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Authorized Personnel Requirements

Who are Authorized Personnel?

Authorized personnel include UW employees (faculty, staff, academic personnel), students, volunteers, and interns who:

  • Supervise or care for youth
  • Serve as chaperones
  • Have unsupervised access to youth (in-person or virtual)

Unsupervised access refers to any situation—however unlikely—where an individual might be left alone with a youth or group of youth without other authorized personnel present.

UW-led youth activities, as well as research involving data collection/interactions with youth, must designate at least one UW authorized personnel, even when youth are under the supervision of non-UW adults (e.g., teachers, parents, or chaperones). Often, multiple authorized personnel are present. See below for examples.

Requirements Checklist (per APS 10.13)

Before having unsupervised access to youth, authorized personnel must complete the following requirements through the Youth Program Registration System (YPRS). Instructions will be sent via email from the following sources—please monitor your inbox carefully:

  • Office of the Youth Protection Coordinator (@Ideal-Logic.com)
  • UW HR Youth Program Background Checks (@Ideal-Logic.com)
  • Sterling (UW’s background check vendor)
    • no-reply@uss.sterlingcheck.app
    • no-reply@sterlingcheck.com

Complete these requirement before having unsupervised access to youth:

  1. Background Check
  2. Training
    Complete two online trainings in YPRS.

  3. Code of Conduct

For more details, refer to the APS 10.13 Policy Resource Guide.

What roles are considered Authorized Personnel?

Typical examples are listed below. This is not an exhaustive list. Consult with OYPC for further clarification.

Authorized Personnel
Not Authorized Personnel (also referred to as “other personnel”)
  • Program directors, coaches, trainers, principal investigators, or other lead staff.
  • Instructors, educators, TAs, mentors, counselors, researchers, or program assistants who interact with youth regularly.
  • Tour guides who provide tours in the absence of authorized adults.
  • Anyone who may be charged with helping a lost child during an event, e.g., ushers or wayfinding volunteers.
  • Anyone who, though they are not designated as a supervisor of youth, may potentially be left alone with youth.
  • Anyone who has electronic interactions with youth (e.g.,  text, email, social media, Zoom, etc.)
  • Guest lecturers who are always in the presence of program staff.
  • Site/field trip hosts who provide a brief tour or demonstration in the presence of other authorized adults.
  • Staff or volunteers who have no potential for being responsible for, or left alone with, youth.

Note that even if an individual is not designated as Authorized Personnel, they are subject to other requirements of the University. See Policies and laws regarding minors.