Child Safety
Smith College serves more than 5,000 minors annually. College students, faculty, and staff interact with youth in many ways. You may be a coach, counselor, mentor, researcher, teacher, or volunteer. Perhaps you are with an outside group, such as a school or camp that brings kids to Smith. Whatever your role, this website is designed to be a resource to help you understand your role and responsibilities in the protection of minors on campus.
This nine-minute video, Shine a Light by United Educators highlights the importance of child safety awareness and all aspects of our child safety program.
Click here for a summary of Smith College's Child Safety Policy.
College Policies & Guide to Working With Minors
If you manage, participate in, or oversee programs or activities involving minors, please review the college’s Policy and Guide to Working with Minors.
Any program or activity involving minors or volunteers working within laboratories must also follow the laboratory safety policy established by Smith Environmental Health & Safety.
All Programs and Activities Must Be Registered
All programs and activities involving minors on Smith campuses must be registered with the college using the Child Safety Certification website. Registration includes identifying all staff and volunteers who will be working with the minor.
Step 1: New program or activity managers begin the process by completing a personal Child Safety Certification Account and begin the registration process, see Background Checks and Child Safety Certification.
Step 2: Review Resources and Responsibilities for Program Directors and request "Manager" access to add the program or activity and track those participating in their program.
All Staff, Students and Volunteers Must Be Child Safety Certified
Step 1: Log into the secure child safety certification and choose the program or activity with which you are affiliated. If you are not currently affiliated with a program, select "unaffiliated."
Step 2: Background checks (CORI/SORI) are required for all adults (including Smith students) who have or may have unsupervised contact with any of the children in the program or activity. See Background Checks and Child Safety Certification for directions.
Step 3: Training is required for all adults working or volunteering in the program or activity, including the director/manager. See Background Checks and Child Safety Certification for directions.
External Programs and Activities Operating on Smith Campus
Non-Smith organizations that wish to operate programs or activities involving minors on the Smith campus or premises must ensure their activity runs consistent with the guidelines of the Smith Policy on Safety and Well Being of Minors and the Guide to Working with Minors. All contracts for the use of Smith facilities by outside parties for programs or activities involving minors must reference and provide a link to this Policy.
The policy includes requirements relating to reporting suspected abuse or neglect of minors, completing all relevant training and undergoing background checks.