Youth Protection and Well-Being

Keeping children and youth safe is a responsibility all adults must share. Gilman School recognizes the importance of this duty and is committed to promoting the well-being and ongoing safety of children and youth.

Ways to Report Suspected Abuse, Neglect, or Misconduct Concerns at Gilman

Anyone may make a report of suspected abuse, neglect or a misconduct concern at Gilman: a student, a friend, a parent, an alumni, a concerned community member…

Reports may be made directly to the Director of Youth Protection, Emily Q. Bose via email, phone at 410-323-3800, ext. 919, or in person at her office, located on the Terrace Level of Carey Hall (CT-29), near the School Store.

Reports or Concerns may also be submitted anonymously in the lock box located outside of the Youth Protection Office (CT-29), or via our online reporting tool below, which has anonymous reporting capability.

Suspected Child Abuse/Misconduct Reporting Form

Mandatory Volunteer Application Process and Training Program

Reporting through Maryland Safe Schools

Safe Schools Maryland is an ANONYMOUS and FREE reporting system available to students, teachers, school staff members, parents, and the general public to report any school or student safety concerns, including mental health concerns. Safe Schools Maryland is Maryland’s only official anonymous reporting system. Safe Schools Maryland operates twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, and 365 days a year. Your anonymous report can be submitted by calling the tip line (1-833-MD-B-SAFE / 1-833-632-7233), completing an online form, or downloading the free Safe Schools Maryland app from the App Store or Google Play.

Our Approach & Board Committee

Five Pillars of Youth Protection
Youth Protection and Well-Being Board Committee

Five Pillars of Youth Protection

Policies and Procedures

Refining existing procedures to reflect current best practices related to preventing misconduct, abuse, and neglect.

Education

Enhancing training and programming to help ensure that all students, employees, and parents/guardians are appropriately educated on building healthy relationships, boundary-crossing behaviors, the importance of prevention, as well as options for disclosing and reporting procedures.

Disclosing and Reporting

Creating clear guidelines for disclosing and reporting information concerning behavior, misconduct, and abuse.

Community and Culture

Nurturing a safe and supporting school culture through the collective effort of everyone in the school community to prioritize well-being and recognize, prevent, and respond to abuse and misconduct.

Vigilance

Continuously monitoring and evaluating our compliance system and the effectiveness of prevention efforts to identify areas of improvement and adjust strategies accordingly.

Youth Protection and Well-Being Board Committee

This committee was established to champion the School's efforts to incorporate best practices in fostering a culture of accountability for the safety of the community and the boys in our care.

The advisory group will be tasked with evaluating the action plan with an eye toward updating policies, increasing vigilance and accountability efforts, and helping to institute effective strategies that encourage the reporting and disclosure of concerns.

Leadership

Dr. Charles Edwards '88, PP, Trustee
Jean Perez, Director of Wellness and Support
Emily Q. Bose, '26, '28, Director of Youth Protection
Dave Irwin '66, PP Of Counsel

Members

John Schmick, ‘97, P’ 30, Upper School Dean of Student Life
Elizabeth Visconage, St. Mary’s Seminary, Senior Vice President of Administration and Advancement
Alison D’Allesandro, Senior Policy and Program Analyst, Center for Hope

Disclosing and Reporting Suspected Misconduct and Abuse

Gilman School complies with all Maryland state laws regarding reporting suspected abuse and neglect of a child or youth to civil authorities and cooperates with civil authorities investigating reports of suspected abuse or neglect by anyone, including but not limited to school personnel. School personnel shall immediately notify the Head of School and/or Director of Youth Protection of any suspected abuse or neglect. Per the reporting statute's requirement, suspected abuse or neglect (as defined by the statute) shall be reported by school personnel as soon as possible to the Maryland Child Protective Services Hotline at 1-800-917-7383 or local law enforcement. (MD Code, Family Law, § 5-704.)

In addition to school personnel, any person who has reason to believe a child or youth has been subjected to abuse or neglect (as defined by the statute) is legally required to make a report to the Maryland Child Protective Services Hotline at 1-800-917-7383 or local law enforcement. (MD Code, Family Law, § 5-705.)

Support and Resources for the Gilman Community

Our top priority remains supporting the boys — both current and alumni.

Students

Alumni

First and foremost, we want to commend the young men who have had the fortitude to come forward. You have demonstrated tremendous courage. Please know that we stand with you. To our alumni who may be grappling with whether or not to come forward with information that may be relevant to this case, know that we are here to support you.

Holding ourselves to the highest moral and ethical standards of the present time, it is of the utmost importance that we encourage anyone with knowledge to come forward. Baltimore County Police have urged anyone with information to contact the Crimes Against Children Unit at 410-887-7720 or Child Protective Services at 410-887-8463. The School will continue to support the investigation in whatever ways authorities may request.

Support services to our alumni who may have experienced trauma or abuse during their time at Gilman are available.The School will help provide counseling services for those in need. ParkerBinet, a third party otherwise not associated with the School, will administer the program on behalf of the School in order to protect your privacy. You may contact ParkerBinet directly at 301-615-1167 or gilmanschool@parkerbinet.com.

Parents & Faculty/Staff

Resources

Tips for Talking With and Helping Children and Youth Cope After a Disaster or Traumatic Event
A guide for parents, caregivers, and teachers from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). "Adult support and reassurance is the key to helping children through a traumatic time. This guide provides developmentally appropriate strategies to support children."
Nine Tips for Talking with Kids About Trauma
The Greater Good Science Center at the University of California, Berkeley, shares how we can respond after a tragedy when kids have questions, with 15 resources on how to talk to children about trauma.
Managing Strong Emotional Reactions to Traumatic Events: Tips for Families and Teachers
From the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP). "When a large-scale tragedy occurs, it can cause strong and deeply felt reactions in adults and children. How adults express their emotions will influence the reactions of children and youth. Caregivers can help youngsters manage their feelings by modeling healthy coping strategies and closely monitoring their own emotional state and that of those in their care."
How to Talk with Kids About Personal Safety and Sexual Abuse
"This guide contains decades of research packed into practical, digestible advice and age-appropriate conversation starters to help you feel comfortable talking with your child about personal safety — one of the most powerful ways to protect them from sexual abuse."

Child and Youth Protection Policies Procedures (PDF)

Our Partners in This Work

The Jill Fox Center for Hope, a part of LifeBridge Health Center, advances hope, healing, and resilience for those impacted by trauma, abuse, and violence.

Center for Hope is a unique space where comprehensive programs, experts, and city agency partners join together to foster positivity, safety, and success for children, youth, and adults. The first of its kind in the nation, Center for Hope is a model for employing integrated programs and services designed to break the cycle of violence and its lifelong impact on victims of all races, ethnicities, and religions, from the cradle to old age.

Learning Courage is a nonprofit membership organization that works with K12 independent schools to reduce incidents, improve responses, and support healing from sexual misconduct and abuse by guiding and advising on best practices, tools, and resources.

Founded by survivors, Learning Courage understands both the institutional challenges and the importance of keeping survivors at the center of the process, whether the misconduct occurred recently or in the past.

Community Resources

The mission of the Maryland Coalition Against Sexual Assault (MCASA) is to help prevent sexual assault, advocate for accessible, compassionate care for survivors of sexual violence, and work to hold offenders accountable.

Child Protective Services is a specific social service provided by DHS to assist children believed to be neglected or abused by parents or other adults having permanent or temporary care or custody, or parental responsibility. The program also offers service to household or family members who may require intervention to decrease the risk of any continuing physical, sexual or mental abuse or neglect. The first priority of CPS is to safely maintain a child in their home and to protect the child from further harm and maltreatment.

As the nation’s largest anti-sexual violence organization and operator of the National Sexual Assault Hotline, RAINN’s mission is to stop sexual violence by supporting survivors, holding perpetrators accountable, and creating safer communities.

Change the Conversation’s mission is to engage all communities in the prevention of and healing from child sexual abuse, and envisions a world where we all understand the innumerable impacts of child sexual abuse and are compelled to eliminate it.

ASCA (Adult Survivors of Child Abuse) is an innovative and effective support program designed specifically for adult survivors of physical, sexual, or emotional child abuse or neglect.

Meet the Youth Protection and Well-Being Team

Our team is ready to help you with any questions you may have about policies, procedures, or programs at Gilman.

Custom Class: header-container

Custom Class: header-utility-container

Custom Class: nav-utility-header

Custom Class: header-search

Custom Class: menu-toggle open

In This Section