Youth Protection

Table Of Contents
  1. Pennsylvania Child Protection Services Laws
  2. The FIRST Youth Protection Program
  3. Instructions Overview
  4. Detailed Instructions for Volunteers who are Pennsylvania Residents
  5. Detailed Instructions for Volunteers who reside outside of Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania FIRST Robotics strives to provide a safe environment for students at our events. As part of this effort, volunteers and adults affiliated with a Team are required to follow Pennsylvania laws and FIRST’s policies.

Pennsylvania Child Protection Services Laws

In 2014 and 2015 the Pennsylvania legislature updated the Child Protection Services Law changing how Pennsylvania responds to child abuse. These changes significantly affect the reporting, investigation, assessment, prosecution and judicial handling of child abuse and neglect cases. Beginning August 25, 2015, many adult volunteers are required to obtain background checks, including the Child Abuse History Clearance, issued by the Department of Human Services, and the Criminal History Record Check, issued by the Pennsylvania State Police. 

More information may be found on the Pennsylvania Keep Kids Safe website http://keepkidssafe.pa.gov.

The state of Pennsylvania requires that a person suspecting child abuse must make an immediate and direct report of suspected child abuse to Child Line either electronically at www.compass.state.pa.us/cwis or by calling 1-800-932-0313. 

The FIRST Youth Protection Program

The FIRST Youth Protection Program (FIRST YPP) also is an important part of the protection of our youth. It sets minimum standards recommended for all FIRST activities. You may find more information about the FIRST YPP program guide, the screening process, and frequently asked questions athttps://www.firstinspires.org/resource-library/youth-protection-policy.

Although the overall goals of the Pennsylvania Child Protection Services Law and the FIRST Youth Protection Program may be similar, the background checks required by each are different and both sets are required.

Starting with the 2025-2026 season, the FIRST Child and Youth Protection Services Department will be taking charge of logging, tracking and data protection for the Child Protection Services Law clearances for coaches, mentors, and event volunteers in Pennsylvania for all FIRST programs. See https://community.firstinspires.org/pennsylvania-and-california-clearances-staying-compliant-with-local-volunteer-requirements for details.

The sections below describe the steps and materials you may need to obtain to and submit to FIRST to comply with the Child Protection Services Law clearance/screening requirements.

Instructions Overview

For people who have lived in PA for the past 10 years, this process generally takes less than an hour and your volunteer clearance checks are good for 5 years from date of issue. You may use these clearance documents anywhere you volunteer in Pennsylvania.

  • Criminal History Record Check, issued by the Pennsylvania State Police
  • Child Abuse History Clearance, issued by the Department of Human Services
  • Fingerprint based FBI federal criminal history submitted through the Pennsylvania State Police or its authorized agent

The FBI fingerprint based federal criminal history is NOT required as long as:

  • The position the volunteer is applying for is an unpaid position; AND 
  • The volunteer has been a resident of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for the entirety of the previous 10 years

Volunteers who are not required to obtain the FBI certification because they are applying for an unpaid position and have been a continuous resident of Pennsylvania for the past 10 years must swear or affirm in writing that they are not disqualified from service based upon a conviction of an offense under §6344.

You must notify Pennsylvania FIRST Robotics (ftc@pennfirst.org) if you are convicted of an offense that would constitute grounds for denying participation in the program, activity or service, or are named as a perpetrator in a founded or indicated report. You must provide to Pennsylvania FIRST Robotics a written notice no later than 72 hours after the arrest, conviction or notification, that you have been listed as a perpetrator in the statewide database.

If you have been listed as a perpetrator or are otherwise in violation of the new laws, you will not be able to volunteer.

Detailed Instructions for Volunteers who are Pennsylvania Residents

Obtain Your Clearances

Information on the Pennsylvania requirements can be found at http://www.keepkidssafe.pa.gov/resources/clearances/index.htm.

When asked for a Volunteer Organization on these forms, if you are an event volunteer, you may enter Pennsylvania FIRST Robotics. Otherwise enter the name of the organization you are volunteering for (e.g. school, library, or independent organization, that your team is associated with).

Complete items 1 and 2 and then either item 3a or 3b

Note: For people who have lived in PA for the past 10 years, this generally takes less than an hour and your volunteer clearance checks are good for 5 years from date of issue. You may use these clearance documents anywhere you volunteer in Pennsylvania.

  1. Complete the PA State Police Request for Criminal Record Check
    • Browse to https://epatch.pa.gov 
    • Select New Volunteer Record Check
    • Fill out the information requested and submit form
    • Save and print your Pennsylvania State Police Criminal Record Check
  2. Complete the PA Child Abuse History Clearance
    • Online Form: https://www.compass.state.pa.us/cwis/public/home
    • Select CREATE INDIVIDUAL ACCOUNT if you do not already have a Child Welfare Portal account
    • Once your Keystone ID is created, go back to URL above and select INDIVIDUAL LOGIN
    • Fill out the information requested and submit form.
    • You will be notified by email when your Pennsylvania Child Abuse History Clearance report is ready. Save and print your report.
  3. Complete one of the following:
    1. If you have been a resident of Pennsylvania for 10 years or more, complete:
    2. If you have been a resident of Pennsylvania for less than 10 years, complete:

Detailed Instructions for Volunteers who reside outside of Pennsylvania

Obtain Your Clearances

Information on the Pennsylvania requirements can be found at http://www.keepkidssafe.pa.gov/resources/clearances/index.htm.

If you will be volunteering for 30 days or less in a calendar year:

  1. Complete all screenings in accordance with the Child Protection laws of your state
  2. Complete the Disclosure Statement Application for Nonresident Volunteers (Swear and Affirm statement)

If you will be volunteering for 31 days or more in a calendar year, complete:

  1. Complete the PA State Police Request for Criminal Record Check
    • Browse to https://epatch.pa.gov 
    • Select New Record Check (Volunteers only)
    • Fill out the information requested and submit form
    • Save and print your Pennsylvania State Police Criminal Record Check
  2. Complete the PA Child Abuse History Clearance
    • Online Form: https://www.compass.state.pa.us/cwis/public/home
    • Select CREATE INDIVIDUAL ACCOUNT
    • Once your Keystone ID is created, go back to URL above and select INDIVIDUAL LOGIN
    • Fill out the information requested and submit form.
    • You will be notified by email when your Pennsylvania Child Abuse History Clearance report is ready. Save and print your report.
  3. The fingerprint-based FBI criminal background checks

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