Effective January 1, 2015, the Activities and Programs with Minor Participants policy was renewed to include: registration of activities and programs with minors, training and new requirements, including reporting obligations and background checks.

• The first step is to figure out if you are working in an “activity and program with minors.”  The activity or program must meet all 3 prongs to fall within scope of the policy:

1. Any event, operation, or endeavor operated, conducted, or organized by the university (does OSU have control over the programming, staffing, etc),
2. That includes minors,
3. During which parents or guardians [not including teachers] are not expected to be responsible for the care, custody, or control of the minors.

If your activity or program meets all 3 prongs, please take a moment to register your activity here: Registration

• One of the registration questions is “Will Ohio State personnel have care, custody, or control of minors?”  This is defined as “When an adult(s) is present and has primary responsibility for supervision of minors at any given point throughout activity or program with minors. At least one adult must have care, custody, or control of minors at all times during the activity or program with minors.”  Please note that it is possible to have an “activity or program with minors,” but not hold the “care, custody, or control” responsibility.

Please fill in as much information as possible when registering your activity but do not get caught up on exact dates and times if they are not known- this can be on a broad level.  Our goal is to get an understanding of how many activities involving minors we have in our college.

• Your next step is to ensure the proper protocol are followed for those working in your “activity or program with minors.”

Care, custody or control requirements:

1. Personnel must obtain a fingerprint background check every four years. Review the Background Check Resource Guide for guidance.
2. Complete policy training at http://go.osu.edu/BuckeyeLearn, which takes about 30 minutes and is good for a year. Click "browse training," and select "Activities and Programs with Minor Participants Year One Policy Training."
3. Sign the “Standards of Behavior” annually.  Note that this includes a general prohibition on one-on-one interactions with minors.  Please let the Youth Policy Coordinator know if this poses a problem so that a solution can be worked out.

Non-care, custody or control requirements:

1. Personnel must receive and review policy training and sign the “Standards of Behavior” on the back of the training handout.  Note that this includes a general prohibition on one-on-one interactions.  Please let the Youth Policy Coordinator know if this poses a problem so that a solution can be worked out.

If you need any additional training or support please contact the Youth Policy Coordinator at bond.217@osu.edu

 

Resources:

• Policy 1.50
• Minors Policy Presentation
• Activities and Programs with Minor Participants Registration
• Standards of Behavior Form – For Employees or Volunteers who will have care custody or control.
• Buckeye Learn Training
• Training Handout/Standards of Behavior Form – For Employees or Volunteers who will NOT have care, custody or control.
• Youth Policy Coordinator - Lindsay Bond