Together, we are responsible for maintaining a vibrant, welcoming, inclusive, and, most importantly, safe environment for ALL students and families in our CYT Dallas community.  All Office Staff, Teaching Artists, Artistic Team Members, and Volunteers are interviewed, extensively background checked through a National Search with continual 3-year monitoring, and undergo Child Abuse Protection Training with Certification.  They are also Mandated Reporters, required by law to report any suspicion of abuse to a Child Protective Agency.

CYT, as a national organization, has also partnered with Kids Power in an effort to train our staff, volunteers, and students of all ages, teaching skills for strong relationships and the prevention of harm. This training is ongoing.

We also encourage you to report any concerns that you may have regarding the safety or well-being of students, staff, or families to CYT Dallas through our Community Feedback Form or directly to the appropriate agency in the resources below.

CYT cares deeply for child safety.  We want to make sure that CYT is as safe for students and families as possible, but we would be remiss if we didn’t consider the implications of child safety and the work we do one step further.  We know that at CYT students are afforded the opportunities to grow in areas like confidence both on and off the stage.  Why wouldn’t we use that as a springboard to give them lifeskills that will serve and protect them within our walls and as they leave us?  That is where Kidpower comes in. We have completed the training and child advocacy certification at CYT National to write, record, and produce videos for leaders and students to view every week at CYT classes. 

CYT understands that child safety within our organization needs to be multi-leveled and rests on a solid baseline of employee and volunteer training and background checking.  We have contracted with the leading industry company, Protect My Ministry, to assure that all CYT employees and volunteers across the country go through a thorough background check and complete child sexual abuse awareness training. 

With the help of partners in the Christian camp space, we have developed a system of assessing all venues that CYT Branches use for programming for vulnerabilities or threats to the safety of our CYT communities.  This system has been developed into video training for Branch leaders to use when choosing and moving into various venues and facilities. 

A toll-free telephone number (1-855-222-0283) and website www.lighthouse-services.com/cyt have been set up for any local CYT participants, volunteers, or employees to report concerns. This confidential number and website is staffed by a third-party firm and will report any concerns to the CYT Inc Staff and Board of Directors.

The National Child Abuse Hotline (1-800-4-A-CHILD) is dedicated to the prevention of child abuse.  The hotline offers crisis intervention, information, and referrals to thousands of emergency, social service, and support resources. All calls, texts, and chats are confidential.