Sample Policy Language

A formal abuse prevention document establishes a culture of safety and accountability. It provides a written record of school policies, practices, guidelines, and procedures designed to protect children, youth, and vulnerable students.

As you begin developing policies and procedures, keep in mind these key underlying principles:

• Abuse against a child or vulnerable adult is always wrong and a grievous criminal matter in every state. Every state has some form of mandatory reporting laws. Become familiar with the reporting laws in your state.
• Child victims are never responsible for causing the abuse (excluding peer-on-peer abuse). They are not legally or morally capable of consenting to abusive behavior.

Schools can demonstrate their commitment to providing a safe environment by establishing standards that govern the behavior of those working on their campuses or in their programs. Once established, the document should be made readily available to parents or guardians.

You may copy and paste sample policy text from this site into your own policy documents. You'll see that at the bottom of each sample policy is a reminder to have a licensed attorney in your area review final drafts of your policies.

We recognize that every school is different, and policies and procedures must address the particular needs of each organization. The info presented on this site is designed to provide risk management recommendations. It does not constitute legal advice between an attorney and a client. The law varies in different states, and the information discussed here may not apply to your state's law. Moreover, other federal laws may apply to your school if it receives any federal funds. A locally licensed attorney should review any policies and procedures your school develops to ensure compliance with all applicable state and federal laws. Brotherhood Mutual assumes no liability for reliance upon the information provided.