Youth Protection Program

What is Youth Protection?

Youth protection refers to the policies, practices, and actions designed to keep children safe from harm and to promote their well‑being. It focuses on preventing, identifying, and responding to situations where young people may be exposed to abuse, neglect, exploitation, or unsafe environments.

What is a Youth Program?

The term youth refers to minors, defined as anyone under the age of 18. Youth programs include every camp, clinic, and campus visit in which UC Riverside or a third party assumes care, custody, and control of minors.

A youth program may range in length and format, including:

• A single‑day event

• A multi‑day or week(s)‑long program 

• Overnight programs

• Ongoing activities such as mentoring or internships

How do I host a Safe Youth Program?

There are five required steps to hosting a safe and successful youth program. These requirements apply whenever UC Riverside faculty, staff, or students have care, custody, and control of youth, regardless of whether the program is conducted on or off campus. The requirements also apply when a third‑party organization hosts a youth program at UC Riverside and assumes care, custody, and control of youth participants.

Third‑Party Youth Programs

Contracts With Non‑University Organizations Involving Youth

Any contract or agreement with a non‑University organization that involves youth and grants the organization care, custody, and control of minors must include the provisions outlined below. For assistance with creating the necessary contract or agreement, contact Business & Financial Services at buscon@ucr.edu. 

• Required Insurance Coverage

  Contracts must require the non University organization to maintain the following insurance coverage:

  Sexual Misconduct (Abuse and Molestation) Liability Insurance

  • Minimum limits of $1 million per occurrence and $2 million aggregate

  Commercial General Liability Insurance

  • $1MM Each Occurrence  $2MM Aggregate  
  • $2MM Products Completed Operations  
  • $1MM Personal & Advertising Injury  
  • $100k Fire Damage (any one  fire)  
  • $5k Medical Expense (any one  person)  

  Commercial  Auto Liability  

  • $1MM Combined Single Limit  

  Workers’ Compensation  

  • Statutory Limits  

  Employers’ Liability  

  • $1MM 

  The department sponsoring the non-University organization must contact risk@ucr.edu for guidance if the third party does not currently meet these limits .
   

• Indemnification Requirement

  Contracts must include an indemnification clause in which the non‑University organization agrees to indemnify and hold harmless The Regents of the University of California from any claims, lawsuits, or other actions arising from the non‑University organization’s use of UC Riverside facilities or participation in the youth program.

• Attestation of Compliance

  The contract must include an attestation confirming that the non‑University organization is in compliance with UC Riverside’s Five Required Steps for Youth Protection, including all applicable:

  • Training requirements
  • Background screening requirements
  • Policy and conduct standards

  Failure to meet these requirements may delay approval or prevent the program from being hosted at UC Riverside.
   

Links

• UCOP Policy: Minors in Labs and Shops
• UCR Policy: Volunteers, Contingent Workers and Person of Interest Appointments on Campus - https://policyking.ucr.edu/home/policy/6539d1030ad0f868b8663775