Protection of Minors

This policy is designed to educate our community members- faculty, staff, students, volunteers- about the state laws and regulations regarding the prevention, identification, and reporting of child abuse. Moravian University is committed to the protection and safety of minors. While the vast majority of the members of the Moravian community are adults age 18 and over, our community also includes minors less than 18 years of age, both in formal relationship to the University, and more informally, as frequent visitors. For example, minors may be matriculated or prospective students, participants in camp programs, volunteer programs, outreach and enrichment programs.

Nothing in this policy is intended to supersede obligations imposed by law regarding the maintenance of privilege by specified professionals.

It is the obligation of every member of the University community to report suspected child abuse as soon as possible as outlined below.

Duty to Report

Every member of the Moravian community has a duty to report as soon as possible if he/she has reasonable cause to suspect that a child is a victim of child abuse based on:

1. Information shared with him/her by the child or any individual; or
2. His/her own observations or knowledge.

The duty to report is triggered by reasonable suspicion or belief. There is no requirement that there be actual evidence of abuse, nor should any individual seek to investigate the matter for him/herself. Any doubt as to whether or not to report should be resolved in favor of making the report to ensure that the appropriate professionals in child protective services can assess the report and evaluate the safety of the child.

Process

Under this policy, any Moravian community member (faculty, staff, students, volunteers) suspecting abuse of a child is required to bring all reasonable suspicions or beliefs to the immediate attention of the appropriate state authorities immediately.

Reports should be made electronically at PA ChildLine. 

Alternatively, reports may also be made by calling ChildLine at 1-800-932-0313. If an oral report is made by phone, the reporter must also complete a Report of Suspected Abuse form (CY-47) within 48 hours. The CY-47 form must be printed, completed, and submitted to the Children & Youth office for the county where the abuse is suspected to have occurred, if known. 

Generally or when the location is uncertain, employees on Moravian University’s Bethlehem campus should fax the CY-47 form to the attention of the Northampton County Children, Youth & Families Division at 610-559-3750 or mail/deliver it to:

Northampton County Human Services
Attention: Children, Youth & Families Division
2801 Emrick Blvd.
Bethlehem, PA 18020

Generally or when the location is uncertain, employees on Moravian University’s Lancaster campus should fax the CY-47 form to the attention of the Lancaster County Children & Youth Social Services Agency at 717-299-7929 or mail/deliver to:

Lancaster County Government Center
Attention: Children & Youth Services Agency
105 N. Queen St.
Lancaster, PA 17603

As soon as the report is made, you must contact the Chief of Police and/or Dean for Compliance, Training and Development. These individuals, in turn, have the obligation to verify that appropriate authorities have been notified and to coordinate investigations by the appropriate police jurisdiction or other agencies.

Failure by any member of the Moravian community to report information related to suspected child abuse as soon as possible to either ChildLine or the designated officials will result in discipline up to and including termination for employees and dismissal for students. Failure of these officials to initiate timely notice and timely and appropriate investigation will result in discipline up to and including termination.

Definition of Child Abuse

A child is defined as anyone under the age of 18. The term "child abuse" shall mean intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly doing any of the following:

Causing bodily injury to a child through any recent act or failure to act.

Fabricating, feigning, or intentionally exaggerating or inducing a medical symptom or disease which results in a potentially harmful medical evaluation or treatment to the child through any recent act.

Causing or substantially contributing to serious mental injury to a child through any act or failure to act or a series of such acts or failures to act.

Causing sexual abuse or exploitation of a child through any act or failure to act.

Creating a reasonable likelihood of bodily injury to a child through any recent act or failure to act.

Creating a likelihood of sexual abuse or exploitation of a child through any recent act or failure to act.

Causing serious physical neglect of child.

Engaging in any of the following recent acts:
(i) Kicking, biting, throwing, burning, stabbing or cutting a child in a manner that endangers the child.
(ii) Unreasonably restraining or confining a child, based on consideration of the method, location or the duration of the restraint or confinement.
(iii) Forcefully shaking a child under one year of age.
(iv) Forcefully slapping or otherwise striking a child under one year of age.
(v) Interfering with the breathing of a child.
(vi) Causing a child to be present at a location while a violation of 18 Pa.C.S. § 7508.2 (relating to operation of methamphetamine laboratory) is occurring, provided that the violation is being investigated by law enforcement.
(vii) Leaving a child unsupervised with an individual, other than the child's parent, who the actor knows or reasonably should have known:

Is required to register as a Tier II or Tier III sexual offender under Pennsylvania law, where the victim of the sexual offense was under 18 years of age when the crime was committed.

Has been determined to be a sexually violent predator under Pennsylvania law

Has been determined to be a sexually violent delinquent child as defined by Pennsylvania law.

Causing the death of the child through any act or failure to act.

Pennsylvania law requires that private institutions, including Moravian University, their employees, and persons affiliated with the University, such as students, and volunteers (the Moravian community), report suspected child abuse. Reports of suspected abuse must be made by members of the Moravian community to ChildLine at 1-800-932-0313. Consistent with this policy, however, and as stated above it is expected that notice of this report will also be shared as soon as possible with the Chief of Police and the Dean for Compliance, Training, and Development after ChildLine has been notified.

Consequences of Abuse

The employment of any University employee who is convicted of a charge related to abuse of a minor will be terminated, whether the abuse occurred on or off campus. Any employee against whom a credible allegation of child abuse has been made as determined by a preponderance of the evidence, on or off campus, is subject to University discipline up to and including termination. Any Moravian student who is convicted of a charge related to abuse of a minor will be expelled from the University, whether the abuse occurred on or off campus. Any Moravian student against whom a credible accusation has been made as determined by a preponderance of the evidence, on or off campus, is subject to discipline up to and including expulsion.

Source Documents

PA Child Protective Services Law (CPSL)    

This Policy and its procedures have been updated on February 8, 2022 to reflect the current state reporting requirements. Policy originally created and approved March 2019. Questions about this policy should be directed to compliance@moravian.edu.