Safety Policies
Background Checks for all Staff & Volunteers
The BASE Otero Community Youth Center is committed to providing a safe, trustworthy, and supportive environment for every child who participates in our programs. To help protect the youth and families we serve, all staff members and volunteers are required to complete a background check before working with children. This process is an important part of our commitment to safety, accountability, and responsible youth programming.
Background checks help ensure that the individuals involved with our center meet the standards expected when working with children and families. In addition to background screening, staff and volunteers are expected to follow all center policies, supervision guidelines, and child safety procedures. Our goal is to give parents and guardians confidence that their children are cared for by responsible adults who are dedicated to creating a positive and secure environment.
Adult to Child Ratio's
At The BASE Otero Community Youth Center, we maintain an adult-to-child ratio of 1:15 to help ensure children receive proper supervision, guidance, and support throughout the day. This ratio allows staff and volunteers to remain actively engaged with the children, monitor activities closely, and provide a safe and structured environment during before and after school care, summer programming, field trips, tutoring, and enrichment activities.
Keeping a consistent 1:15 ratio helps us create a positive setting where every child can feel seen, supported, and encouraged. With appropriate adult supervision, children are better able to participate in group activities, receive help when needed, and enjoy a safe experience while building confidence, friendships, leadership skills, and personal responsibility.
Group Supervision
The BASE Otero Community Youth Center provides group supervision support whenever it is needed to maintain a safe, organized, and positive environment for all children. During larger activities, transitions, field trips, recreation, or times when children are moving between program areas, additional staff or volunteers may assist with supervision to help ensure that every child is accounted for and properly supported.
Group supervision allows staff to monitor children more effectively while encouraging teamwork, participation, and respectful behavior. By having adults actively engaged with the group, children can enjoy activities in a structured setting where expectations are clear and support is available when needed. This helps create a safe and welcoming environment where youth can learn, build friendships, and take part in programs with confidence.
Strict Transportation Standards
The BASE Otero Community Youth Center is committed to maintaining safe transportation standards for children traveling from schools, field trip locations, or any other approved program location. Transportation will be organized and supervised with child safety as the top priority. Children will only be transported by approved staff, volunteers, or authorized transportation providers who follow the center’s safety expectations, supervision procedures, and check-in/check-out requirements.
Before leaving any location, staff will confirm that each child is accounted for using attendance records or a designated roster. Children will be loaded and unloaded in a safe and orderly manner, and staff will ensure that all children remain seated and follow transportation rules while in the vehicle. Proper supervision will be maintained during transportation, including communication between staff members when children are being picked up from school, dropped off at the center, or transported to and from approved activities.
The center will also make every effort to ensure that transportation is reliable, age-appropriate, and properly coordinated with parents, guardians, schools, and program staff. Parents and guardians will be informed of transportation procedures, schedules, and any changes when needed. Our goal is to provide families with confidence that children are transported with care, accountability, and attention to safety at every step.
CPR Certification & Ongoing Safety Training
The BASE Otero Community Youth Center is committed to the safety and well-being of every child in our care. Our staff members are CPR certified and trained to respond appropriately in the event of a medical emergency. This certification helps ensure that staff are prepared to take quick, calm, and responsible action if a child needs immediate assistance during daily programs, field trips, transportation, or other center activities.
In addition to CPR certification, staff and volunteers participate in ongoing safety training to stay informed and prepared. This training may include child supervision, emergency procedures, first aid awareness, transportation safety, field trip procedures, incident reporting, and maintaining a safe program environment. By continuing to review and strengthen these safety practices, The BASE works to provide parents and guardians with confidence that their children are cared for by responsible adults who are prepared to support them in both everyday situations and emergencies.