Al‑Anon Family Groups Board of Trustees
2003 Motion on Alateen Safety

On December 8, 2003, the Al‑Anon Board of Trustees approved a motion which mandated measures to ensure the safety of Alateen members and their group sponsors. Alateen safety had been under discussion for a number of years. By 2003 the Board believed that the time had come for all areas to have safety and behavioral requirements that met minimum requirements for Alateens and Al‑Anon members involved in Alateen service, and that the Alateen Safety Policies of Areas should be supported by WSO registration procedures and policies.

Here is the Board of Trustees motion.

MOTION

The Alateen Advisory Committee, the Group Services Committee, the World Service Office Policy Committee, and the Board of Trustees of Al‑Anon Family Group Headquarters, Inc. have studied the issues concerning the safety and behavior of Alateen members and individuals involved with Alateen service. The Board has reviewed the documents and actions of previous Conferences, previous Committees, and the World Service Office correspondence with legal counsel, individual members, Alateen Sponsors, Coordinators, as well as area and district officers.

The Board of Trustees has determined:

• Not all areas have written safety or behavioral requirements for Alateens and individuals involved with Alateen service.
• The WSO registration procedures and policies should support areas that have developed safety and behavioral requirements.
• The Al‑Anon fellowship should take all necessary steps to provide a safe environment for Alateens and the Al‑Anons involved with Alateen service.

As Tradition Four states, “Each group should be autonomous, except in matters affecting another group or Al‑Anon or AA as a whole.” The Board of Trustees has determined that issues of safety and behavior by Alateens and individuals involved with Alateen service do affect every group and Al‑Anon as a whole.

The Board of Trustees, under Concept Seven and Warranty Four, is entrusted with the authority and responsibility to protect the Al‑Anon and Alateen names and the organizational identity.

Now, therefore, the Board of Trustees resolves:

1. As soon as possible, but in any event, no later than December 31, 2004, if an area within the World Service Conference Structure uses the Al‑Anon or Alateen name in conjunction with any meeting(s), group(s), convention(s), or any other gathering(s) in the area where Alateen participation is offered, the area must have safety and behavioral requirements for all Alateen members and Al‑Anon Member[s] Involved in Alateen Service. These safety and behavioral requirements must meet the minimum requirements of Al‑Anon Family Group Headquarters, Inc.
2. Al‑Anon Members Involved in Alateen Service and all Alateen members must adhere to the area’s safety and behavioral requirements, or the area will notify the WSO that those members are prohibited from participating in Alateen service.
3. As soon as possible, but in any event, no later than December 31, 2004, and for each succeeding year, each area must have a process to certify, and must so certify to the WSO annually, that each Al‑Anon member involved with Alateen service has met the area’s safety and behavioral requirements and has agreed to abide by them.
4. The World Service Office will register only those Alateen groups whose registration it receives through the area’s registration process. The WSO will remove from its registration list any Alateen group that the area determines does not comply with area safety and behavioral requirements. The area’s request for removal of an Alateen group must be stated in writing to the Associate Director/Alateen. This applies to all Alateen groups, whether currently registered or not.
5. If the area states in writing to the Associate Director/Alateen that a group, meeting, convention, or gathering is failing to meet the area’s safety and behavioral requirements, prior registration or interaction with the World Service Office shall not constitute any continuing right to use the Al‑Anon or Alateen name. Minimum Safety and Behavioral Requirements (WSO)

Minimum Safety and Behavioral Requirements (WSO)

1. Every Al‑Anon member involved with Alateen service must:
   1. be an Al‑Anon member regularly attending Al‑Anon meetings.
   2. be at least 21 years old.
   3. have at least two years in Al‑Anon in addition to any time spent in Alateen.
   4. not have been convicted of a felony, and not have been charged with child abuse or any other inappropriate sexual behavior, and not have demonstrated emotional problems which could result in harm to Alateen members.
2. There must be at least one Alateen sponsor at every Alateen meeting.
3. The area requirements must prohibit overt or covert sexual interaction between any adult and Alateen member.
4. The area requirements must prohibit conduct contrary to applicable laws.
5. The area requirements must contain procedures for parental permission and medical care when applicable.
6. The area requirements must be reviewed by local counsel.

Other points for the areas to think about in developing their requirements:

• Requiring two Alateen sponsors at every Alateen meeting.
• Having background checks.
• Considering behavior before, during, and after any Alateen meeting or activity of Alateens and adults involved with Alateen service.
• Connecting Alateen conferences to the area structure.
• Forming an Alateen meeting that meets at the same time and place as the Al‑Anon meeting.
• Being gender conscious.
• Avoiding one-on-one interactions.
• Having an appropriate ratio of adults to Alateens at all times.
• Transporting Alateens to and from events.
• Educational training and awareness programs.