Mandatory Reporting
Pursuant to the Oregon Child Abuse Reporting Statutes and the university Protection of Minors policy, all university employees have a duty to make a report to the Oregon Department of Human Services or a law enforcement agency when there is reasonable cause to believe any child with whom the employee comes in contact has suffered abuse or that any person with whom the employee comes in contact has abused a child. For instances that relate to university authorized activities, university employees are expected to make the report immediately to the University of Oregon Police Department (541-346-2919). Youth Program volunteers are expected to make the report immediately to their supervisor. See policy for more information.
Criminal Background Checks
The university will conduct criminal background checks for any university employee or volunteer working in youth programs consistent with university policy on background checks and applicable Collective Bargaining Agreements. If a criminal background check reveals information that could affect the individual’s suitability for their role in the youth program, the university will follow its usual policies and procedures regarding confidentiality, assessing the results, informing the youth program and the individual, and any other processes. Prior to interacting with youth, volunteers and employees must have successfully completed a background check. Background checks are required every two years. If at any point during a youth program an individual is charged with an offense identified in OAR 413-015-0115, they must disclose this information immediately to the department or unit administrator and discontinue any and all activities involving minors.
Conduct Requirements
In addition to mandatory reporting requirements, university employees and volunteers shall report known violations of these procedures to their supervisor, youth program administrator, or anonymously report to the Reporting Hotline
When working in youth programs, individuals agree to:
- Conduct themselves in a courteous and respectful manner, exhibit good sportsmanship, and be a positive role model for minors.
- Respect, adhere to, and enforce the rules, policies, and guidelines established by the youth program, this policy, and the university.
- Endeavor to provide a safe and healthy experience for all participants.
- Endeavor to avoid private one-on-one situations with a minor.
- Refrain from engaging in any criminal activity.
- Refrain from making comments of a sexual nature in the presence of a minor or making sexually explicit materials available to a minor.
- Comply with all applicable civil rights laws and policies, including and not limited to equal opportunity and nondiscrimination policies.
- Not, under any circumstances, physically, sexually, verbally, or emotionally abuse or fail to provide the basic necessities of care applicable to the youth program, such as food or shelter, to participants.
- It is expected that all communication and providing of programming should be completed through official University channels and not personal accounts. We should endeavor to avoid private one-on-one situations and limit direct electronic communication (1:1) between the minor and University staff, students, and volunteers. The Director of each youth program must be aware and authorize the use of unofficial university channels or personal accounts with the understanding parents and caregivers will always be cc’d on all meeting invitations and communications. This includes private chats and direct messaging within a software application.
Supervision Requirements
- The number of supervisors required at a youth program shall be determined by taking into account all aspects of the program, including the age of participants, number of participants, the nature of the activity, and the age and experience of the adult supervisors. In setting an appropriate ratio, it is recommended that the program administrator consult the American Camp Association (ACA) standards.
- Youth programs shall establish a procedure for checking minors in and out of the program. Minors who are school age (K-12) may be checked in or out in an alternative way (e.g. transport by bus, walking home) if the minor has written permission of parent or legal guardian to check in and out in the manner described in writing.
Training
- Youth Program administrators and sponsoring departments are responsible for confirming that university employees and volunteers complete training on the following topics:
- Child abuse awareness and prevention
- Reporting suspected child abuse and neglect
- Mandatory Clery training is required for all UO paid employees
- All requirements of the policy and these procedures
- Review program emergency and safety planning and response
- Human Resources and partner departments will provide resources to Youth Program administrators and sponsoring departments to facilitate completion of the training requirements. Such resources are currently available online: http://hr.uoregon.edu/minors-campus.
Registration of programs
- Each youth program must be registered annually with the office of Risk Management and Insurance including virtual or remote programming.
- Youth programs hosted by third-party contractors must be registered by the university entity facilitating the contract. Registration includes: 1) entry of program information, and 2) certification by the hosting department or unit that the third-party youth program has agreed in writing to comply with all relevant University policy and procedures.
Maintaining a safe environment for youth
Youth programs must adhere to relevant state and federal workplace and environmental safety regulations and Environmental Health and Safety lab safety standards for STEM programs.
Emergency and safety planning and response
Youth programs must maintain safeguards and precautions appropriate for the youth in their care and must maintain a safety plan in the event of natural disasters, active threat or other health and safety emergencies. UO affiliate youth programs and third party contracted youth programs who operate, or host youth programs must also have procedures in place for responding to known health conditions and health emergencies experienced by youth.
Non-discrimination
UO prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, national or ethnic origin, age, religion, marital status, disability, veteran status, citizenship status, parental status, sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression in all programs, activities and employment practices as required by Title IX, other applicable laws, and policies.
Definitions
To the extent there is a conflict between the below definitions and any term defined in the Youth Protection Policy, the Youth Protection Policy definition controls.
Youth Program: all events, operations, endeavors, or activities designed for participation by minors and organized by the University of Oregon in which university employees or volunteers are responsible for the care, custody, or control of minors. Youth programs includes but is not limited to day camps, overnight camps, clinics, instructional programs, and sports camps. Youth Program also includes third party programs involving the care, custody or control of minors that use university facilities through a contractual relationship or other formal partnership with a university unit or department. Youth Program does not include the following:
- Undergraduate or graduate academic programs, classes, or activities in which all individuals under the age of 18 are enrolled students or students admitted for enrollment.
- Events open to the public that minors may attend, but where the university is not accepting care, custody, or control for the minor(s), as those terms are defined in the implementing procedures.
- Non-Youth programs where minors are working for the university as employees, volunteers, or interns. University employees and volunteers will be required to comply with the conduct requirements when working with minors.
- University employees or volunteers who may have incidental contact with minors but do not work directly with minors in a youth program. All university employees will be required to comply with mandatory reporting requirements under this policy and any implementing procedures and under the law.
Minor: a person under the age of 18 years
Mandatory Reporter: an individual required by law and/or university policy to report suspected child abuse and neglect.
Care, custody, or control of minors: when an adult is present and has primary responsibility for supervision of minors at any given point throughout the Youth Program. At least one adult must have care, custody, or control of minors at all times during the Youth Program.
Working in youth programs: when a university employee or volunteer, as part of their duties in the youth program, is present with minors who are participating in a youth program, but the adult does not necessarily have care, custody, or control for the minors because another designated adult has care, custody, or control of the minor
University employee: a faculty member, staff member (including an officer of administration), student employee (including a graduate employee), temporary employee, or anyone else employed by the University of Oregon.
Volunteer: any individual providing services on behalf of the university for no remuneration or expectation that he or she will be compensated except for the reimbursement of actual expenses. This includes interns or students.
Virtual Youth Program: Any program where the University is hosting an online or remote program in which the audience is targeted for youth and where the university will have direct online access to minors.
Youth Program administrator: a person who is responsible for a youth program which may include human resources, financial, marketing, and strategic operations.
Private one-on-one interactions: An intentional or purposeful interaction where one individual to whom the policy applies is alone with one minor.
Third Party Youth Program(s): means non-University organizations and entities that lease, license, or otherwise use any University property in order to operate programs or activities involving Minors. This does not include private events such as birthday parties, or weddings.
Related Resources
Youth Programs: Protecting Minors
Registration and Insurance Enrollment
ORS Mandatory reporting of child abuse
HR website on mandatory reporting
Risk Management website (resources for volunteers, waivers)
UOPD website for reporting suspected child abuse