When an incident occurs or is suspected to have occurred, youth activity staff need to respond. Sometimes responses will include making a required report to a university department (e.g., Sexual Misconduct Resources and Response Program, UW Police Department, Office of Risk Management) or other entity (e.g., county social/human services department). Details about reporting requirements applicable to youth activities can be found on the Reporting Requirements page of the Office of Youth Protection website. When these required reports are made, information about the incident must also be communicated to key staff in the youth activity’s school, college, or division as outlined below.
General program incidents may not fall under the requirements for making a report to a university department or other entity. However, when general program incidents raise concerns about the safety or well-being of youth participants or staff (e.g., bullying, concerns that require ongoing involvement with parents/guardians), youth-serving staff are also advised to inform others in their school, college, or division as outlined below.
Have questions? Contact the Office of Youth Protection at youthprotection@wisc.edu. The Youth Activity Incident Escalation Decision Tree is also available to assist with navigating escalation requirements.
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Youth Activity Staff (Employees and Volunteers)
If there is an emergency or anyone is in immediate danger, call 911 immediately.
Inform a supervisor, youth activity director, Authorized Custodian, or other staff member responsible for the operations of the youth activity when any incident raises concerns about safety or well-being. This includes incidents that you have heard about from others or have the potential to take place in the future (e.g., threats about future violence).
The supervisor, youth activity director, Authorized Custodian, or other staff member responsible for the operations of the youth activity will help to determine the course of action, which may include a required report. If the first contact is not the director or Authorized Custodian, make sure that the youth activity’s director or Authorized Custodian is made aware of the situation whether or not an official report is made.
Youth Activity Director/Authorized Custodian
At minimum, share information about the following incidents to your supervisor or other staff member that your school, college, or division has designated for escalating information about incidents:
- Child Abuse or Neglect: Always share information when:
- The incident or threat of child abuse or neglect involves an allegation against a university employee or an agent of the university (e.g., a student or volunteer).
- The incident or threat of child abuse or neglect occurred on the UW–Madison campus or during a UW–Madison–sponsored activity.
- Sexual abuse of a minor is also reportable under the university’s Sexual Harassment or Sexual Violence reporting requirements.
- Sexual Harassment or Sexual Violence: All reports.
- Clery Crimes on Campus: when the alleged crime directly impacts the youth activity or someone involved in the youth activity is potentially involved with the alleged crime.
- Accidental Injury: All reports that fall under the criteria for submitting a Non-Employee Incident Report Form.
- ATCP 78 Reports: All reports.
- General Program Incidents: Use professional judgment to communicate about high-risk incidents that may not fall under other reporting requirements. Always inform your supervisor or other staff member your school, college, or division has designated for escalating concerns about incidents that result in harm or involve ongoing involvement with parents/guardians.
If that staff member is unavailable (e.g., on vacation, or out sick), contact the person filling in for them or the next level of leadership in your unit. If your school, college, or division has a phone tree to escalate incidents, follow that process.
Communicating with Youth Protection Designees
Each school, college, and division has a Youth Protection Designee appointed by the Dean/Director. Youth activity directors, Authorized Custodians, or their supervisors should work in consultation with their Youth Protection Designee to determine whether to escalate an incident to the Dean/Director of the school, college, or division. Concerns about serious incidents and injuries should always be escalated to the Dean/Director.
Communicating with Central Leadership
Leadership in each school, college, or division is responsible for making decisions about whether to communicate about incidents with central leadership (e.g., Office of the Chancellor, Office of the Provost) on behalf of that unit.
Staff in the administrative offices to which reports are made (e.g., Sexual Misconduct Resources and Response Program, UW Police Department, Office of Risk Management) are responsible for following their internal procedures to determine whether an incident should be escalated to central leadership.
Confidentiality and Privacy
Staff involved in escalating incidents should limit sharing information to those individuals who are involved in the incident response/escalation process outlined above or who have a legitimate need to know under university policies or procedures (e.g., school/college/division escalation phone tree).
Written and recorded information is subject to open records requests. When communicating about incidents, avoid including unnecessary personally identifiable information (PII) in emails or other communications. Ensure sensitive information is stored and transmitted securely.
All incident reports and related communications must be handled in compliance with privacy laws that are applicable to the situation. This may include, but is not limited to, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and Wisconsin state law.