Minors Protection

Minors Protection

Brown University is committed to safeguarding the well-being of minors participating in Minors Activities.

Minors Protection

Brown University is committed to safeguarding the well-being of minors participating in Minors Activities.

Brown’s Minors Protection Program is being rolled out in Spring/Summer 2025. All Minors Activities are expected to make a good faith effort to comply with the centralized requirements detailed below during the rollout phase.

Minors Activities must be registered with the Minors Protection Office (MPO), who will then advise on how best to comply without disrupting those activities that are already planned or underway.

Brown’s Minors Protection Policy establishes centralized requirements and processes for Minors Activities to ensure the safety and welfare of minors with whom Brown engages. This website is intended to provide information on how to comply with the policy, as well as additional resources and best practices for fostering a safe and supportive environment for minors. 

Minors Protection Program

Brown’s Minors Protection Program directs centralized requirements for Minors Activities, whether they are conducted in-person or virtually. The main requirements include: 

The details of the requirements will vary depending on the category the specific Minors Activity falls into. More details can be found below. The Minors Protection Office will advise Activity Administrators on their Minors Activity’s requirements based on their activity registration. 

Minors Protection Policy

View the Minors Protection Policy on the University Policy Website.

Minors Protection Policy

Minors Activities

Minors Activities include any organized activities, programs, or events in which one or more Minors participate either in-person or virtually. Minors Activities can range from short, one-time events to ongoing, recurring programs. Any activity, event, or program where the parent or guardian is expected to provide supervision of Minors for the full duration of the event is excluded from Brown's Minors Protection Program. 

Minors Activities are broken down into three categories, detailed below. If you are unsure which category your activity fits into - or if your activity even qualifies as a Minors Activity under Brown’s Minors Protection Policy - please reach out to the Minors Protection Office for further clarification. 

Any Minors Activity that Brown offers or operates.

Any Minors Activity that uses Brown facilities but is not organized by a member of the Brown community in their Brown capacity. Any Minors Activity that is co-sponsored or co-organized by Brown will be considered a Brown Activity.

Any Minors Activity for which Brown helps facilitate placement of staff/volunteers but that is not offered by Brown and does not use Brown facilities (e.g., a mentorship program in the Providence Public School District (PPSD) in which Brown community members participate and are required to meet all PPSD requirements in order to interact with Minors in the Minors Activity).

Registration

Register Your Minors Activity

Log into the Minors Protection Portal to register your Minors Activity.

Minors Protection Portal

Activity Administrators are responsible for registering their Minors Activity in Brown’s Minors Protection Portal a minimum of 30 days prior to the activity start date. Recurring Minors Activities must be re-registered annually.

Activity Administrators are responsible for: 

  • Promptly notifying the MPO if any of the activity registration information changes
  • Inputting the names/emails of all Activity Adults for their Minors Activity to trigger the appropriate compliance requirements (i.e., background checks and training). 

Note: Guest speakers whose role in a Minors Activity is limited to a short, one-time presentation during which another Activity Adult meeting the requirements of the policy is present at all times are exempted from Brown’s centralized background check and training requirements. All guest speakers meeting this standard should be entered under the “Guest Speaker” role in the activity registration form. 

Background Checks

Criminal background checks are used to aid in determining an individual’s suitability to engage with minors in a Minors Activity. The details of the background check requirements vary depending on the type of Minors Activity.

Background checks for Brown Activities will be centrally managed and centrally funded by the MPO. The activity registration form will trigger the appropriate background checks.

Non-Brown Activities are required to conduct their own background checks in accordance with the Minors Protection Policy.  

Individuals participating in External Organization-Hosted Activities are exempted from Brown's centralized background check requirements. 

Note: These individuals must comply with all requirements established by the external organization, which may include background checks. Please confirm all requirements with the external organization. The MPO does not manage or fund these requirements. 

Training

It is critical that all adults who engage with minors understand the expectations for their behavior. Minors protection training is required annually for Activity Adults in Brown and Non-Brown Activities.

Activity Adults in Brown Activities are required to take Brown's Protection of Minors training, which covers:

  • Appropriate boundaries
  • Communication
  • Physical contact
  • Sexual misconduct
  • Reporting
  • Relevant policies

With a Brown Workday Account

  • Individuals with a Brown Workday account can complete the training in Workday.

Without a Brown Workday Account

  • Those without a Brown Workday account should contact the Minors Protection Office for instructions on how to complete the training.

Non-Brown Activities may provide their own comparable training or request to use Brown’s training - please contact the Minors Protection Office for assistance. 

Individuals participating in External Organization-Hosted Activities are exempted from Brown's centralized training requirements but must comply with all requirements established by the external organization, which may include training. 

Standard Forms

Brown has standardized release and media consent forms for use by Brown Activities. Any individualized forms must be approved by the Office of the General Counsel. 

All forms must be collected and maintained by the Activity Administrator.

Note: Please review the Image Use Policy to determine whether the Media Consent Form is required.

Behavioral Expectations

Adults must work to actively foster respectful and appropriate environments in which minors are able to thrive. Adults must always serve as positive role models for minors - acting in a responsible, respectful, and caring manner.

Adults are expected to maintain appropriate boundaries and act professionally when in the presence of minors. At all times, adults must: 

  • immediately disclose to the leadership overseeing the program/activity/event/interaction/etc. (hereafter “activity”) any pre-existing relationships with minors in the activity and abide by these standards while affiliated with the activity, despite any pre-existing personal relationships;
  • never meet with minors outside of established times for the activity;
  • never invite minors to a location or discussion that is not associated with the activity;
  • never be alone in-person or virtually with a single minor unless it is essential to the mission of the activity;
  • hold any one-on-one interactions in a public space that has windows with clear visibility into the room or in a space where the door can be left open, or if online: record the interaction or have another student, staff member, or instructor present;
  • never transport minors in any non-University vehicle unless there is an extreme emergency (i.e., life-threatening situation);
  • abide by the University’s Privacy Policy and FERPA Policy;
  • never take or use photographs or videos of minors for personal use, including posting them on social networking sites or publishing them in any other form;
  • never be in a state of undress in front of minors;
  • never exchange personal gifts with minors or their parents/guardians/family members;
  • never discuss tobacco, alcohol, or illicit drugs in the presence of minors unless it is essential to the mission of the activity;
  • never use, sell, or make available tobacco, alcohol, illicit drugs, weapons or explosives to minors.

Avoiding misinterpretation and miscommunication is especially important when working with minors. At all times, adults must:

  • restrict communication with minors to subjects and topics solely related to educational and activity administrative purposes;
  • use specific and concrete language to avoid misinterpretation or confusion on the part of a minor;
  • avoid communication via text messaging, social media networks, and websites unless there is an essential educational or programmatic reason to do so and only in connection with an educational activity;
  • never berate, degrade, harass, or intimidate minors;
  • always issue appropriate levels of praise and criticism (i.e., use words with care and avoid excessive praise or criticism of any minor);
  • never disclose confidential information about themselves to minors or seek to learn confidential information about minors;
  • never use language that encourages minors to keep information from other activity personnel, participants, or their parents/guardians/families (e.g., "this is just between the two of us"); and
  • never use profanity in the presence of minors.

Adults must not, under any circumstances, touch minors in a manner that is or could be interpreted as inappropriate. At all times, adults must:

  • limit physical contact to purposes that are consistent with the activity's mission and/or for a clear educational, developmental, or health-related purpose;
  • ask for permission before initiating any touching with a minor and respect any concerns raised by the minor;
  • only engage in physical contact in the open and in the presence of another adult; and
  • never engage in any abusive conduct of any kind toward, or in the presence of, a minor.

At all times, adults are prohibited from:

  • making romantic or sexual comments, telling sexually explicit jokes/stories, discussing sexually explicit material, or disclosing private information about sexual activity to or in the presence of minors;
  • referencing or showing sexually explicit material (e.g., literature, videos, or other media) of any kind;
  • assisting in any way to provide minors with access to such material (adults must also prohibit this conduct between or among minors);
  • engaging in any physical contact with minors that is or could be interpreted as romantic, intimate, or sexual - including, but not limited to, giving/receiving back rubs, giving/receiving massages, tickling, or caressing;
  • showering, bathing, undressing, or being undressed in the presence of minors; and
  • being present when a minor is showering, bathing, undressing, or in a state of undress.

Emergency Preparedness

Ensuring emergency preparedness is paramount for minors’ safety and well-being. Following emergency preparedness best practices will help adults interacting with minors be prepared in the event of an emergency.

Contact & Reporting Information

For emergency situations, 
including medical emergencies:

Department of Public Safety: 401-863-4111
or your local authorities

For non-time-sensitive questions:

Minors Protection Office:
minorsprotection@brown.edu
401-863-1292

To report actual or suspected abuse or neglect of minors:

  • Report to the Rhode Island Department of Children, Youth and Family Services (RIDCYFS) Child Protection Hotline at 1-(800) RI-CHILD or 1-800-742-4453 (callers may remain anonymous); then
  • Report to Brown's Department of Public Safety at 401-863-3322 and confirm the report was also made to RIDCYFS. Additionally, the Department of Public Safety will inform the University's Title IX Coordinator, if applicable, for the purposes of investigation and support.

For questions related to a specific Minors Activity:

  • Reach out to the Activity Administrator directly.

FAQs

View our Frequently Asked Questions.

Best Practices

Activity Adults

Activity Adults should make an effort to distinguish themselves as the leaders of the Minors Activity for easy identification (e.g., lanyards, name tags, t-shirts, etc.). 

Appropriate Ratios

The American Camp Association recommends the below ratios for Activity Adults to minors. Non-Brown Activities are required to maintain these minimum ratios for the duration of the activity. Brown Activities are encouraged to maintain these standards as closely as possible throughout the activity. 

Age (in Years) of Youngest MinorRatio
4-51:6
6-81:8
9-141:10
15-171:12

For Parents and Guardians

If you have any questions or concerns about your child’s safety at Brown, please reach out to:

  • the Brown community member who interacts with your child the most;
  • the administrator of your child’s activity; or
  • the Minors Protection Office at minorsprotection@brown.edu.

Important things you can do to protect your child

Let Brown know promptly at 401-863-3322 if your child expresses concern about behavior that may be inappropriate, abusive, or neglectful.

Talk to your child using age-appropriate language about:

  • The difference between appropriate and inappropriate touching.
  • The fact that children can say NO to any touch they don’t want and that they should trust and pay attention to their feelings and ask questions when they feel uncomfortable.
  • The fact that children can and should speak up if they ever feel unsafe or bullied.
  • Common online or in-person grooming behaviors to speak up about.

Additional Information

Brown has an Anonymous Reporting Hotline that provides the opportunity to report concerns in an anonymous manner.

The Hotline is NOT a 911 or emergency service: Do not use the Hotline to report events presenting an immediate threat to life or property. Hotline reports may not receive an immediate response. If you require emergency assistance, please contact your local authorities. To contact Brown University Public Safety, call 401-863-4111.