Risk Management Guidelines

Risk Management Guidelines

The purpose of the risk management plan requirement is to encourage program administrators to consider how they will provide for the safety of the minors in their care and how they will mitigate those risks. Recognizing the unique challenge faced by programs serving minors, we have laid out some guidelines and things to consider when developing a Risk Management Plan specific to the safety of the minors in your program.

Some questions to consider for in-person programs:

• What is the layout of the location and space where the program is being held? Is there anything in that space that could pose a danger to a minor?
• How will the program ensure that a minor is not left alone at any time with an adult?
• What are the supervisory ratios?
• If the program is in a public place, what measures will you take to supervise minor participants?
• How will the program handle volunteers or staff who are not Authorized Adults, but participating in the program on a temporary basis?
• How will the minors be dropped off and picked up? Will there be a list of people authorized to pick up the minor? Will there be a check-in/check-out process?

Some questions to consider for virtual or online programs:

• What safeguards will be in place to ensure that an adult will not have the opportunity to interact one-on-one or privately with a minor both digitally, or in person (i.e. no outside meetings)?
• What measures will the program take to ensure a safe online environment for the minor participants - examples:
  • preventing uninvited participants
  • managing cyberbullying
  • statement about recording and screenshots
  • statement about sharing of personal information
• How will the program manage communication between Authorized Adults and minor participants while staying within the University Code of Conduct both during and outside of class time?

 

Additional Risk Management Guidelines

The Safety of Minors Policy does not allow for one-on-one interaction between an adult and a minor. However, in some circumstances the nature of the program requires one-on-one interaction. Examples include: music lessons, tutoring, or private instruction.

When, in limited circumstances, the program permits one-on-one interaction between any adult and a minor, the Risk Management Plan shall also include a description of measures and safeguards to provide for the Minor’s safety during the interaction.

Some additional questions to consider when a program includes one-on-one interaction:

• Is the interaction taking place in a public space?
• Are the parent or guardians required to stay during the program?
• Is the space viewable and audible to other people?
• If the interaction is in an enclosed space is there someone that can check the room randomly or periodically?