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 in the United States and around the world 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.

In the United States, L’Arche communities are held accountable to high safeguarding standards, which are set by their respective state licensure bodies and by their membership agreement with L’Arche USA. L’Arche 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
• Growing a robust selection of safeguarding resources and trainings

As part of our continuing efforts to ensure the well-being of all of our members across the world, L’Arche International launched a comprehensive safeguarding initiative in 2018. In the United States, this initiative includes:

• Implementing the L’Arche International Safeguarding Evaluation in L’Arche USA and its communities
• Establishing a Safeguarding Commission to firmly anchor safeguarding within our governance structures
• Establishing an iReport Team and response process to manage any national reports of safeguarding misconduct
• Growing a robust national selection of safeguarding resources and trainings