Working with Minors

Risk Services supports the UC Irvine campus mission reaching out to the community to engage middle & high school students, minors (under age 18, in CA law) to plan and conduct safe programs.

Submit a request for a risk consultation for your waiver needs and include the following information:

• Describe the event: the location and the date(s).
• Describe the activities of the event.
• Who are the participants?
  • Who will participate: students, staff, volunteers, chaperones, anyone under the age of 18?

Risk Services currently consults with:

• All campus schools & departments.
• The UC Irvine Campus Youth Council.
• UC Irvine Registered Student Organizations via Student Life & Leadership.
• UC Irvine Event Services - working with third-party off-campus programs with minors being hosted at the UCI campus.

Services:

• Assist in the early planning stages of programs & events with minors, to reduce the risk of liabilities.
• Assist in drafting and collection of electronic UC waivers of liability for parents/legal guardians of minors to sign - obtaining legal informed consent.
• Consults with departments providing best practices advice re. the safety of minor for in-person OR on-line ZOOM call programs.
• Provides collaborative advice to campus schools & departments with Praesidium Inc. the UC’s professional advisor for the safe implementation of minors programs.
• Discusses personal liability and liability insurance option considerations with UC Irvine Registered Student Organizations.
• Provides up-to-date best practices advice re. ADA compliance issues and shares campus resources.
• Provides awareness of the importance of CANRA reporting responsibilities for all programs run with minors, per California law.

Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act (CANRA)

The California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act ("CANRA"), codified at California Penal Code §§ 11164-11174.3, requires that employers of mandated reporters (as defined in the act) promote identification and reporting of child abuse or neglect. It is the policy of the University of California to comply with its obligations under the act; to require that all university employees and administrators who are mandated reporters make required reports to child protection or law enforcement agencies; and more broadly to encourage all members of the university community who observe, have actual knowledge of, or reasonably suspect child abuse or neglect at a university facility or perpetrated by university personnel to promptly report the concern to appropriate external and university officials.

Mandated Reporters must report observed or suspected child abuse or neglect to agencies designated to receive such reports. These include local police and sheriff's departments, UCI Police Department, and child protective services or county welfare departments.

Risk recommends all staff members (including professors, graduate students, drivers, volunteers, etc.) complete the 15-minute online 'CANRA Training for Mandated Reporters' training session on the UCLC – search for 'CANRA'.