This policy establishes required screening, training, conduct standards, and reporting procedures to ensure the safety of minors participating in any college‑affiliated programs or activities.

 

YOUTH PROTECTION POLICY

Overview

Central College (“college”) seeks to conduct its operations to provide an environment that is safe and supportive of the pursuits of its students, faculty, staff, and visitors and consistent with its mission. The Youth Protection Policy (“Policy”) and associated procedures and trainings aim to protect minors while they are on college premises or when participating in activities sponsored by the college.

Definitions

Attends to: Cares for, supervises, treats, instructs, mentors, counsels, or otherwise has charge of a minor.

Authorized Adult: Any individual age 18 or older who interacts with, supervises, instructs, or oversees minors in any college-sponsored or non-college-sponsored activity on college property or under the college’s authority. This includes but is not limited to faculty, staff, volunteers, students, and independent contractors/consultants. This does not include invited speakers or presenters at events where the speaker or presenter will not have any one-on-one contact with a minor.

Child Abuse: Conduct toward a minor constituting physical abuse, sexual abuse, sexual exploitation, or neglect, consistent with state law. Sexual abuse includes molestation, sexual touching, indecent exposure, grooming behavior, photographing or viewing a minor for sexual purposes, or any sexual activity with a minor.

College-Sponsored Youth Program: Any program, activity, camp, event, or experience primarily serving minors that is organized, hosted, or financially supported by any college department or unit.

Direct Contact: Providing care, supervision, guidance, or control of minors and/or having routine (as opposed to isolated or sporadic) interaction with minors.

Enrolled Student: A student enrolled in a program of study or course(s) for credit, including both full-time degree-seeking students and non-degree seeking, part time, or guest students.

Minor (also referred to as Youth): Anyone under 18 years of age.

One-On-One Contact: Unsupervised interaction between a youth and any adult who is not the youth's parent, guardian, school teacher, and/or chaperone. One-on-one contact limitations do not include situations in which more than one youth or faculty, staff, or authorized adult is present.

Prospective Student: A person who is considering enrollment at Central College in a program of study or course(s) for credit, including students who have been accepted for admission to Central College but have not yet enrolled in or started courses.

Sponsoring Unit: The academic, non-academic, administrative or auxiliary unit of the college, or entity deemed by the college to be subject to this policy, which offers a youth program.

Suspect:  To believe something is probably true (does not mean “know for sure”).

Youth Program:  An academic, athletic, educational, or recreational activity designed to primarily serve minors. “Youth Programs” do not include Central College enrolled student activities, events on campus which are open to the general public, and preview events/campus visits by prospective students.

Responsibilities

Authorized Adult: All authorized adults must adhere to the standards of behavior set forth in this policy, including consent to a background check and completion of mandatory training by the college.

Program Director: The Central College employee with primary responsibility for a college-sponsored youth program. The Program Director is responsible for registering the program and ensuring compliance with all applicable policies and procedures in preparation for the program.

Human Resources (HR) and/or Title IX Coordinator: Manages the background check for employees and volunteers; assigns required training to program directors and authorized adults; confirms that background checks and required trainings are completed in accordance with this policy.

Policy Details

This Policy applies to all authorized adults of the college and all programs offered by all departments of the college, recognized student groups, and by non-college organizations on college-owned property, using college facilities, or under the exclusive authority and direction of the college in other locations.

This policy creates specific standards to register all programs involving minors, to properly screen and train all authorized program staff, and to outline specific requirements and protocols. This policy also formalizes expectations and reporting mechanisms that must be followed when abuse is suspected.

Exceptions to this Policy

This Policy does not apply to the following:

• Students enrolled at the college or students who have accepted the college’s offer of admission by placing a deposit with the college;
• Events that are open to the general public where parents, legal guardians, or school/organization chaperons are expected to provide supervision of minors in their care such as sporting events, theater performances, concerts, etc.;
• Official college admissions-related or recruitment activities for prospective students. Members of the college community engaged in these types of admissions-related activities must follow the minimum standards of conduct for interacting with minors as outlined by this policy;
• Registered minor guests of a college student in accordance with established procedures from Central College residence life.
• Students who are "dually enrolled" in college programs while also enrolled in elementary, middle and/or high school are not included in this policy unless such enrollment includes overnight housing in college facilities.

Mandatory Reporting Requirements

Any employee, volunteer, or authorized adult who, in the course of their duties, attends to a minor and suspects child abuse must:

1. Call 911 if the minor is in immediate danger.
2. Notify the program director.
3. Report to the college’s Title IX Coordinator within 24 hours, who may notify local law enforcement.
4. Mandatory reporters under state law must also follow all statutory reporting requirements.

Program Requirements

These requirements apply to all college employees, students, contractors, volunteers, and visitors working in college-sponsored youth programs.

1. Program Registration

All college-sponsored youth programs must be registered by the program director with the Human Resources Office (more details on registration can be found on the Central College Youth Program Protection page). Registration is required to be completed no later than 45 days before the program or event start date. This registration serves as notification to all appropriate individuals and groups of the college to ensure proper preparation is completed.

2. Background Checks

Criminal background checks as specified by the college are required for program directors and all authorized adults who will have direct contact with minors.

• Must be completed prior to program start and within five years immediately preceding their work with minors.
• Must be completed before an authorized adult can instruct, supervise, chaperon, oversee or otherwise interact with youths in youth programs.
• Background checks are managed by Human Resources and abide by applicable policies. If a criminal record history is found, the Chief Talent, Equity and Engagement Officer will evaluate the information and include the appropriate decision makers in the process of review to make a determination regarding the ability of an authorized adult to participate in a youth program.

2. Training

All authorized adults working with minors must complete college-provided training prior to program start and within two years immediately preceding their work with minors. The training covers:

• Mandatory reporting laws;
• Abuse & molestation prevention, including grooming detection;
• Appropriate boundaries;
• Emergency procedures and campus safety resources.

No adult may begin work in a youth program without completing required training.

3. Participant Information and Emergency Preparation

The program director or designated staff are responsible for the following:

• Maintain participant roster, authorized adult directory, emergency contacts, room assignments (if applicable).
• Establish emergency notification plan.
• Collect any needed medical information & release forms; maintain confidentiality.

3. Supervision Standards

• Programs must be designed to avoid one-on-one contact.
• Minimum of two authorized adults present whenever possible.
• American Camp Association (ACA) staffing ratios or stricter program-specific ratios apply.
• An authorized adult must be accessible at all times.

4. Travel

• Avoid transporting minors alone in any vehicle.
• Minimum of two unrelated adults present whenever possible.

5. Minimum Standards of Conduct for Interacting with Minors

All members of the college community are expected to be positive role models in their interactions with minors by behaving in a caring, honest, respectful, and responsible manner. The college has adopted the following policies for the safety and well-being of minors consistent with the purpose set forth above. These guidelines are intended to provide information to prevent abuse or unfounded allegations of abuse; and identify abuse or improper behavior.

• Do not engage in any sexual activity, make sexual comments, tell sexual jokes, or share sexually explicit material (or assist in any way to provide access to such material) with youths.
• Do not be alone with a youth. If one-on-one contact is required, meet in an open, well-illuminated space or room with windows observable by other adults from the youth program, unless the one-on-one contact is expressly authorized by the youth program director, or is being undertaken by a healthcare provider.
• Do not meet with youths outside of established times of youth program activities.
• Do not invite individual youths to your home. Any exceptions require written authorization by the youth program director and written authorization by a parent/guardian.
• Do not engage with youths or allow youths to engage you in romantic or sexual conversations, or related matters, unless required in the role of resident advisors, counselors, or health care providers.
• Do not engage or communicate with youths through email, text messages, social networking websites, internet chat rooms, or other forms of social media at any time except and unless there is an educational or programmatic purpose and the content of the communication is consistent with the mission of the youth program and the college. It is advisable to include other authorized adults in any necessary communications whenever possible.
• Never photograph, film or otherwise record a Minor without the prior written consent of the Minor’s parent or legal guardian.
• Signed written permission from a parent or legal guardian, including a liability waiver and release, is required for a Minor to stay overnight on college premises and to participate in any Program.
• Do not touch youths in a manner that a reasonable person could interpret as inappropriate. Touching should generally only be in the open and in response to the youth’s needs, for a purpose that is consistent with the youth program’s mission and culture, and/or for a clear educational, developmental, or health related (i.e. treatment of an injury) purpose. Any resistance to physical interaction from the youth should be respected.
• Do not engage in any abusive conduct of any kind toward, or in the presence of, a youth, including but not limited to verbal abuse, striking, hitting, punching, poking, spanking, or restraining. If restraint is necessary to protect a youth or other youths from harm, all incidents must be documented and disclosed to the youth program director, Title IX Coordinator, and the youth’s parent/guardian.
• Do not use, possess or be under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs while on duty or when responsible for a youth’s welfare.
• Possession of or use of any type of weapon or explosive device is prohibited.

Third Parties Sponsoring Events at Central College Facilities

Non-college entities hosting programs or events on college property involving minors must enter into a Facilities Use Agreement and abide by all requirements therein. These requirements include completion and/or verification of background checks and minimum training requirements for all authorized adults and a minimum certificate of insurance that specifically includes abuse and molestation coverage.

Sanctions

Individuals who fail to comply with this policy and the procedures associated with it may be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment from the college.

 

Last Revision Date: 01/28/2026

Policy Owner: Talent, Equity and Engagement Office