Policy Owner: System Human Resource Services
Approved by: Executive Vice President/Vice President for Academic Affairs
Date Approved: 11/08/2012
Effective Date: 11/08/2012
Date Amended (most recent): 10/23/2023
Targeted Review Date: 10/23/2026
Contact: protectminors@uillinois.edu

The University of Illinois System recognizes a fundamental obligation to protect minor children in its care, the youngest and potentially most vulnerable members of its community. Accordingly, the U of I System has adopted certain safeguards intended to better protect minor children when they are on U of I System premises participating in U of I System programs and activities designed to include minors, or when they are in the care of Members of the University Community.

All Members of the University Community are expected to be familiar with and comply with the provisions of this Policy and any related U of I System or university policies and/or procedures, as applicable. In addition, non-university organizations and entities that operate non-university programs and activities involving minors on U of I System premises (i.e., Registered Student Organizations, lessees, etc.) shall be familiar with this Policy and shall take appropriate precautions to protect minors participating in or attending their programs and activities.  

The System Offices will apply the specific university protection of minors policy and/or procedures of the university where the System Offices’ program or activity involving minors will occur. If the program or activity will not occur on a university campus, the System Office will apply the specific university policy and/or procedures of the university where the System Office sponsoring the program or activity is located. The Discovery Partners Institute (DPI) will apply UIC’s protection of minors policy and procedures to its programs or activities involving minors.

The U of I System and Members of the University Community shall comply with applicable federal and state laws to provide a safe environment in which children can learn, discover, and achieve their full potential. In particular, University Personnel shall comply with the “Illinois Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act” (ANCRA) and all Members of the University Community must complete the training, reporting, and background check requirements outlined in this policy, when applicable.

1. Duty to Cooperate
   1. ​Members of the University Community shall cooperate with investigations of alleged Child Abuse or Neglect, including Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS), law enforcement, and/or internal investigations. All Members of the University Community shall also cooperate with investigations of alleged violations of this policy and any applicable university policies and procedures.
2. Duty to Complete Training and Acknowledgement; Sign Certificate
   1. Upon hire, all University Personnel must complete the U of I System-approved protection of minors training and sign a certification acknowledging their understanding of reporting responsibilities.
   2. Upon placement, all University Contractors, University Volunteers, and Other Designated Individuals that will be interacting with minors as part of their activities with the U of I System must complete the U of I System-approved protection of minors training and submit any required documentation as directed by their sponsoring unit. University Contractors, University Volunteers, and Other Designated Individuals will be subject to periodic training at a minimum on a cycle determined or approved by System Human Resource Services.
   3. All University Personnel must complete recertification training as required by the ANCRA legislation on a cycle that the U of I System deems appropriate. The retraining cycle may require University Personnel to complete training more frequently than prescribed in the legislation.
3. Duty to Report
   1. To University Police: Members of the University Community shall report suspected Child Abuse or Neglect to the appropriate University of Illinois Police Department (UIC and DPI in Chicago: 312-996-2830; UIS: 217-206-6690; UIUC: 217-333-1216). In emergencies or when an incident involves injury, Members of the University Community are expected to call 911 and/or the university police.
   2. To DCFS: In addition, University Personnel who have reasonable cause to believe that a minor known to them in their professional or official U of I System capacity may be an abused or neglected child must immediately make a report to DCFS. If the report is for a non-life threatening or non-emergency incident of abuse or neglect, an online report may be submitted (https://dcfsonlinereporting.dcfs.illinois.gov). If the reporting party believes the abuse or neglect requires immediate action, they must call the DCFS Child Abuse and Neglect Hotline at 1-800-25-ABUSE  (1-800-252-2873) as soon as abuse or neglect is suspected[1]. In addition to making a report to DCFS, the reporting party must follow any additional directions given by DCFS to complete the report. University Contractors, University Volunteers, and Other Designated Individuals are encouraged to make a report.
      1. The duty to report includes but is not limited to the requirement that University Personnel report any suspected abuse that they witness occurring on U of I System premises or at a U of I System-sponsored event or activity.
      2. The duty to report covers all minors who participate in a U of I System program or activity designed to include minors (e.g., a 17-year-old student taking a university course as an undergraduate or a 14-year-old student participating in a program at DPI) or who otherwise become known to U of I System personnel in their official or professional capacity.
   3. To Medical Examiner or Coroner: University Personnel who have reasonable cause to suspect that a minor has died as a result of abuse or neglect shall immediately report  their suspicion to the appropriate medical examiner or coroner.[2] University Contractors, University Volunteers, and Other Designated Individuals are encouraged to make the report referenced herein.
4. Duty to Submit to Background Checks
   1. Members of the University Community who are responsible for the supervision or care of minors, or whose duties would require close contact or alone time with minors must undergo a criminal background check and sex offender registry check in accordance with university procedures. Universities may require checks from other individuals as deemed appropriate.
   2. Each university must establish policies and procedures for conducting background checks of individuals responsible for the supervision or care of minors, or whose duties would require close contact or alone time with minors. The university policies and procedures should address any exceptions to the background check requirement. At a minimum, such policies must require a criminal background check and sex offender registry check for Members of the University Community involved in programs or activities designed to include minors: 1) who are directors or supervisors of such programs or activities; 2) whose duties require close contact or alone time with minors as part of their job responsibilities or role in the program or activity; or 3)  who stay overnight with the minors as part of their job responsibilities or role in the program or activity. The universities may adopt applicable state or federal background check standards or requirements for certain programs as warranted.
   3. In the event of extenuating circumstances (e.g., the need for numerous volunteers with short lead time), an alternative to background checks may be allowed by the university. The alternative method includes 1) recording the names and contact information for the individuals prior to the program date, 2) verifying the names have been checked against the online sex offender registry and disqualifying anyone who is listed in the registry, and 3) requiring individuals to show a valid photo ID upon program check-in. University officials should consider the duration of the event, whether there will be one-on-one or alone time with minors, whether or not overnight accommodations are involved, and how recently, if ever, the individual was last required to submit to a background check before allowing an exception to the background check requirement.
5. University and Program Safeguards
   1. Each university must maintain a current report of U of I System activities and programs designed for minors other than minors enrolled or accepted for enrollment at the U of I System. The university’s report shall include System Office and DPI programs and activities administratively assigned to the university through the Scope paragraph of this policy. Activities and programs to be recorded on the report include, but are not limited to camps, summer programs, lessons, performances, tutoring, and all DPI programs and activities designed to include minors. The report must at a minimum detail program location/facility, dates and times, age range of participants, and planned number of participants. For each program listed, contact information must be provided for two responsible individuals who will make arrangements for the safety of minors and other participants in the event of an emergency.
   2. Each university should document minimum standards or safeguards for appropriate levels of supervision for programs and activities, including guidelines for overnight stays.

Failure to comply with the provisions of the Protection of Minors Policy and/or any related university policies and procedures may result in cancellation of an event and/or discipline in accordance with university and U of I System policies, up to and including termination of employment, dismissal from the U of I System, and/or disqualification from participation in future activities. Knowingly making a false report or complaint under this policy, or knowingly providing false or intentionally misleading information during an investigation, may also result in disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment and/or dismissal from the U of I System.

Retaliatory acts against University Personnel who make good faith reports or complaints under this policy, and/or who cooperate in the investigation and handling of such complaints, even if it is found that no violation of the policy has occurred, will not be tolerated. In accordance with the University of Illinois System Reporting Fraud or Misconduct, Whistleblower Protection, and Investigations Policy, University Personnel who believe they are the subject of retaliation or reprisal should contact the appropriate office as designated in that policy. The U of I System will promptly investigate all complaints of alleged retaliation.

1. Child Abuse or Neglect: In general[3]:
   1. Child Abuse occurs when a child’s parent, immediate family member, any person responsible for the child’s welfare, any individual residing in the same home as the child, or a paramour of the child’s parent:
      1. inflicts, causes to be inflicted, or allows to be inflicted a physical injury, by other than accidental means;
      2. creates a substantial risk of physical injury by other than accidental means;
      3. commits or allows to be committed any sex offense against such child;
      4. commits or allows to be committed an act or acts of torture;
      5. inflicts excessive corporal punishment;
      6. commits or allows to be committed female genital mutilation;
      7. causes to be sold, transferred, distributed, or given to such child under 18 years of age, a controlled substance;
      8. commits or allows to be committed the offense of involuntary servitude, involuntary sexual servitude of a minor, or trafficking in persons; or commits the offense of grooming.
   2. Child Neglect occurs when:
      1. a child is not receiving adequate food, clothing, shelter, or needed medical care;
      2. a child is subjected to an environment which is injurious insofar as (i) the child’s environment creates a likelihood of harm to the child’s health, physical well-being, or welfare and (ii) the likely harm to the child is the result of a blatant disregard of parent or caretaker responsibilities.
2. Members of the University Community: All University Personnel, University Volunteers, University Contractors and Other Designated Individuals.
3. Minor: A person under the age of eighteen (18), unless legally emancipated.
4. Other Designated Individuals: Individuals a university, the System Offices, or DPI identifies in writing, either individually or as a class, as needing to comply with this policy based upon their activities with or on behalf of the U of I System. Other Designated Individuals will be identified on a case-by-case basis and notified in writing of their responsibility to comply with this policy.
5. University Contractor: An individual retained by the U of I System under contract to provide services and/or support for programs and activities that may include minors.
6. University Personnel: Includes but is not limited to U of I System employees such as faculty, staff, Post-Doctoral Research Associates, and students in their capacity as student-employees. Excluded from this definition are individuals who began unpaid service to the U of I System prior to 2013 and who do not have any current affiliation with the University of Illinois.
7. University Volunteer: An uncompensated individual who is authorized by a U of I System department or unit to: a) perform civil, charitable, or humanitarian services related to the business of or in support of activities of the U of I System that may include minors, or b) gain personal or professional experience in specific endeavors. Volunteers perform services without a promise, expectation, or receipt of any compensation for services performed, including a promise of future employment. This definition does not include parents or guardians who are accompanying their child at a program or activity and who may provide incidental service for the program or activity.

Additional Resources

• Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act (ANCRA)
• DCFS Online Reporting System
• Policy FAQs: Protection of Minors
• DCFS Manual for Mandated Reporters
• DCFS Tips for Mandated Reporters
• Protection of Minors Education Materials – Volunteers, Contractors, and Other Designated Individuals
• Protecting Minors on Campus - 5 minute video

Chicago

• UIC Protection of Minors Website
• Protection of Minors Resources

Springfield

• UIS Protection of Minors Website
• Protection of Minors Resources

Urbana-Champaign

• Protection of Minors Policy - Urbana
• U of I Police Department – Protection of Minors Information
• Protection of Minors Resources
• Interacting with Minors

This policy and related procedures are published on the System Human Resource Services website at https://www.hr.uillinois.edu/cms/One.aspx?portalId=4292&pageId=5689. 

 

[1] Any person who knowingly transmits a false report to DCFS commits the offense of disorderly conduct under subsection (a)(7) of Section 26-1 of the Criminal Code of 1961. A violation of this subsection is a Class 4 felony. See the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act, 325 ILCS 5/1, et seq for more information about this reporting requirement.

[2] See section 325 ILCS 5/4.1 of the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act for more information about this reporting requirement.

[3] “Abused Child” and “Neglected Child” are defined in the Illinois Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act. Please consult the statute for a full definition.