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Requirements for UW Led Youth-Involved Research

Accessible Accordion

UW-Led Youth-Involved Research includes any study that involves:
    • personnel acting on behalf of UW;
    • youth human subjects (under age 18); and
    • collecting data from youth, analysis of identifiable youth data, or other interactions with youth that occur as part of UW’s involvement.

Regardless of IRB status or whether they fit the definition of research, these studies UW-Led Youth-Involved Research must follow all of the requirements below to maintain compliance with APS 10.13.

NOTE: Research studies may be out-of-scope of APS 10.13 in the following situations:

  1. UW personnel will only work with pre-existing de-identified data, and will not interact with youth.
  2. UW is NOT the lead institution for the study, and any UW personnel involved in the study are acting on behalf of the lead institution, not UW.

For more information view the Research FAQs and contact OYPC if you still have questions.

Learn Tips & Strategies to Meet Requirements

Learn more about Compliance Expectations

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  1. All UW-led youth-involved research must be registered in the UW Youth Program Registration System (YPRS) before any interaction with youth begins (including collecting data from youth or analyzing identifiable youth data).
  2. Any individual who may have unsupervised access to youth must be registered as authorized personnel in the corresponding YPRS registration.
  3. The Office of the Youth Protection Coordinator (OYPC) strongly recommends completing registration and adding authorized personnel at least 30 days in advance to ensure all requirements are completed before youth interactions start.

Resources:

  1. All authorized personnel must complete a standardized background check through UW HR before they can have unsupervised access to youth.
  2. Background checks must be renewed every three years.
  3. The background check process is automatically initiated by UW HR when an individual is added as authorized personnel in a YPRS registration.
  4. For details about the process, please review the Background Checks Information page.

Resources:

Individual authorized personnel must complete the “Promoting Safe Interactions with Youth” and “Reporting Suspected Child Abuse or Neglect” online trainings prior to unsupervised access to youth. Training completions are tracked centrally in YPRS.  See our Online Training page for more information and direct links to complete the trainings in YPRS.

Additionally, principal investigators must ensure that all authorized personnel are trained to perform their assigned duties in a safe and developmentally appropriate manner. See suggested training content that addresses the safety and developmental needs of youth.

Other related policies: 

All UW employees and volunteers are required to complete the training, “Reporting Suspected Child Abuse or Neglect.”

Resources:

Authorized Personnel must:

  1. Follow the University Standards for Interacting with Youth at all times.
  2. Sign the UW Conduct Code in YPRS:
    • Before any unsupervised access to youth.
    • Every 12 months while active in the role.

Principal Investigators must:

  1. Include signing and review of the UW Conduct Code in onboarding and orientation.
  2. Monitor compliance with the Standards during youth interactions.

Resources:

If an authorized personnel or principal investigator becomes aware of conduct of another personnel that represent a clear violation of the University Standards for Interacting with Youth, they must notify the Youth Protection Coordinator by e-mailing uwminors@uw.edu or calling 206-616-5706. To learn more about what constitutes a violation warranting action, view the Addressing Unsafe Interactions and Behaviors of Concern webpage.

Other related policies: 

See also UW Executive Order 56: Reporting Suspected Child Abuse or Neglect. 

Resources:

Using the Behaviors of Concern Continuum mini-module

 

Youth-involved research must adhere to state and federal workplace and environmental safety regulations and protect the health and safety of youth while in our care.

Specifically, authorized personnel and principal investigators must follow EHS guidance for youth in STEAM environments when hosting youth in labs, shops, makerspaces, studios, or other facilities with certain hazards present.

Other related policies: 

See also Administrative Policy Statement 10.9.

Resources:

Principal investigators must maintain safeguards and precautions appropriate for the youth in their care and must have a plan in place in the case of a natural disaster, active threat, or other emergency.

Emergency Preparedness resources:

Youth-involved research that operates in a UW facility must also be included in their department/unit’s fire safety and evacuation plan.

Fire safety and evacuation plan resources:

EHS Fire Safety and Evacuation Plan information

Principal investigators must also have procedures in place to respond to known health conditions and health related emergencies experienced by participating youth.

Health emergency prevention and response resources:

Additional Risk mitigation resources:

Youth-involved research must process personal data in accordance with applicable University privacy policies and frameworks, including the Privacy Policy for UW Youth Programs.

Resources:

Using the Privacy Notice and consent Template mini-module