Child Protection Policy

I. Scope

This policy applies to all students, faculty, and staff of 扒哥吃瓜. Additional individuals or organizations doing business at or with the College are also required to acknowledge and comply with the provisions of this policy, as determined by the College. The policy applies to 扒哥吃瓜鈥檚 campus, all properties owned or leased by the College, and all off-campus sites where students, faculty, or staff participate in college-sponsored activities.

II. Purpose

扒哥吃瓜 celebrates the presence of children in the lives of our campus community and the greater community around us. The purpose of this policy is to ensure the health, safety, and well-being of all children who come to 扒哥吃瓜鈥檚 campus and of those children with whom our students and employees interact in other locations.

III. Definitions

A. Child: For this policy, a 鈥渃hild鈥� is any minor, defined by law as an individual under the age of 18, who is not a 扒哥吃瓜 student or prospective student (special protocols for the presence of prospective students on campus are stated in this policy).

B. Children of 扒哥吃瓜 employees and students: includes minor siblings and other relatives of employees and students.

IV. Children of goucher college employees & students on campus

A. General

扒哥吃瓜 is an institution of higher education. As a general matter, the College is not an appropriate environment for children unless they are enrolled in a campus program specifically designed for children or are attending an age-appropriate event on campus. 扒哥吃瓜 recognizes that because of family needs and responsibilities, a college employee or student may, on occasion, need to bring a child to campus for a limited period while the employee or student is engaged in work or educational activities. Employees and students facing such circumstances must recognize and respect the need of other community members for quiet and productive work and educational settings and should only bring their children to campus for short periods when alternative arrangements are impractical or impossible. An employee麓s supervisor must be informed when and employee brings a child on campus. For faculty and students, see 3.1 below.

B. Responsibility for child鈥檚 behavior

The adult responsible for a child is also responsible for the child鈥檚 behavior and is expected to ensure that the child complies with the directions of College personnel and does not disrupt the activity or enjoyment of any other person. The adult responsible for a child is also responsible for any damage to College property caused by the child.

C. Requirements

Employees or students who bring children to campus must comply with the following criteria:

  1. No child may be left alone on campus at any time or for any reason, with the exception stated in subsection 3.c below.
  2. The employee or student is responsible for arranging appropriate childcare while the employee or student is at work or in class and for any payment required for such care. Employees should consider whether it is appropriate to engage for childcare services their current students, supervisees, or other persons over whom they hold a position of authority. Student-workers hired and paid by the College must not provide childcare during their regularly scheduled work hours and must not be paid by the College for childcare services.
  3. Children are permitted in the following campus spaces under the conditions noted:
    1. Children are not permitted in classrooms. Exceptions may occur only in rare circumstances when no other options, including those described in this policy, are available to the parent or guardian. Prior approval is required from Associate Provost for Faculty Affairs if request comes from faculty, or from Associate Provost for Undergraduate Studies if request comes from students.
    2. Children are permitted in individual office space only when under the direct supervision of their parent or legal guardian. Children are allowed in shared office space only when under the direct supervision of their parent or legal guardian and with the prior approval of the other employee(s) using the area.
    3. Children are permitted in the residence houses only when under the direct supervision of their parent or legal guardian. Employees who live in a residential house as a condition of their employment may exercise discretion to leave their children over 12 unattended in their personal residence space.
    4. Children are permitted in the following areas of campus only when supervised by an adult: Mary Fisher Dining Hall; Athenaeum Forum, public living room, lounge areas outside the library, and Alice鈥檚 Restaurant. In addition, children are permitted in the college library when supervised by an adult, and children ages 13 or older are allowed in the library without adult supervision.
  4. Children of students are not permitted to stay overnight in the residence halls if they are under 16. Children under the age of 16 must leave the residence halls no later than 8:00 p.m.

D. College-sponsored trips

Students and employees are generally discouraged from taking children on college-sponsored trips but may do so under the following conditions:

  1. The student or employee must obtain prior approval from the person(s) directing the trip.
  2. So that the child鈥檚 presence does not impede the student or employee in the performance of their trip responsibilities. The student or employee must arrange and pay for a childcare provider other than the student or employee to supervise the child during the trip.
  3. The student or employee is responsible for all trip expenses of the child and the childcare provider, including but not limited to entrance fees, food, accommodations, and any rate increases.
  4. If transportation is provided in 扒哥吃瓜-owned or personal vehicles, the child and childcare provider may only ride in a vehicle driven by the child鈥檚 parent or legal guardian.

This section does not apply to college-sponsored family trips offered strictly for recreational or entertainment purposes, such as college-sponsored tours offered during Family Weekend.

E. Revocation

Allowing employees and students to bring their children to campus or on collegesponsored trips as described in this section is a privilege extended by the College. It may be revoked at the College's discretion if the provisions of this policy are violated, or the privilege is abused. The College may also prohibit an employee or student from bringing a child to campus if other members of the college community object. Any member of the college community who is not comfortable with the presence of children in their work or educational setting should advise their supervisor, the provost, the dean of students, or the associate vice president for human resources.

V. Children on campus for events

A. College-sponsored events

扒哥吃瓜 sponsors events that are open to children. The College welcomes the presence of children on campus for these events. However, to ensure their safety and that of other guests, we require that the parent, legal guardian, or other adults responsible for children under the age of 18 comply with the following provisions:

  1. No child under the age of 16 may be left unsupervised at any time or for any reason.
  2. Children must remain in the area of campus where the event is located.
  3. The adult responsible for a child is also responsible for the child鈥檚 behavior and is expected to ensure that the child complies with the directions of college personnel and does not disrupt the enjoyment of any other guest at the event.
  4. The adult responsible for a child is also responsible for any damage to college property caused by the child.

B. Events sponsored by others

The provisions stated in section V. A also apply to events on 扒哥吃瓜鈥檚 campus sponsored by entities other than the College. The College provides each sponsor with a copy of this policy and requires that the sponsor agree to comply with and enforce its provisions.

VI. Children on campus for programs

A. College-sponsored programs

扒哥吃瓜 sponsors several programs designed explicitly for children throughout the calendar year. The College requires that children in these programs be appropriately supervised by adults with the proper training and credentials and subject to criminal background check clearances as required in state law and the College鈥檚 Background Check Policy. Each program has specific operating protocols related to its nature and purpose, but all programs are expected to comply with the best practices stated below. Failure to follow these practices must be reported immediately to the program director.

  1. All program adults (paid staff or volunteers, which includes 扒哥吃瓜 students in paid or volunteer roles) must receive the appropriate training in maintaining professional boundaries at all times when working with children in the program. In addition, any certifications required by the program or the College must be obtained and documented before the program adult is permitted to participate in the program.
  2. The minimum ratio for supervision is at least one program adult for every ten children.
  3. Program adults must always inform another program adult when they are taking children out of the program room or area for any reason.
  4. No child will ever be left alone with a program adult. Therefore, all programs must use and enforce the 鈥渞ule of three,鈥� requiring at least two program adults or two children in each group at all times.
  5. Children in any program must remain in the area where the program is held. No child may be left alone on campus at any time or for any reason. Programming must not be held in residence halls except with the permission of the program director and Office of Residential Life.
  6. No personal visitors are permitted at the program site except with the permission of the program director or in the case of emergencies.
  7. Photographs may be taken of children in the program for program-related purposes, only after the child鈥檚 parent or legal guardian has signed a college-provided waiver allowing the photograph to be taken.

B. Programs sponsored by other entities

扒哥吃瓜 allows selected outside entities to rent college facilities for programs specifically designed for children, such as swimming programs and summer athletic, dance, and academic programs. Through its contract process, the College requires the sponsoring entity to maintain specific insurance coverage, including sexual abuse/molestation coverage; to provide evidence of a sexual molestation prevention program in the form of a written child protection policy or program; to comply with the pertinent regulations of the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, and to comply with provisions of state law relating to criminal history record checks for facilities that care for or supervise children. Each program has specific operating protocols of its nature and purpose, but all programs are expected to comply with the best practices stated in VI.A.1-7. In addition:

  1. Each program is required to certify, in writing, that it has complied with provisions of the Family Law Article of the Maryland Code regarding criminal history record checks for employees and employers of facilities that care for or supervise children.
  2. 扒哥吃瓜 reserves the right to create designated spaces where no cameras, cell phones, video recorders, or other recording devices are allowed, such as locker rooms or dressing areas.

Failure to follow these practices must be reported immediately to 扒哥吃瓜鈥檚 VP of Campus Operations.

VII. Working with children in off-campus programs

A. General

Through 扒哥吃瓜鈥檚 community-based learning and student teaching programs, students, faculty, and staff are engaged in many off-campus activities involving children. All 扒哥吃瓜 participants in such programs and activities must comply with the child protection requirements, including those for training and criminal background checks, of the off-campus site where the activities occur.

B. Use of college funds

Any person using college funds, including club funds from the Student Government Association, to participate in off-campus activities involving children must register with the directors of the community-based learning and community service programs before commencing any activity to ensure that all child protection and other requirements are met.

VIII. Prospective student overnight vists

The admissions office, athletics, dance, and other departments sometimes arrange for prospective students to visit 扒哥吃瓜 on an overnight stay. The sponsoring office or department must register all such visits using the Prospective Student Registration Form, which informs Campus Safety and Community Living of the prospective student presence on campus. Prospective students must be high school seniors of age 17 or older, although special exceptions may be made at the College's discretion.

IX. Responsibilities & liability

Parents and guardians are responsible and liable for any and all injuries or damages sustained to or by their child while on 扒哥吃瓜鈥檚 campus or any properties owned or leased by the College and when bringing their child on college-sponsored trips or other activities covered under this policy unless such injuries or damages caused by the sole negligence of the College, its officers, agents, or employees.

X. Reporting requirments

A. Maryland law

The Family Law Article of the Maryland Code mandates the reporting of any suspected child abuse or neglect. Anyone who has reason to believe that a child is subjected to neglect must immediately notify the local department of social services (410-853-3000). Likewise, anyone who has reason to believe that a child is subjected to abuse must immediately notify the local department of social services (410-853-3000) or the local police department (410-887-2361).

B. Institutional requirements

In addition to making the reports required by Maryland law, any employee or student of 扒哥吃瓜 who has reason to believe that a child is subjected to neglect or abuse on 扒哥吃瓜鈥檚 campus or any properties owned or leased by the College must notify Campus Safety (x6112 or 6111) as soon as possible. The director of Campus Safety immediately notifies the appropriate division head and the college president. In addition, any employee or student who has reason to believe that a child is subjected to neglect or abuse at any off-campus sites at which students, faculty, or staff participate in college-sponsored activities must immediately notify the director of the off-campus site and the 扒哥吃瓜 program director. The 扒哥吃瓜 program director must notify Campus Safety as soon as possible.

XI. Responsible department

For more information or if you have questions about this policy, please email Campus Operations at campusoperations@goucher.edu.

XII. History

Updated: August 2019, October 2021

All Policies