report that a child may be a victim of child abuse or neglect shall immediately make an oral report to: (1) the department; or (2) the local law enforcement agency. As added by P.L.1-1997, SEC.16.