Safeguarding
Safeguarding means protecting people from harm. More specifically, it means preventing and responding to harm caused by neglect, personal abuse, exploitation, violence, and/or harassment (including when these are sexual in nature). L’Arche North Carolina is committed to protecting all of our members and friends, with and without intellectual disabilities, from harm caused by any kind of abuse, violence, harassment or neglect. This commitment is anchored in the very core of L’Arche’s mission: to celebrate the unique value of every human being.
L’Arche’s Commitment to Safeguarding
In the United States, L’Arche communities are held accountable to high safeguarding standards, which are set by their respective state licensure bodies (if applicable) and by their membership agreement with L’Arche USA. L’Arche North Carolina is committed to:
- Protecting all of our members and friends, with and without intellectual disabilities, from harm caused by any kind of abuse, violence, harassment or neglect;
- Continuously evaluating how to reduce risks;
- Offering clear and accessible ways to speak up;
- Ensuring unbiased, competent, and swift investigations;
- Verifying communities’ compliance with safeguarding standards; and
- Growing a robust selection of safeguarding resources and trainings.
While L’Arche strives to make events inclusive for all human beings, for the safety of our members, staff and volunteers and to protect all of members and friends, L’Arche NC is unable to provide direct support for certain care needs to individuals who attend our events, such as transportation, medical care or toileting needs. As such, all members are encouraged to bring a friend, family member or caretaker to our events if they require assistance. L’Arche NC will support access to whatever activities we gather to do and can provide limited assistance, such as helping individuals with art projects or serving a plate of food, etc.
As part of our safeguarding initiatives, we have established a reporting procedure and response process to manage reports of safeguarding misconduct. L’Arche’s members, volunteers and participants are held to high standards. Please let us know if you witness, learn of, or experience misconduct in any L’Arche setting, including any kind of abuse, violence, harassment, or neglect. You may file a report by sending an email to [email protected]
L’Arche North Carolina does not provide 24-hour crisis counseling services. This site is not a hotline, and our offices are not staffed 24/7. If you are or someone you know is in immediate danger, please dial 911. If you have experienced sexual assault and need to locate resources in your area, please call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800.656.HOPE or visit online.rainn.org.
If you suspect or have reasonable cause to believe that a disabled adult is being abused, neglected or exploited, or needs protective services, you also must immediately report these concerns to the local Department of Social Services, Adult Protective Services in the county where the person with a disability lives. You can also report mistreatment to local law enforcement, which includes a local police department and/or sheriff’s office. For additional help, call the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services CARE-LINE toll free within North Carolina at (800) 662-7030.
