The Safe Supervision of Minors at UC San Diego

Learn how UC San Diego works to ensure the safe supervision of minors on campus.

Overview

The University of California, San Diego is a public institution that provides services to thousands of minors each year.

To ensure a safe environment for the entire UC San Diego population, protect vulnerable minors and comply with University of California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act Policies, all units that supervise activities involving minors should implement procedures tailored for their operations that protect youth.

UC San Diego’s Implementing Procedures of the CANRA Policy outline the following processes:

• Identification of Mandated Reporters
• Notification to Individuals who are Mandated Reporters
• Required Training and Education of Mandated Reporters
• Reporting Requirements for Mandated Reporters

To assist UC San Diego’s Administrators and Supervisors in developing safe procedures we provide Best Practices for the Safe Supervision of Minors that have proven to be successful for other prominent institutions.

Responsibilities

Program Administrators

The Program or Department conducting activities involving minors has primary responsibility for monitoring compliance with applicable UC Policies and any additional policies adopted by their department.

In conjunction with their departmental human resources coordinators, administrators will make sure employees and volunteers in activities involving minors have completed all required registration and screening actions, signed their CANRA Mandated Reporter Acknowledgement Forms, and completed their assigned Praesidium Inc. Training Courses (on-line modules are available).

Administrators should regularly observe activities involving minors to ensure the activities are managed in accordance with applicable policies.

Administrators should take steps to observe activities at a variety of times and locations to confirm the following:

• The area where the activity is occurring is safe for the participating minors
• Activities are organized and well-supervised
• Adults and minors are interacting appropriately
• Staff and volunteers are interacting appropriately
• Staff and volunteers are interacting appropriately with parents/guardians

Administrators are expected to investigate complaints or concerns from parents or participants and provide written reports of identified problems.

Office of EH&S Risk Management

• Responsible for administering the CANRA Policy
• Provides login privileges for Praesidium Inc.’s on-line training classes
• Provides referrals to Praesidium Inc. for program consultations

Human Resources

• Provides advice on CANRA Mandated Reporter Acknowledgement Forms
• Provides access and advice on criminal background checks for employees
• Maintains a website for posting information on Safe Supervision of Minors

UCSD Police Department

• Investigates complaints of suspected abuse and neglect of minors
• Investigates internal CANRA reports

Reporting Child Abuse and Neglect

1. California Child Abuse and Reporting Act (CANRA)

As required by California CANRA legislation, any employee or administrator whose duties bring him or her in contact with minors on a regular basis is considered a mandated reporter and must report suspected abuse or neglect of a minor occurring either on campus premises, at an official campus activity, or at a program conducted by the campus. Abuse and neglect include, but are not limited to:

• Physical injury or death inflicted by other than accidental means
• Sexual abuse or exploitation
• Willful endangerment
• Unlawful corporal punishment
• Neglect

Each UC San Diego Department identifies the Mandated Reporters on their staff.

Mandated Reporters must immediately report by telephone observed or suspected child abuse or neglect to:

• UC San Diego Police Department: 858-534-4357 for all incidents occurring on campus.
• The local police department, if the suspected abuse or neglect takes place off-campus.

Mandated Reporters at University Healthcare Facilities, Student Health Centers, Psychological Counseling Centers and Victim Advocacy Centers must follow their location’s reporting regulations.

The telephone report must be followed by a written report as soon as reasonably practical but in any event within 36 hours. Failure to make a mandated report may result in criminal penalties.

• Find current forms from the California Office of the Attorney General.

Mandated Reporters are also required to make an internal report. The internal report must be made promptly to either the mandated reporter’s supervisor or to the University Compliance Hotline (or by phone 800-403-4744). Supervisors who receive reports must promptly forward those reports to the hotline. These internal reports may be made anonymously.

2. California Penal Code §152.3

In addition to the CANRA regulations described above the campus will fully comply with California Penal Code §152.3, which has long required any person who reasonably believes that he or she has observed the murder, rape, abuse, or sexual assault of a child under 14 years old to notify a law enforcement official. Failure to notify is punishable by fines, imprisonment, or both.

Mandated reporters have immunity from criminal or civil liability for reporting as required by law.

Resources and references UC San Diego

• Best Practices for the Safe Supervision of Minors
• Training for Supervising Minors at UC San Diego
• UC Learning Center
• Consultations on the risk: EHSRisk@ucsd.edu
• UCSD Background Check Process

University of California

• University of California Policy on Reporting Child Abuse and Neglect
• University of California Policy on Minors in Laboratories and Shops
• University of California internal report: The University Compliance Hotline (or by phone at 800-403-4744)

State of California

• California Child Abuse Neglect and Reporting Act
• California Penal Code §152.3
• California Office of the Attorney General Suspected Child Abuse Report Forms
• State of California’s Registered Sexual Offenders Databases