Information for parents, guardians and caretakers
Working together to create a culture of safety
Our six Unifying Values of Integrity, Excellence, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Well-being, Open Communication, and Accountability guide our approach to youth protection at USC. Embracing these values creates a strong culture of safety for the minors entrusted to our care, which is a top priority for the university.
We recognize that it takes all of us working together to keep youth safe, both on and off campus. That’s why, in addition to developing key youth protection policies, procedures, and educational resources to help foster safe, inclusive environments for minors engaging with the university, we have also compiled the information below for parents, guardians, and caretakers of the minors we serve.
As a trusted adult in their lives, you play an important role and are uniquely equipped to help your child understand and assert personal boundaries, develop healthy relationships, and spot potential problems before they develop into bigger ones. We want you to feel informed about what’s in place to help keep your child safe while participating in a youth program, camp, activity, or event (referred to below as “Covered Activity”) at USC, how to recognize when something isn’t quite right, and to feel empowered to report any concerns you may have.
Frequently Asked Questions
Youth protection policies and guidelines
Learn about the policies and guidelines in place to help foster safe, supportive and positive environments for minors participating in Covered Activities at USC.
Child sexual abuse awareness and prevention information
We believe that we can partner with you to help prevent child sexual abuse. Learn more about what child sexual abuse is, and how to prevent, recognize, and respond to it.
Additional resources
Prioritizing the well-being of our youth not only necessitates child sexual abuse prevention efforts, but also a focus on topics like online safety, bullying (and cyberbullying) prevention, and promoting their mental health and well-being. For additional resources related to these topics, visit our Resources for the USC Community webpage.
General safety reminders
Important: If there is an imminent threat to safety, contact 911. To report child abuse or neglect or any other violation relating to minors, follow the steps outlined here.
To help you stay informed if your child will be participating in a Covered Activity:
- Sign up for TrojansAlert – the emergency notification system that allows USC to contact you during an emergency by sending messages via text message and email.
- Confirm your child’s Covered Activity emergency protocols. Ensure you receive information in advance about how to reach your child and/or Covered Activity Staff in the event of an emergency. Also make sure you’ve provided the most up-to-date contact information for yourself or your authorized adult or another emergency contact.
Report a concern
Do you have a concern? Visit our reporting page to submit a report to our office.