City of Cedar Hills Child Protection Policy and Coach Code of Conduct

CHILD PROTECTION POLICY  

A. City of Cedar Hills is dedicated to providing a child-safe environment for all children that interact with its workplace. Responsible adults understand that minors are vulnerable to abuse from adults and other children and that safe adults, not just parents and guardians, must make a concerted effort to create and maintain child-safe environments. 

  1. City of Cedar Hills considers any person that meets the requirements of being a minor under state or local law as being a minor under this policy. In absence of a state or local law, the City of Cedar Hills defines a minor as any person under the age of 18.
  2. Employees and volunteers, whose job duties require work in youth programs, or with duties that have access to minors, shall be subject to appropriate screenings (i.e. background checks, etc.) as well as compliance with the City of Cedar Hills Child Protection Policy.  

B. Definitions of Child Abuse  

  1. Child abuse includes physical, emotional, and sexual abuse and/or neglect of minors.
  2. Child sexual abuse can include unwanted and unnecessary touching or fondling of minors; voyeurism; exposing minors to sexual acts or pornography; requests for or offers of sex to a minor; solicitation of sex from minors; sexual exploitation of minors; lewdness or exposing private body parts to a minor; taking nude photographs of minors without proper consent or for illegal purposes; and other sexual acts to minors such as intercourse, penetration, rape, incest, and sodomy.
  3. Both child abuse and child sexual abuse are serious crimes.  

C. Relationships with Minors Prohibited 

  1. Employees are prohibited from having any type of sexual relationship with a minor.
  2. Employees and other workplace participants that are discovered to have committed or are reasonably suspected of committing child abuse will be reported to the proper legal authorities and subject to termination.  

D. Proper Interactions with Minors  

  1. City of Cedar Hills demands that all employees and workplace participants interact with minors in a safe and proper manner including:
    1. Eliminating the times they are alone with minors without other safe adults being present, accessible, or in view. At least two adults must be present at all times for all activities and programs.
    2. Never being with a minor in a concealed area, including a locked room or a place where other adults cannot see or hear an adult’s interaction with a minor or minors.
    3. Never hosting an event or inviting minors to their home unless such hosting or invitation is part of an approved City of Cedar Hills function and without the presence of the minor’s guardians, parents, or multiple safe adults, as part of an approved function.
    4. Never entering a home with a minor unless the minor’s guardians or parents are present or without the guardian or parent’s consent.
    5. Never giving a minor a gift over $25 in value or money without the consent of the guardian or parents of the minor.
    6. Never providing drugs or alcohol to minors or purchasing drugs or alcohol for minors.
    7. Never going to an event with a minor without receiving the written consent of the minor’s guardian or parents.
    8. Never providing transportation to a minor or minors without consent of the minor’s guardians or parents and without other safe adults being present.
    9. Never taking photographs or capturing digital images of a minor without receiving the written consent of the minor’s guardian or parents.
    10. Never communicating to a minor on matters unrelated to performance of your job duties; in an unprofessional manner; or inappropriately via phone, letter, instant messaging, email, or in a chat room. 

E. Reporting Suspected Child Abuse  

  1. Every person who has reason to believe that a child has been subjected to abuse or neglect shall immediately notify the abuse to the American Fork Police Department (Utah Code 62A-4a-403). If the child abuse is occurring at work or by an employee or other workplace participant, you must immediately report it to the American Fork Police Department and, within a reasonable period of time, to the City of Cedar Hills.
    1. “Reason to believe” does not mean the referent must prove a child is abused or neglected. Law enforcement offices or Child Protective Services workers investigate and establish proof.
    2. Immunity from legal action. Any person making a report in good faith is immune from liability, civil or criminal (Utah Code 62A-4a-410).
    3. Failure to report. Any person who willfully fails to report child abuse or neglect is guilty of a class B misdemeanor, punishable by up to a $1,000 fine and six months in jail (Utah Code 62A-4a-411).  

F. Questions About This Policy  

If you have questions, suggestions or concerns about this policy, you should direct them to the department director, Human Resources Department, or city manager. 

COACH CODE OF CONDUCT  

Youth sports help to develop skills, responsibility, and good sportsmanship. Parents and coaches of children participating in Cedar Hills Youth Sports are expected to set a good example for their child, as well as the other children participating. This Coach Code of Conduct has been developed to help clarify and define the standards expected from participants of Cedar Hills Youth Sports.  

  1. Coaches should not place the value of winning over the safety and welfare of the players.
  2. Coaches should show respect towards all players, parents, and officials.
  3. Coaches should be aware of the rules of the game and should adhere to those rules.
  4. Coaches should not tolerate any inappropriate behavior from players.
  5. Coaches should not engage in any physical or verbal confrontation with any player, parent, coach, or official.
  6. Coaches should provide their players with instruction on the rules of the game.
  7. Coaches should demand an environment free of drugs, tobacco, and alcohol.
  8. Coaches should accept responsibility of team leadership and should be responsible for the actions of the players, officials, and spectators.  

Failure to abide by these regulations may result in removal from league play.

Print: City of Cedar Hills Child Protection Policy and Coach Code of Conduct