YPAI Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Yes. Participation is required so that the University is able to understand implementation of all requirements of APS 10.13. We have gone to great lengths to set reasonable expectations for participation, including limiting the amount of time required to engage in YPAI activities, and using a sampling process to assess programs with multiple sessions.

Throughout the YPAI process programs will receive feedback and support to make improvements in your program operations. For those already performing at a high level, you will receive the validation of knowing that you are doing everything you need in order to protect youth in your program environment. The YPAI is designed to foster continuous reflection, which is truly beneficial to any program. Practically speaking, a robust process in place to assess and proactively address policy compliance enables the University is able to continue to offer programs.

The time it takes to participate depends on the required activities for each phase, which lasts one year.
General estimates are as follows:
Phase 1 60 minutes to complete a self-assessment
Phase 2 20 minutes to submit documentation
Phase 3 90 minutes to host a site visit and interview
Phase 4 Varies greatly, depending on improvements you choose to make

Again, the above estimates may vary for each individual program.

No. A change in leadership does not require a pause in participation in the YPAI. Should your program leadership change, be sure to notify OYPC so we can ensure the new program director is appropriately designated in YPRS. This will allow the new director to receive notifications about YPAI steps, review past YPAI materials as applicable, and continue your program’s involvement in the process.

If you do not have an active session registered in YPRS for a given year, and feel that you are not able to participate in that year’s assessment activities, contact OYPC to discuss.

UW youth programs who partner with another entity, such as a school or other community-based organization, to offer programming are not excluded from the YPAI.

In such arrangements, the youth program will participate in the YPAI, and in many cases incorporate information on the role of your partners into your responses. Start by reading our Guidance and considerations for youth programs in partnerships with external organizations.

There may be some differences in the way partnering youth programs participate in the YPAI activities:

• Phase 1: When completing the self assessment, the youth program may evaluate whether you or the third party are fulfilling the youth safety policy requirements (and if the latter, whether written agreements are in place clearly delineating such responsibilities).
• Phase 2: When submitting documentation, the youth program may submit your own documentation and/or documentation from the third party partner. We encourage you to submit written agreements delineating responsibilities between the partner organizations and UW.
• Phase 3: When planning and hosting a site visit, the youth program may wish for OYPC to visit at a time when both UW and third party partners are available or interacting with youth — or not. OYPC is available to discuss the best way to approach the site visit.
• Feedback: OYPC may issue feedback that addresses both the UW youth program’s activities or procedures and/or the written agreements in place with the third party partner. Be sure to relay any information to your partner as applicable.

Youth programs run entirely by third parties using University facilities (“third party youth programs”) are excluded from the YPAI.

One-day annual programs must participate in the YPAI, as they still present an opportunity to evaluate practices for youth safety. One-day programs have first dibs on OYPC’s time for site visits! As a time-limited program, we will prioritize schedules so that we can visit your one-day activity for observation.

No. Youth-involved research projects are currently excluded from the YPAI because research settings, while varied, are typically governed by IRB requirements, healthcare regulations, and other regulations that do not fit well into the current assessment process.

Youth programs are required to meet University standards and comply with University policies, including APS 10.13. However, there are often multiple ways to meet these requirements, so there is leeway to implement things differently and in accordance with the unique aspects of each youth program.

OYPC will give feedback to each youth program about how to align your activities and procedures with University policy. Sometimes, we will offer specific suggestions. A youth program may decide to implement changes as suggested, or may determine other ways to meet the policy requirements.

Should it be determined that a youth program is not fully meeting University requirements, OYPC will offer recommendations and guidance to assist program leadership with coming into compliance. Occasionally you may receive an “area of concern” notice in your response from OYPC. A program is ultimately responsible for meeting all of the requirements, and should seek assistance from OYPC and other campus partners as needed.

Please visit our Cohorts page to find what phase your cohort is in. For more details on what each Phase consists of, please visit our Phases page.

All youth programs from a school, college, or unit are assigned to the same cohort, with the idea being that programs within the same college may have shared procedures, manuals, etc. that can be leveraged as a group. Each cohort is made up of youth programs from their own college/school/unit and several other schools/colleges/units.

Please visit our Cohorts page for more information.

To view a complete list of programs each Cohort, Please visit our Cohorts page for more information.

Each YPAI phase lasts one year, beginning October 1.

Each program will have a deadline falling on either December 31, March 31, June 30, or September 30.

Once a program completes their YPAI task, they will progress to the new phase on October 1.

Each program has an individual deadline falling on either December 31, March 31, June 30, or September 30. Your deadline was determined by OYPC, considering a number of factors, including the seasonal operation of each program. OYPC prioritized seasonal programs with limited timeframes to ensure that YPAI activities fall near program operation times.

Part of your overall compliance with University requirements includes meeting YPAI participation deadlines. It is important to meet specific task deadlines. If you feel you will be unable to meet a deadline, contact OYPC as soon as possible to discuss.

The self assessment is designed to help you assess your implementation of foundational principles of APS 10.13: registration in YPRS, fulfillment of authorized personnel requirements, conduct expectations, reporting requirements, creating safe environments, planning and responding to emergencies, and fulfillment of the privacy policy for youth programs.

General feedback on the Likert scale portion of the self assessment will be immediately available to you in the YPRS and via email after your assessments are submitted. This feedback will be based on the score you awarded yourself for each metric.

Within two months of your submission, OYPC will provide you with individualized feedback (again via email and in the YPRS). This feedback will reflect your Likert scale answers in conjunction with your open-ended responses.

Both types of feedback are designed to give you suggestions to strengthen your programming in these policy areas. Our hope is you can use this feedback to refine your program practices and protocols in the future.

The goal of the documentation review is to give you the opportunity to evaluate your existing policies, procedures, training, and communication practices. OYPC can then engage in constructive dialogue to help assess your program’s implementation of APS 10.13 via a review of relevant program policies, procedures and guidance.

Reviewing documents in this way helps OYPC gain insight into the daily operations of programs and identify areas for collaboration or resource-sharing. A preview of documentation criteria is available here.

Any written information that illustrates your procedures and practices may serve as a document. Manuals, training outlines and presentation slides, forms, websites, or handbooks can all serve the purpose of demonstrating your program operations. Everything will be uploaded electronically so paper documentation must be scanned or converted to a pdf.

Yes. Please only submit existing documents. Do not create new documents to submit that are not used in your current practice. Responses that accurately reflect your current practices will allow OYPC to better engage in deeper and more constructive dialog with you.

Both types of documentation may be appropriate to submit. Our goal with the documentation review is to see how your program embodies the requirements outlined in APS 10.13. Some of those requirements may be transferred to the third party partner you work with; in such circumstances, it may be appropriate to upload the third party’s documentation reflecting how they put such requirements into practice. It may also be appropriate to upload your written agreements with the third party partner, delineating which party is responsible for which elements of youth safety.

For more information review this guidance for UW youth programs involving external organizations.

Within two months of your submission, OYPC will provide you with individualized feedback (via email and in YPRS). OYPC will assess whether your documentation meets the criteria for each policy requirement and, as applicable, OYPC will make recommendations to strengthen your programming in these areas. Our hope is you can use this feedback to refine your program practices and protocols in the future.

The goal of the program observation (site visit and interview with program leadership) is to have OYPC observe your program in action. OYPC can then engage in constructive dialogue to help assess your program’s implementation of APS 10.13 via observation of activities and discussion with personnel.

OYPC will be evaluating how your program implements best practices relating to your program’s policies, procedures in real-time. OYPC will be using and completing an observation sheet during your visit to further discuss during our conversation with program leadership and staff following the observation period.

Additionally, we will speak with program leadership about your program, APS 10.13, the YPAI and address any questions you may have. Please click here to view a list of questions we may ask. We will not ask all of them, and may ask questions you don’t see reflected on the list.

Please review the observation and interview resources to be prepared for the site visit conversation.

OYPC is coming to observe what your program has already been accomplishing and practicing with your existing procedures and practices, so please do not feel that there is a right or wrong way to prepare for our site visit observation. We are excited to come and see and/or participate in your program activities!

Likely yes. OYPC will still conduct a site visit at your youth program location even if it is still off UW campus. There may be some circumstances in which a third party organization’s involvement in a UW youth program precludes a site visit.

Possibly yes. We will discuss your unique arrangements with you and possibly also your third party partner when scheduling a site visit and determine when and where it makes sense for us to observe.

Within two months of your site visit and interview, OYPC will provide you with individualized feedback (via email and in YPRS). OYPC will summarize the observation and discussion and, as applicable, will make recommendations to strengthen your programming in these areas. Our hope is you can use this feedback to refine your program practices and protocols in the future.

As the person primarily responsible for meeting University requirements, it is expected that a program director will lead and actively engage in the assessment process, though they may decide to also involve others who have a role in youth protection in their settings in performing certain tasks associated with the YPAI.

Program leadership are encouraged to work together with staff to reflect on the current implementation of the foundational principles of APS 10.13. The YPAI is an opportunity for your team to learn about the internal processes, systems and documentation that are vital to youth protection.

Please visit our Webpage on Roles in YPAI for more information.