Protection of Minors
CSUSB is dedicated to the welfare and safety of minors who attend the university, participate as a visitor in one of our programs, or are entrusted in our care. To promote the protection of minors, CSUSB participated in an assessment to determine how we measure against the CSU Managing Risk in Youth Programs Resource Guide and identified areas that will be addressed in a campus-specific policy. This umbrella policy will also support program specific procedures that informs all members of the university community and program participants of their obligation to report any instances of known or suspected abuse or neglect of minors.
The Office of Risk Management is responsible for the Youth Protection program. This office will publish guidelines for implementation of the policy consistent with CSUSB’s mission and best practices in this area.
Registration
The Program Director or Director’s designee of CSUSB is responsible for registering the program with the Office of Risk Management with sufficient advance notice to meet the requirements and intentions of this procedure. Registration should be submitted at least 30 days in advance of the event/program. All supporting documents must be kept on file by the sponsoring department for three years following the activity or until age 20 if the participant is a minor, whichever is longer.
Youth Program Registration Form (Online)Youth Program Registration Form (PDF)
Execute Written Agreement(s)
For all CSU Programs that involve minors, the parent or guardian shall receive, review, and sign a university participation agreement before his or her minor child can participate in the Program. The sponsoring department is responsible for ensuring a form is kept on file for every minor participant for three years following the activity or until age 20 if the participant is a minor, whichever is longer. The following is the authorization and release form: Waivers and/or Release of Liability Form.
Third-party contracts must include language to ensure visiting programs and guests who engage with minors in partnership with CSUSB follow established guidelines, processes, and legal mandates followed by the University to protect youth.
Background Checks
It is the responsibility of the Program Director or Director’s designee to ensure that each participating adult has submitted the background check request information and has subsequently received clearance to participate for each program serving youth. And training in Mandatory Reporting and Abuse Protection available in CSU Learn. The following is the CSUSB Volunteer Identification Form that can be used to track this information.
Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse and Neglect
Executive Order 1083 enacts amendments to the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act (CANRA). CANRA is intended to provide a safe environment for our children and will enhance our own awareness of and responsibility to report suspected abuse and neglect.
As a designated mandated reporter, whenever you, in your professional capacity or within the course of your employment, have knowledge of or reasonably suspect child abuse or neglect has occurred, you must report the incident.
Abuse That Must Be Reported:
- Physical injury inflicted by other than accidental means on a child
- Sexual abuse meaning sexual assault or sexual exploitation of a child
- Neglect meaning the negligent treatment or maltreatment of a child by a parent or caretaker under circumstances indicating harm or threatened harm to the child’s health or welfare
- Willful harming or injuring or endangering a child meaning a situation in which any person inflicts, or willfully causes or permits a child to suffer, unjustifiable physical pain or mental suffering, or causes or permits a child to be placed in a situation in which the child or child’s health is endangered
Your report of suspected child abuse must be made to University Police immediately or as soon as practically possible. The University Police can be reached at (909) 537-5165. Mandated reporters are not civilly or criminally liable for their reports (Penal Code § 11167(d)).
After making the report to University Police, employees must complete and submit the Department of Justice form SS 8572 (Attachment D of Executive Order 1083) to University Police within 36 hours of coming into information regarding the incident of suspected abuse or neglect.
The Department of Human Resources can provide more information about mandated reporting and they have a resource who is available to assist employees in identifying whether there is a reasonable suspicion that abuse has occurred and how to report it, and provide appropriate resources.
Training
Training helps to ensure employees have the knowledge and skills to keep children safe and minimize liabilities to the program. It should be specific and regular so prevention and response are effective. The following Youth Protection courses are available in CSULearn, CSU Learning Bridge (student platform) and the Praesidium website. The Program Director or designees is responsible for ensuring that employees and volunteers have the appropriate training each year and it is kept on file.
Available Praesidium Courses in CSULearn & CSU Bridge
Day at Day Camp takes you through a typical day at camp. Participants will learn:
- How to keep day campers safe from sexual abuse
- How to protect yourself from false allegations of abuse
- How to identify and manage high risk situations at day camp
- What to do if you see something suspicious or inappropriate
Complete training in CSULearn (employees)
Parents send their children to school to have fun, meet challenges, make friends, practice skills, and learn. They also expect them to be safe. Participants will learn:
- When, where, and by whom child abuse is most likely to occur at school
- Specific steps to take to keep children safe at school
- How to prevent false allegations of abuse
Complete training in CSULearn (employees)
Specifically designed for youth-serving higher education programs, this course teaches learners about appropriate boundaries, how to navigate high-risk situations, and best practices for responding and reporting inappropriate behavior and abuse.
Complete training in CSULearn (employees)
Bullying, in some way is a part of everybody's childhood memories. However, the severity of recent bullying incidents has shown that bullying can no longer be a "normal" part of growing up. Participants will learn:
- What is bullying
- Why it's a problem
- What the different types of bullying are
- How bullying happens
- How you can prevent a child from being bullied
Complete training in CSULearn (employees)
Recent statistics show that incidents of sexual acting out between children have increased 300% in the past three years. Participants will learn:
- How - and where - sexual activity between children typically occurs
- Steps to prevent sexual activity between children
- How to respond if sexual activity between children occurs
Complete training in CSULearn (employees)
Available Courses on Praesidium Website
If you need assistance accessing training content on the Praesidium website, please contact riskmanagement@csusb.edu.
Complete training via Praesidium website
Sam molests children. Hear him tell how he gets away with it. Participants will learn:
- The three types of molesters
- The three things molesters need in order to offend
- The types of boundaries offenders often violate
Anger, falling grades, depression. These are just some of the effects of sexual abuse. Participants will learn:
- The long-term effects of abuse
- Which children are most vulnerable to abuse
- Why children don't report abuse
- What to do if a child tells you about abuse