Racquet Up DetroitStudent Protection Plan

What is it?• Intended to:

• Protect students, staff and volunteers during their involvement with Racquet U

• Protect all children involved with RUD from abuse and neglect while participating in the program.

• Promote awareness and prevention of child abuse and neglect in the community at large.

• Key Components:• Mandated Reporting• Volunteer Screening• Electronic Communication and Social Media Usage• Student Supervision• Volunteer Monitoring and Feedback• Appropriate Conduct

Mandated Reporting• “all adults that have supervisory responsibility

over minors – whether in a volunteer or professional capacity – are required to report all cases in which the adult had reasonable cause to suspect that the minor is being abused or neglected”

• Mandated Reporting Process (SPP pg. 2-3)• Determine if there is Reasonable Cause to suspect child

abuse or neglect:• If Yes: (1) telephone referral, (2) written report within

72 hours, (3) notify Executive Director• If No: notify Executive Director of suspicion within 72

hours

Volunteer Screening• All volunteers (new and returning) must complete

the following each year:• Volunteer Registration• Most completed this online form before today’s training

• Authorization & Disclosure for Background Check• Ensuring Minor Safety Questionnaire

• Protecting Youth Sports conducts our Background checks.

• Background Check Policy (Document 2 of SPP) outlines how the background check results will be used in decision making.

Complete Volunteer Screening Forms• We will take 10 minutes now for all volunteers to

complete the following forms:• Volunteer Registration (if not completed online)• Authorization & Disclosure for Background Check• Ensuring Minor Safety Questionnaire

Electronic Communication and Social Media • Adults responsible for maintaining appropriate boundaries.• Volunteers should not be communicating with students via

voice messages, e-mails or text messages without approval by SPPA.• If you have a reason to communicate with student using these methods,

all communications must be directed to parents/guardians or copied to parents/guardians if parent has allowed direct communication.

• Volunteers may not post photos to any non-RUD maintained websites or social media pages without prior approval from the SPPA.

• Only students’ first names may be used in posts to public sites.

• Review and sign Electronic Communication and Social Media Policy.

Student Supervision• One-on-One Interactions• Are to be an extremely rare occurrence.• Only after notification and approval by RUD Executive

Director.• If interaction is planned, there will be intermittent

monitoring by RUD staff throughout the session.• YOUR ROLE: Don’t allow yourself to end up in an

unplanned one-on-one interaction.• Responsibility for Students• Once you have assumed charge of the student(s) you

remain responsible until a duly designated adult has taken charge of each child (i.e. until another volunteer or staff has taken charge or until parent has taken charge in rare situations).

Student Supervision• Student Movement in Facility and Communication

with Northwest Activities Center Staff and Visitors (Safe Movement Policy)• All students must have an adult volunteer or staff member

with them as they move through the building during program hours.• Bathroom passes are required to use the bathroom and

drinking fountain during Learning Time.• Students will refrain from using Men’s/Ladies Locker rooms as

well as the Men’s/Ladies Restrooms nearest the Racquet Up Office.• Students in Squash Practice will only use the Restrooms on

the 1st floor above the Squash Courts on the eastern section of the Northwest Activities Center.

Student Supervision• Student Transportation• Students may only be transported according to their

Transportation Plan.• Volunteers are not allowed to approve alternate transportation

arrangements.• Volunteers may not drive students without explicit permission

of SPPA / Executive Director, and only after providing proof of insurance and having a driving record check.

• Volunteer to Student Ratio• Volunteers should generally always have staff present when

interacting with students.• Recommended supervision ratio of 1 adult : 8 students.• Whenever possible – 2 adults with students, one of whom

should be the same gender as the students.

Volunteer Monitoring and Feedback• Formal, unannounced observations• Once per semester• Completed by RUD staff member (ideally SPPA or

Executive Director)• Produce a written report

• This is a great opportunity for feedback and suggestions for continued development as a volunteer.

Appropriate Conduct• Prohibited Behaviors

• Abusive statements such as those that deal with race, ethnicity, religion, nationality, gender, age, sex, or sexual orientation.

• Physical, emotional, sexual, and ethical.• Neglect or endangerment of a child. • Romantic or sexual conduct with minors, including any and all

RUD students. This includes any romantic or sexual encounters or relationships that the volunteer perceives to be consensual.

• Providing minors with alcohol or drugs (including prescription pills)• Encouraging violence or physical altercations• Threatening, bribing, or extorting minors for any purpose• Facilitating a minor’s possession of any contraband, including

weapons, firearms, or stolen property• Wrestling or sparring with students, even in jest

Appropriate Conduct• Let’s discuss some appropriate and inappropriate

verbal and physical behaviors.

• Some guidelines to remember about physical contact:• Touching should be in response to the need of the child,

not the need of the adult. • Touching should be with the child’s permission.• Resistance to touching must be respected. • Touching must never include the breast, buttocks, or

groin.• Touching should be done in the open, NOT IN PRIVATE.• Touching should have a brief, limited duration.

Questions?

• Acknowledgment of Receipt• You each have a copy of the Student Protection Plan• Please sign and submit

Thank you!