For Program Directors and Supervisors

Georgetown has adopted a Protection of Minors Policy to promote the well-being and safety of minors who participate in programs or activities run by or associated with Georgetown University.

Directors or Supervisors of programs or activities involving Minors must take the following steps:

Step One: Register the program or activity involving minors with the Office of Compliance and Ethics

In order to register a program or activity involving minors, please complete the online registration form. You will need to include the following information:

• Program Name

• Program Dates

• Program Description

• Program Director or Supervisor Information (name and email)

• Program Location

• Approximate number of faculty, staff, employees, students, and other individuals participating in the program or activity

• Approximate number of minors participating in the program or activity

• Description of the types of interactions with minors (including whether program staff stays overnight with minors or regularly interact with minors in one on one situations)
• Adult Participant Information (name, email, relationship with Georgetown, type of interaction with minors)

Have questions about registering a program or activity?

Email protectionofminors@georgetown.edu

Step Two: Monitor and ensure completion of training for individuals working with minors

Working with Minors Guidelines

Program Directors are responsible for providing training to those working in University programs or activities with minors. Program Directors must ensure that each individual working with minors in their program or activity reviews the University’s Working with Minors Guidelines and certifies that they have done so. The Working with Minors Guidelines provide helpful tips for maintaining a safe and positive environment when working with minors, advice on signs of child abuse and neglect, and steps to take if you suspect that a minor has been abused or neglected. The Working with Minors Guidelines also includes basic information about the University’s Youth Bullying Prevention Policy. Once a program or activity is registered, a link to the Working with Minors Guidelines document will be sent to each adult participant registered by the program director or supervisor.  

Online Training

Program Directors and supervisors, and individuals who stay overnight, or are regularly alone, with minors must also complete a free online training course entitled: Protection Children: Identifying and Reporting Sexual Misconduct.

Supplemental Training

Program Directors and supervisors are encouraged to supplement the University’s training to meet the needs and specifics of their program.

Step Three: Coordinate background checks for relevant individuals working with minors

Program Directors and supervisors are responsible for coordinating criminal background checks of program directors and supervisors, those who stay overnight with minors, and those who regularly spend time alone with minors as part of their job responsibilities or role in a program involving minors.

Requests for background checks should be sent to backgroundchecks@georgetown.edu, with Working with Minors Background Check Request in the subject line and should copy (CC) protectionofminors@georgetown.edu. The following information must be included in your request:

• The individual’s e-mail address
• The individual’s last and first names
• The name of the program
• The individual’s supervisor’s name (supervisors are notified about the results of checks)
• The supervisor’s e-mail and office phone number
• For purposes of charging the background check, the fund number, purpose number, and program number  
• The relevant category for the individual (Faculty, Other GU Employee, GU Student, Volunteer, Other)
• Any special instructions or comments you want HR to take note of, including whether the individual is a GU employee whose employment is for a fixed term.

You should inform those who are undergoing background checks that they will receive an e-mail directly from HireRight, Inc., the University’s background checking vendor, asking them for information to complete the check. The entire process, from submission to result, generally takes 5-7 working days, but we recommend leaving 10 or more working days from the request to the anticipated date of first interaction with Minors that prompts the background check request, just to be sure.

The cost of the background check is $44.50 per check, plus any fees that may be charged by county jurisdictions (the fee amounts vary). The checks will be billed through the consolidated billing process. We recommend not using RX numbers as the approvals may cause delays.

External Programs Operating on University Campus

Non-University organizations that wish to operate programs or activities involving minors on campus must comply with the University’s Protection of Minors Policy, including requirements relating to reporting suspected abuse or neglect of minors, completing all relevant training, and background checks.

University departments or units that would like to host non-University programs involving minors on campus (“External Program Coordinators”) must contact protectionofminors@georgetown.edu well in advance of the program’s anticipated start date for further information about the procedures for ensuring that outside organizations meet these requirements.