Yearly Meeting Background Check Policy

Youth Programs Committee has approved that criminal background checks should be conducted for all current staff and volunteers who work with children in programs sponsored by New England Yearly Meeting.

This includes coordinators, people who staff retreats, and people who staff any of the youth programs at Sessions. The coordinators and staff of the Afternoon Choices program and the Childcare program at Sessions will also have background checks.

Not included are resource people who volunteer for a few hours at a time, working under the supervision of the coordinator of the particular program.  

The background check will screen for convictions of violent or sexual crimes toward adults or children. Reports of prior convictions of this nature rule a person out from staffing. Reports of other criminal convictions may rule a person out. Should the coordinator wish to still consider having the applicant on his/her staff despite such a report, they must consult with the Yearly Meeting Secretary. If a person is ruled out, he or she is entitled to view the report that is the basis of the decision.

New staff will be asked to agree to a criminal background check in addition to the other application requirements already in place. It is our policy that every staff and volunteer will be checked prior to hiring. Repeat checks may be conducted at the coordinator’s/staff’s discretion.

To request a screening, please email the Office Manager with the following information: the email address of the person being screened, the name of their meeting, and the email for the Friend who should receive the results of the report (e.g., the clerk of the First Day School committee).

A link will be emailed (from NEYM via Trusted Employees) to the person to be screened and the Office notified when the report is ready. The report is seen only by Yearly Meeting staff who have password access, and no details are shared.