Protection of Minors in Youth Programs on Campus

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Protection of Minors

Any person who may come in contact with minors through the course of their involvement with SMU, an SMU organization, or an event on SMU's campus, must comply with the Guidelines for the Protection of Minors in Youth Programs on Campus.

The Protection of Minors Program is jointly managed by the Offices of Risk Management (ORM) and Human Resources (HR) based on established procedures. For more information on Protection of Minors Training for SMU employees, students, and temporary workers, please reference the Human Resources website on this subject.

As the administrator of the Protection of Minors policy, the Office of Risk Management will:

  • Support program registration, event documentation, and affiliated personnel compliance through the Office of Conference Services; 
  • Provide resources for training and education, such as the Protection of Minors Guidelines and checklists for program planning;
  • Work with organizations and departments to assist with policy compliance;
  • Provide resources to and monitor feedback from programs affected by the Policy; and
  • Provide a point of contact for any allegation of inappropriate behavior with minors.

Please contact the Office of Risk Management if you need additional information regarding the Guidelines at 214-768-2083 or  riskmanagement@smu.edu.

Youth Programs on Campus are...

  • All events, operations, endeavors, or activities designed for participation by minors and organized by SMU (or approved third-parties) in which the program staff or volunteers are responsible for the care, custody, or control of minors.
  • Typical youth programs include, but are not limited to, instructional programs, day camps, overnight camps, and sports camps.

Youth Programs on Campus are NOT...

  • 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 university 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.
  • Campus tours, orientations or visits by minors considered to be prospective students.
  • Activities and programs subject to regulations that already provide for the protection of minors or participants. For example, licensed childcare facilities and approved research.

Requirements for Hosting a Youth Program on Campus

Third-Party Programs follow the same University requirements as programs hosted by SMU colleges, departments, and student organizations, with a few additions and exceptions. In order to clearly understand the expectations of Third-Party Programs at SMU, we recommend reviewing the sites dedicated to Event Management for those External to University and Event Safety. 

Event Registration 

Register Your Event

All programs, events, and activities designed for participants under the age of 18 (Minors) must register with the Office of Conference Services prior to commencing program operations. Programs that fail to register with the Office of Conference Services may be denied permission to continue operations at SMU.

Training Requirements

The Human Resources department facilitates Protection of Minors Training for all SMU employees, including student workers and temporary workers, through Vector. This training is required to be completed within the first 90 days of employment, and every two years thereafter. More information can be found on the Human Resources website.

This training is required by law for any employee working for a camp program that offers recreational, athletic, religious, or educational activities for those not enrolled at SMU and that is operated by or on the SMU campus. Read Texas Senate Bill 1414.

 

SMU has partnered with the Dallas Children's Advocacy Center (DCAC), a Texas-approved training provider, to offer their training to non-SMU faculty and staff.

"Recognizing and Reporting Child Abuse," referred to as "Protection of Minors," is required to be completed every year by any person who may come in contact with minors through the course of their employment or involvement with SMU, an SMU organization, or an event on SMU's campus. It is the goal of SMU to exceed state requirements in this area.

For reporting purposes on the State Reporting Form, the course completion information for the training program should be identified as Dallas Children's Advocacy Center with a program code of YCO8-0043.


Camp/Conference Organizers are responsible for ensuring that their employees or volunteers have completed the state-required training within the past year before the start of the camp and for submitting the state required form to the Texas Department of State Health Services (see link under Resources). They should provide a copy of the completed/submitted Department of State Health Services Campus Program for the Protection of Minors form to the Office of Conference Services before the start of the camp. The Office of Conference Services will retain a copy of the form.

If Non-SMU employees or volunteers have not successfully completed the required state approved training program before the start of the first day of the camp, the Camp/Conference Organizer can request access to the DCAC Training Program for each of the employees or volunteers through ORM by sending an email request to riskmanagement@smu.edu. The subject line for this request should include “Request for Camp Protection of Minors Training.”

The request should include:

  • Name of Camp/Conference Organizer
  • Name of Camp
  • Dates of Camp
  • An excel file of those who must take the training including first and last name, and valid email address

State Requirements

Every member of the SMU community (not limited to individuals who interact with Minors) is required by law to report child abuse or neglect immediately.

 

The Duty to Report Suspected Child Abuse and Mandatory Training & Examination Program for Employees of Campus Programs for Minors on Warning Signs of Sexual Abuse and Child Molestation policy is effective as of June 15, 2012. Last revision approved November 13, 2023. 

 

Texas Mandatory Reporting Law

 

Section 261.101 of the Texas Family Code mandates that anyone who suspects child abuse or neglect must report it immediately. The report may be made to:

  1. any local or state law enforcement agency, including the SMU Police Department; or

  2. the Department of Family and Protective Services.

Need to Report Abuse?

  • If you have an emergency call 9-1-1.
  • Submit a report by calling the hotline at 1-800-252-5400, or
  • Report online at www.txabusehotline.org.

Reporting Requirements

All persons are required to make the report immediately, and individuals who are licensed or certified by the state or who work for an agency or facility licensed or certified by the state and have contact with children as a result of their normal duties, such as teachers, nurses, doctors, and day-care employees, must report the abuse or neglect within 48 hours.

 

Immunity

A person acting in good faith who reports or assists in the investigation of a report of child abuse or neglect is immune from civil or criminal liability. Failure to report suspected child abuse or neglect is a Class A Misdemeanor, punishable by imprisonment of up to one year and/or a fine of up to $4,000.

According to the Texas Youth Camps provision in Administrative Code Rule §265.12f, prior to the scheduled start date of the Program, the Program Director must attest that each individual listed by the Program Director on the Texas DSHS Campus Program for Minors Information Form has also satisfied the background check requirements described in this section.
Each Authorized Adult must have passed a criminal conviction and sex offender background check within the previous 365 days before participating in any Program.

  1. SMU-Owned Programs
    • SMU HR will conduct the checks.
    • The cost of the background checks will be the responsibility of the department, activity, program, or external third-party accountable for the program
  2. Third Party Programs
    • Conference Organizers (Program Directors) are responsible for selecting a verified provider to conduct the checks.
    • The cost of the background checks will be the responsibility of the department, activity, program, or external third-party accountable for the program.
    • Additionally, the background checks must meet University standards and criteria, including:
      •  a national sex offender registry check,
      • a search of federal and state or county databases for criminal history, and
      • a social security number trace and alias search.
  3. Texas Youth Camps provision in Administrative Code Rule §265.12g provides details on “Persons whose presence at a youth camp should be precluded.”
    • Any criminal convictions or deferred adjudications of the named offenses, or other adverse information revealed by a credible source, disqualify them automatically.
  4. Before submitting the staff roster, the Program Director must confirm with each potential Authorized Adult whether, since their last background check:
    • Any criminal convictions or deferred adjudications outside of the named offenses, or other adverse information has been revealed by a credible source.
      • If so, the Program Director should not approve them on the Certificate of Compliance Form.
      • The background check results do not need to be sent to the Office of Conference Services or the Office of Risk Management.
    • Others convictions do not automatically disqualify an individual.
      • If the Program Director wishes to seek approval for an Authorized Adult with such convictions, they must:
        • share the information with the SMU Office of Risk Management.
        • The Office of Risk Management will then collaborate with the SMU Protection of Minors Oversight Team to conduct a case-by-case assessment to determine potential risks to Minors.
      • If approved by the SMU Protection of Minors Oversight Team, the Program Director can include them on the Certificate of Compliance Form.
    • The Program Director should inform each Authorized Adult of their ongoing responsibility to report if they are:
      • Arrested, convicted, or charged with a crime related to child abuse or neglect, sexual offenses, sexual exploitation, domestic violence, or other violent acts, or
      • Served with a protective order, restraining order, or injunction due to allegations of stalking.
      • If an Authorized Adult discloses such information to the Program Director, the Program Director must suspend their participation in the Program until the SMU Protection of Minors Oversight Team clears them for participation. 

Resources