Any member of the University community who witnesses a violation of the University’s Youth Protection Policy are required to immediately report the violation to their supervisor or the program administrator. Reports may also be made to the Washington University anonymous Compliance Hotline (314-362-4998).

Program staff are also required by law to notify the Missouri Child Abuse and Neglect Hotline (800-392-3738) for instances or suspected instances of child abuse or neglect. For additional details on mandatory reporting, please see the Policy web page.


Reporting Incidents to the Youth Protection Oversight Committee

Program staff should be directed to contact their program administrator immediately to report any incident involving a minor. In the event of an emergency, program staff and administrators should contact the Washington University Police Department or Washington University School of Medicine Protective Services for support.

In addition to regular reporting procedures within a program or department, as well as mandatory reporting procedures, incidents involving minors should also be reported to the Youth Protection Oversight Committee.

Types of incidents to report
  • Instances or suspected instances of child abuse or neglect
  • Conduct violations that result in the dismissal of a minor or program staff from a program including:
    • Consumption, use, or possession of alcohol or illegal drugs.
    • Abuse or distribution of prescription drugs.
    • Possession of paraphernalia that can be used for illegal drug use.
    • Possession of legal items with the intent to use for the purpose of intoxication or impairment.
    • Possession or use of weapons, explosives, or fireworks.
    • Sexual misconduct or harassment.
    • Physical altercations or bullying of any kind.
    • Discriminatory behavior or harassment on the basis of race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, veteran status, disability or genetic information. 
  • Any medical incidents that result in a minor needing to be seen by a medical professional for treatment.
  • Other incidents that may arise and warrant reporting to the Youth Protection Oversight Committee.

This list is not inclusive of all incidents. When in doubt, we encourage program administrators to report any incident to the committee.

Process for Reporting Incidents to the Youth Protection Oversight Committee

Program administrators should document the incident using the Youth Protection Incident Report. This report should be submitted within 24 hours of the incident occurring. The Youth Protection Oversight Committee will follow-up with the program administrator if any additional support or information is needed and will report the incident to necessary University officials, deans, and executive level administration using the Youth Protection Incident Reporting Chart.

VERY IMPORTANT: Program administrators should follow the established department guidelines for reporting the incident to department personnel which is separate from the process noted above. Reporting to the Youth Protection Oversight Committee does not replace the protocols in place within your program or department or end the process of reporting the incident.

Questions regarding incident reporting may be directed to the Youth Protection Oversight Committee at youthprotection@wustl.edu.