University of Minnesota  FAQ

Safety of Minors

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Governing Policy

Questions?

Please use the contact section in the governing policy.

  1. I am an instructor with PSEO students in my class. Will I be required to undergo a background check and complete training?

    Faculty and other teaching personnel who only interact with minors who are registered students in credit-bearing courses (for example, PSEO students) are not required to undergo the criminal background checks or to satisfy the training requirements of this policy. Review Administrative Policy: Background Checks and Verifications to see if a background check is required independent of this policy, such as during initial hiring.

  2. I have a program involving minors that includes an overnight stay. Will all program staff be required to take the training and complete a background check before participating?

    Yes.

  3. I am a non-University organization renting space at the University. I do not currently have a training course. May I use the University's training module?

    Yes. The U of M Training Hub allows guest access. Non-University organizations may access the course through this link. The program will send a confirmation of completion to a supervisor if the user clicks through the end of the program.

  4. I want to use a release or waiver for the minors in my program. What form should I use?

    Use “Release and Waiver: Safety of Minors”, OGC-SC250, available in the U of M Contracts Library, under Other Agreements, Waivers & Releases. If you think you need something different for  your program please contact the Office of the General Counsel at 612-624-4100 or [email protected].

    Use the description section at the top of the document to explicitly describe program/activity details such as time, date, location etc.

  5. I use volunteers in my program, both adults and minors. Is there a document we should use to formalize their role?

    Please ask all volunteers to read and sign OGC-SC214, found in the U of M Contract Library, under Other Agreements, Volunteer Agreements. This is appropriate for youth volunteering in offices, lab or research programs. A document highlighting role responsibilities is highly recommended. Various templates are found with the College Readiness Website, under UMNYouth Programs tab.

  6. I have a high school student volunteering in my office as part of a high school class requirement or service project. Does the policy apply?

    Yes. Accepting high school volunteers in an office is considered a program primarily intended for minors, and the policy requirements apply. No 1:1 interaction is still expected during an environment with only one volunteer. Interactions need to be always observable and interruptible.

  7. I am a faculty member who has a high school student volunteering in my lab. Does the policy apply?

    Yes, the policy applies to the program of allowing minors in the lab (not the overall research lab or program).

  8. I represent a U of M student organization. Does this policy apply to us?

    Please contact the Student Activities office, which can help your group determine whether the policy applies, and how to comply. The answer depends in part on the classification of your student group.

  9. I am conducting research that involves a program for youth and that has been approved by the IRB. Does the policy apply to my research program?

    Yes, if the research involves a UMN program primarily intended for minors, IRB review and oversight does not address the safety issues covered in the Safety of Minors policy. The program should be registered, and background checks, training and health and safety requirements are applicable.

  10. Are the required background checks the same as the UMN background checks conducted on new hires?

    Yes, they are the same background checks. A background check conducted upon hiring can serve as the Safety of Minors background check if it was conducted within 3 years. Background checks must be conducted every three years to allow continued work with minors. UMN employment policies may require a background check to be conducted more frequently if an employee changes jobs or a volunteer is hired as an employee.

  11. Does the policy apply to treating minors in UMN medical clinics?

    No.

  12. Where do I find more information on complying with the policy?

    Information and guidance, including links to relevant documents, can be found on the College Readiness Consortium website, or contact Jazmin Danielson, Youth Safety and Compliance Manager, for assistance.

  13. If youth participants bring allowable medicine with them, what do we do? Can medical staff administer medicine to youth, or must they be self-administered by youth?

    Medicine should be kept in a secure location not accessible to youth such as a locked storage box or a backpack in the possession of a staff person. A staff medical professional can administer medicine with appropriate family permission, but not staff without medical credentials. In the Health and Safety Responsibilities, within the policy, medication administration is addressed.

  14. If a youth participant is unable to self-administer a medicine due to a disability, can a staff person do it?

    UMN programs must provide reasonable accommodations for youth participants. Contact your campus Disability Resources office, or Jazmin Danielson, Youth Safety and Compliance Manager, for assistance.  

  15. How do I know who has completed a background check? Who keeps track of them?

    Program leaders are responsible for keeping track of and documenting completed background checks for staff. Completed background checks of employees are recorded in PeopleSoft and unit HR staff can determine if a staff member has passed a background check within three years. For volunteers, program leaders should keep copies of emails reporting successfully passing a background check.

  16. What is a background check?

    A background check is the verification of a person’s information and certain public records.

  17. Why complete background checks?

    Background checks are one component of child abuse and neglect prevention. 

    Background checks operate in tandem with youth protection training and program best practices to offer a safer environment for everyone participating in programs--both youth and adults.

    The background check package includes:

    • social security number and address trace
    • national criminal database with sexual offender index
    • county criminal search – current county
    • alias search (if applicable)
    • If additional counties are located within the past 7 years based on the applicant’s residency history, they will be searched.
  18. How long do background checks take to process?

    Background checks are typically processed in 2-3 business days.

    With any vendor, delays can result if a county where court records need to be searched by hand are understaffed, if someone has lived in a variety of places, has a lengthy residency history or has lived internationally, or due to other delays outside of the control of the University or the background check vendor.

    The Safety of Minors Policy requires background checks to be completed at least 72 hours prior to the start of the program and programs should account for this time frame and potential processing delays when submitting their program staff list.

  19. Who is required to have a background check?

    In addition to the requirements for employee background checks, a background check must be completed for all covered program staff. 

  20. Who is required to complete training?

    In addition to any training required by a department or sponsoring unit, all covered program staff are required to complete the University of Minnesota online Safety of Minors policy Training module at least 72 hours prior to the start of the covered program.

  21. How can I tell if someone has already completed training?

    Program directors and select other individuals who have been granted permission/access can log in to Training Hub to view the status of an individual's training record and whether or not training has been completed. 

    If you cannot find an individual in the Training Hub Portal, please contact the Youth Safety and Compliance Manager.

  22. How long does training take to complete?

    Training takes about 13 minutes to complete. This is the minimum requirement. It is highly encouraged that additional training take place based on your program needs/design/dosage/duration etc.

  23. I’m worried these requirements are going to impact the spirit and goals of my program/camp/event. Do we have to follow University requirements?

    Safety of Minors and the College Readiness Consortium seeks to collaborate with programs to understand your goals and how you operate in order to support your program in meeting the requirements of the Policy and continuing to offer excellent youth events and opportunities.

  24. Can I have parents or participants sign some kind of waiver in order to avoid having to register my program/following University requirements?

    No. When the University hosts a program or event and maintains custodial care of children, or when the University hosts such an event or program elsewhere, baseline safety requirements must be followed in order to protect all involved.

  25. Can I personally attest that I’ll take on the liability for any issues, and then not adhere to University safety requirements?

    No. When the University hosts a program or event and maintains custodial care of children, or when the University hosts such an event or program elsewhere, baseline safety requirements must be followed in order to protect all involved.

  26. This is a charitable event/program. Do I still need to adhere to University safety requirements?

    Yes. A program, event, or camp for children conducted at the University, or conducted by the University elsewhere, must adhere to baseline safety requirements regardless of mission. 

  27. This event/program is being run by a non-profit organization. Do I still need to adhere to University safety requirements?

    Yes. A program, event, or camp for children conducted at the University, or conducted by the University elsewhere, must adhere to baseline safety requirements regardless of whether it is conducted by a for-profit or non-profit organization. 

  28. This is a one-time event. Do I still need to adhere to University safety requirements?

    Yes. A program, event, or camp for children conducted at the University, or conducted by the University elsewhere, must adhere to baseline safety requirements regardless of the length/duration of an event. 

  29. This event/program/camp is being run by an organization with safety requirements and procedures in place already. Do we need to adhere to University safety requirements?

    Yes. We greatly appreciate the work of state and national organizations in systematizing safety requirements within their particular area or industry. The University’s safety requirements may vary (for example, UMN has specific requirements for ratios and background check timing), and the University also has reporting requirements specific to our institution. Organizations operating youth programs, camps, or events on our Grounds must adhere to University safety requirements, even if they also have industry-specific or sport-specific safety requirements. 

  30. This event/program is designed to benefit children in the community. Do I still need to adhere to University safety requirements?

    Yes. A program, event, or camp for children conducted at the University, or conducted by the University elsewhere, must adhere to baseline safety requirements regardless of the goal of the program. 

  31. This event/program is designed for underserved populations. Do I still need to adhere to University safety requirements?

    Yes. All children deserve to be safe. A program, event, or camp for children conducted at the University, or conducted by the University elsewhere, must adhere to baseline safety requirements regardless of the goal of the program. 

  32. This event/program is being run by University students. Do we still need to adhere to University safety requirements?

    Yes. Anyone, including people who are University of Minnesota students, must adhere to baseline safety requirements outlined in the Safety of Minors policy while conducting a program, event, or camp for children at the University.

  33. This event/program is designed to recruit future students. Do I still need to adhere to University safety requirements?

    Yes. All children deserve to be safe, including children who may one day be University of Minnesota students. A program, event, or camp for children conducted at the University, or conducted by the University elsewhere, must adhere to baseline safety requirements regardless of the goal of the program.

  34. My supervisor/unit head said I’m fine to proceed. Do I still need to adhere to these requirements?

    Yes. Covered programs as defined by the Safety of Minors policy must meet baseline safety requirements. If you need informational tools to share with your supervisor or unit head about these requirements, please contact the Youth Safety and Compliance Manager.

  35. Does the Safety of Minors policy have recommended procedures for the transition of custody of care?

    Programs vary in how they are set up and how they function and are welcome to adapt the sample procedures below to meet their needs, so long as they have a procedure in place and are carrying it out.

    Sign-In

    • Identify program staff to assist with the sign-in process.
    • Educate program staff on the steps for sign-in and who to contact if there are questions or if assistance is needed (by staff, youth, or parent/legal guardians/authorized adults).
    • At the start of a program, the child is signed in. This can simply be a checkmark next to their name and the date on the roster.

    Sign-Out

    Anytime there is a transition of custody of care from the program to a parent/legal guardian or authorized individual, the process is carried out.

    Examples include:

    • Sign in at the start of the program
    • Sign out at the conclusion of the program
    • When dismissing for a meal or other break where minors are returned to the supervision and care of their parent/guardian or authorized individual 
      1. Identify program staff to assist with the sign-out process.
      2. Educate program staff on the steps for signing-out and who to contact if there are questions or if assistance is needed (by staff, youth, or parent/legal guardians/authorized adults).
      3. At the conclusion of a program, the child must be signed out by an authorized individual (with a time and signature). 
      4. Authorized individuals must present valid identification. Identification can include driver’s license, passport, military identification card, student identification card or another form of photo identification that includes first and last name. Once a relationship has been established and the program staff responsible for sign-in and sign-out is familiar with an authorized individual, the program staff may waive the requirement to present photo identification.
      5. A signature is captured from the authorized individual and the date/time is recorded.

Minors in University of Minnesota Research Labs

  1. I want to employ a high school student in my research lab. What do I need to do?

    Employment of a minor is a covered activity under the Safety of Minors policy. All requirements apply plus additional HR policies and procedures for typical employment activity. Additional safety requirements also apply because the minor is operating in a lab. Please refer to the Minors in Labs section within the Safety of Minors policy.

  2. I want to have a high school student volunteer in my research lab. What do I need to do?

    If the U of M (through a college or department, or individual faculty member) arranges for minors to volunteer in a research lab, the Administrative Policy: Safety of Minors applies. The department or other administrative unit can file one annual registration for the “program” of individual faculty hosting minors as volunteers in research labs. The registration includes an attestation that training and background checks “have been or will be” completed before the program (i.e., a student entering a research lab) begins.

    The Administrative Policy: Safety of Minors requires program staff to go through training and background checks. Program staff are defined in the policy as "All individuals, paid or unpaid, who work or volunteer in a covered program and regularly interact with, supervise, chaperone or otherwise oversee minors in program activities or recreational and/or residential facilities. This includes faculty, staff, volunteers, (including student employees) and other individuals." In some labs, all staff will "regularly interact with, supervise, chaperone or otherwise oversee minors," and in others, perhaps only two people may fit that definition. There need to be at least two trained and background checked people because the policy requires that there be two program staff in the vicinity at all times, and the DEHS policy on minors in labs requires adult supervision at all times.

    Note that minors are not allowed to travel out of state or overnight as part of University business.

    Accountability for implementation of the Administrative Policy: Safety of Minors lies within the normal administrative lines. Business judgments may be different for a group of elementary students versus a single high school senior who has received lab safety training.