AYSO Safe Haven™ to be Model at National Conference on Child Protection
8/18/2009 3:38:56 PM
Workshop by AYSO Safe Haven™ Specialist Featured at 10th Anniversary Gathering
Hawthorne, Calif. (August 18, 2009) — The American Youth Soccer Organization’s (AYSO) Safe Haven™ program will be presented as a model for child protection and volunteer screening at a workshop on Aug. 25 at the 10th Annual National Conference on Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation Prevention in New Orleans, La.
Rosemarie Banich, the Safe Haven™ National Administrator for AYSO, will detail the steps AYSO takes to ensure a healthy and safe environment for its over 800,000 players and volunteers in the workshop, “Child Abuse Prevention and the Youth-Serving Organization.”
“AYSO was invited to teach other organizations how to put together a volunteer screening and child protection program,” Banich explains. “I will be describing how AYSO’s Safe Haven™ program is structured and giving an overview of the different laws organizations have to take into consideration when dealing with volunteers and youth.”
Safe Haven™ debuted in 1999 and was the first-ever child and volunteer protection program in youth sports. Each AYSO key volunteer is required to take a short in-person or online training session, which focuses on safety and appropriate behavior with children as well as first aid and other on-field issues. The program includes proactive steps that promote a positive and safe environment for children. It is designed to prevent child abuse and promote education and awareness while enforcing strict policies to screen and train volunteers.
“I will also be focusing on the education component of Safe Haven™ and why you cannot be completely dependent upon background checks,” Banich continues. “I’m excited to be asked to spread this important message about child protection to other organizations, parents and volunteers.”
Before joining AYSO, Banich was a certified facilitator for the Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles’ Safeguard the Children program, which delivers live training on child sexual abuse prevention to all staff and volunteers who serve in the parishes of Los Angeles. A native of Miami, Fla., Banich has a BA from the University of South Florida at Sarasota, and a JD from the University of Miami, and has practiced in the field of disability discrimination and special education law.
Hawthorne, Calif. (August 18, 2009) — The American Youth Soccer Organization’s (AYSO) Safe Haven™ program will be presented as a model for child protection and volunteer screening at a workshop on Aug. 25 at the 10th Annual National Conference on Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation Prevention in New Orleans, La. 
