Protection of Minors

Authorized Adults are individuals who:

• completed background screening
• completed the College’s Protection of Minors training
• are listed on the Program Registration form as responsible for supervising minors

Criminal Background Checks help identify criminal history that could pose a safety risk to minors.  A background check may include:

• County, state, and federal criminal records checks
• National Sex Offender Registry searches
• Other position-related screenings

Fingerprint-based background checks through Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) Screening process are required only for certain Maryland-registered programs, including childcare and summer youth programs. They are not required for all College employees who work with minors.

Custody or Supervision is when Authorized Adults or Responsible Adults have responsibility for the safety and well-being of minors.

Event is a single occurrence or gathering, often short-term, such as a competition, workshop, seminar, etc.

Minor is a person under 18 years of age.

Program is a structured series of activities or events with a common theme, often recurring or ongoing, such as a summer camp, swimming camp, mentoring program, etc.

Program Registration is a form used to request registration of any College or non-College sponsored event or program that involves the participation of minors on campus.

Responsible Adults are non-College individuals who have custody and supervision of minors during a youth-serving event or program.

Rule of Three requires at least two Authorized Adults or Responsible Adults to be present at all times when interacting with minors. This practice helps prevent situations in which a minor is alone with an adult in a private area that is not observable by others.

Youth Protection Coordinator is the College employee who has responsibility for coordinating compliance with MC’s Protection of Minors Policy and Procedures (95005) (PDF, )  .

You must register the following youth-serving events and programs:

• College-sponsored events or programs held on the College’s campus where minors are in the immediate care, custody and supervision of the College, including staff and faculty.
• Non-College sponsored events or programs held on the College’s campus where minors are in the immediate care, custody and supervision of the sponsoring organization’s staff, designated representatives and/or parents/guardians.
  Please Note:
  • External organizers are subject to additional youth protection requirements only if their event or program exceeds one day.  Please see Step 4 for details.
  • Montgomery College employees are subject to a criminal background check even for one-day events.
• Any youth-serving event or program held on College property that is not open to the general public.
• Montgomery College’s study abroad programs that include minors.

You do not need to register:

• Public events where parents/guardians are responsible for supervising their minors.
• K-12 outreach and recruitment functions, including campus tours.
• College credit or non-credit classes that require College registration, except as required by MCPS for teachers assigned to teach in a school.

Contact the College’s Youth Protection Coordinator at protectionofminors@montgomerycollege.edu.

If the event is open to the general public, registration is not required.

• Enter the official event or program title and the name of the hosting organization.
• Provide a high-level overview of the event or program.
• Upload any promotional materials and/or supporting documentation.
• For external organizers only.  If an MC department is involved, provide the name of the department and contact person.

Montgomery College generally cannot sponsor single gender events or programs because it receives federal funding and must comply with Title IX requirements.  

If this event or program is intended for a single gender (and is marketed as such), contact the Youth Protection Coordinator before submitting your registration.  The Youth Protection Coordinator will work with the MC point of contact to determine whether an exception may apply.

Indicate event or program dates and times.

External organizers hosting events or programs lasting more than one day must submit a Background Check Attestation. If this applies to your event or program, please complete the Background Check Attestation (PDF, ) and submit it to the Youth Protection Coordinator at protectionofminors@montgomerycollege.edu after you submit the registration form.

List all MC campuses and room/venue that will be used.

Provide the name, title, department, phone number, and email of the organizer.

Participants and Age Demographics.  Indicate whether minors (individuals under age 18) will be present at your event or program. If minors will be present, provide:

• The estimated number of participants
• The number of participants in each age group:
  • 4–5 years old
  • 6–8 years old
  • 9–14 years old
  • 15–17 years old

Responsible Adults.  Provide the total number of Responsible Adults who will be present.

Ratio Standards.  Maintaining the appropriate adult-to-minor supervision ratios is important for ensuring the safety and well-being of all minors occupying the College’s campuses.  

When determining the appropriate supervision ratio, please keep the following in mind:

• Organizers must provide an estimated number of minors and the corresponding age demographic.
• Supervision ratios vary by age group.
• For groups with multiple ages, supervision requirements are determined by the youngest members of the group.

The supervision ratio chart below is based on guidance from the American Camp Association and reflects youth protection best practices.

Supervision.  Organizers must identify by name who will be responsible for supervising minors during the event or program. Supervisors may include:

• Staff
• Parents/guardians
• Designated representatives of the sponsoring organization
• A combination of these individuals

Parent/Guardian Supervision

If parents or guardians are responsible for supervising minors, organizers must clearly communicate those responsibilities in advance through promotional materials, emails, or other appropriate communications.

Requirements for Montgomery College Employees

Employees supervising minors must:

• Complete a criminal background check.
• Complete the Protection of Minors online training.

Late submission of employee names may result in those employees being ineligible to participate in the event or program.

Requirements for Montgomery College Student Workers

If student workers are involved in a youth-serving event or program:

• They may not have unsupervised access to minors.
• They must remain in the presence of a Montgomery College employee who has completed the required background screening and training.

Certain activities pose a higher level of risk to minors and require additional safeguards to ensure their safety and well-being.  The College has identified specific high-risk activities, which include the following:

• Activities involving minors working in laboratories (i.e., computer labs, cybersecurity lab, planetarium, etc.)
• Internet Access
• Changing Clothes
• Showering
• Swimming
• Transporting Minors

If your event or program involves any of these activities (or a high-risk activity not listed on the form), select “Other” and describe that high-risk activity.

Organizers are responsible for implementing appropriate safety measures to mitigate potential risks. Failure to establish appropriate safety measures for high-risk activities may result in registration denial.

Events and programs need to be structured to prevent one-on-one interactions between adults and minors in private or non-observable spaces.

Montgomery College recommends following the Rule of Three by ensuring that at least two Authorized Adults or Responsible Adults are present during activities involving minors.

You must indicate whether your program design meets this requirement.

Before submitting the registration form, the organizer (or their designee) must type their name to certify compliance with the College’s Protection of Minors Policies and Procedures 95005 (PDF, )  .