1. Keeping Kids Safe! The Michigan 4-H Youth Development Youth- Adult Overnight Housing Policy (Updated 9/09)

2. Keeping Kids Safe! Why develop a policy?

3. We want to do all we can to help ensure the safety and well-being of both youth and adults involved with Michigan 4-H programs Why develop a policy? 4-H Guiding Principle #2 Youth are physically and emotionally safe.

4. We want to reflect recom- mendations from:  Long-Term 4-H Use of Kettunen Center Committee  MSU Office of Risk Management and Insurance  MSU Office of General Counsel  MSU Agriculture and Natural Resources Office of Human Resources We want to align with recom- mendations from research on child sexual abuse Why develop a policy?

5. Understanding child abuse and neglect... Child abuse means that a child’s body or mind is being injured. Neglect means failing to give a child what he or she needs. Sexual abuse includes having sexual contact with a child.

6. Understanding child abuse and neglect... In 2006 in Michigan there were 16,104 sub- stantiated cases of child abuse and neglect involving 27,148 victims. Of these cases, 1,227 kids were victims of sexual abuse.

7. Understanding child sexual abuse... Extrafamilial sexual abuse of children is thought to be significantly under-reported. In one study, 20% of extrafamilial offenders said they accessed children via an organized activity.

8. Understanding child sexual abuse... What do offenders say...  “The last person you’d expect”  Sexual offenders working with or doing voluntary work with kids exploit the trust that comes with their role  Access to unsupervised areas should be restricted or monitored

9. “Child sexual abuse should be seen as a virus that flourishes in secrecy and isolation. The best treatment for inoculating communities and protecting children is open communication.” C. van Dam, 2006

10. Our response... Development of the Michigan 4-H Youth Development Youth-Adult Overnight Housing Policy Development of the Michigan 4-H Youth Development Youth-Adult Overnight Housing Policy

11. Core Component of Policy Youth can be housed with unrelated adult chaperones aged 21 and over at overnight 4-H events as long as the youth-adult ratio is at least two youth to one adult and the adults have been through the MSU Extension Child Well-Being Volunteer Selection Process.

12. Applies to any Michigan 4-H– sponsored state-, regional-, multicounty-, county- or club- level overnight event where adults are housed with or share bathrooms with unrelated youth (such as workshops, events, fairs, exchanges, overnight trips, lock-ins and camps). Mandatory implementation date: January 1, 2008

13. The Youth-Adult Housing Policy... Requires parents/guardians to sign a 4-H Overnight Housing Parent/ Guardian Permission Form indicating their understanding that their child may be sharing lodging with an unrelated adult (who has been through the MSU Extension Child Well-Being Volunteer Selection Process) and with at least one other youth

14. The Youth-Adult Housing Policy... Addresses other aspects of overnight housing situations (including lodging with related adults, special needs situations and housing older-younger youth together) Provides resources for supporting chaperones in their role

15. The Youth-Adult Housing Policy... Applies to 4-H club overnights – volunteers should work with 4-H staff to ensure the correct paperwork is submitted Can be accessed in its entirety at the Michigan 4-H web site – where many “frequently asked questions” have been included

16. We all have a role to play in keeping kids physically and emotionally safe... On the organizational level: Get to know the policy and abide by it! On the personal level: Recognize the signs of abuse and neglect and know what to do with this information!

17. Let’s work together to keep kids safe!