FIRST® – WCPA

Youth Protection

FIRST Western & Central Pennsylvania 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 FIRST’s policies and Pennsylvania Child Protection Services laws.

The FIRST Youth Protection Program

The FIRST Youth Protection Program (FIRST YPP) 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 at the FIRST Youth Protection Program webpage.

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.

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 Criminal History Record Check, issued by the Pennsylvania State Police and the Child Abuse History Clearance, issued by the Department of Human Services.

More information may be found on the Pennsylvania Keep Kids Safe website.

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 Child Welfare Portal or by calling 1-800-932-0313.

 

Event Volunteers

Volunteers applying for a FIRST Robotics Event in Western & Central PA through the firstinspires.org dashboard will receive notification and further instructions by our Volunteer Coordinators.

Detailed instructions for Pennsylvania residents and nonresidents:

Note: For people who have lived in Pennsylvania 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 copy and use these clearance documents anywhere you volunteer with youth in Pennsylvania.  

You must notify FIRST Western & Central PA (FIRSTwcpavolunteers@gmail.com) 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 FIRST Western & Central PA 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 youth protection laws, you will not be able to volunteer.

Instructions for Event Volunteers who are Pennsylvania Residents

Obtain Your Clearances

Information on the Pennsylvania requirements can be found at the Get a Clearance webpage.  When asked for a Volunteer Organization on these forms, you may enter FIRST.  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.

Complete items 1 and 2 and then either item 3 or 4:

  1. Complete the PA State Police Request for Criminal Record Check
    • Issued by issued by the Pennsylvania State Police
    • Browse to Pennsylvania Access to Criminal History
    • 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
    • Issued by the Department of Human Services
    • Create an Individual Account on the Child Welfare Portal
    • 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 PA Child Abuse History Clearance.
    • Note:  The report may be ready well in advance of when you are notified.  Please check your account periodically if you are waiting for a report.
  3. Complete the FBI Fingerprint Based Record Check if you have been a resident of Pennsylvania for less than 10 years:
    • See Keep Kids Safe FBI Criminal History Clearance for information
    • The state charges a nominal fee for the FBI fingerprint based record check
    • Note:  The FBI fingerprint based record check may take up to two weeks or more to receive the clearance
    • Volunteers are NOT required to obtain the FBI fingerprint based record check if 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.
  4. Complete the Disclosure Statement for Volunteers if you have been a resident of Pennsylvania for 10 years or more:
    • Complete, sign, and have a witness sign the Disclosure Statement for Volunteers form: Disclosure State Application for (PA Resident) Volunteers
    • The FBI fingerprint based record check 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

Present Your Clearance Documents

Once you obtain the documents necessary for the PA Background Checks, they are yours to copy keep and use for any time you volunteer with youth in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.  The documents expire five years from the date of issue.

Please gather the three documents needed to volunteer with FIRST Western & Central PA

  • Criminal History Record Check, issued by the Pennsylvania State Police
  • Child Abuse History Clearance, issued by the Department of Human Services
  • FBI fingerprint based record check submitted through the Pennsylvania State Police or its authorized agent, OR the signed and witnessed Disclosure Statement in lieu of the FBI fingerprint based record check

Make copies of the three documents and MAIL the copies to Daphne Frownfelter, 5820 3rd St., Verona, PA  15147-2448.  PLEASE DO NOT EMAIL THE DOCUMENTS.  Once received, the copies of your background check will be recorded and kept in an undisclosed location in accordance with FIRST’s General Data Protection Regulation guidelines.

Instructions for Event Volunteers who reside outside of Pennsylvania

Obtain Your Clearances

Information on the Pennsylvania requirements can be found at the Get a Clearance webpage.

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

  1. Complete all screenings in accordance with the Child Protection laws of your state
  2. Complete, sign, and have witness sign the Disclosure Statement for Non-Resident Volunteers form:  Disclosure Statement Application for Nonresident Volunteers

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

  1. Complete the PA State Police Request for Criminal Record Check
    • Issued by issued by the Pennsylvania State Police
    • Browse to Pennsylvania Access to Criminal History
    • 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
    • Issued by the Department of Human Services
    • Create an Individual Account on the Child Welfare Portal
    • 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 PA Child Abuse History Clearance.
    • Note:  The report may be ready well in advance of when you are notified.  Please check your account periodically if you are waiting for a report.
  3. Complete the FBI Fingerprint Based Record Check:
    • See Keep Kids Safe FBI Criminal History Clearance for information
    • The state charges a nominal fee for the FBI fingerprint based record check
    • Note:  The FBI fingerprint based record check may take up to two weeks or more to receive the clearance

Present Your Clearance Documents

Once you obtain the documents necessary for the Non-Resident Background Checks, they are yours to copy keep and use for any time you volunteer with youth in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.  The documents expire five years from the date of issue.

Please gather the three documents needed to volunteer with FIRST Western & Central PA

  • Volunteering 30 days or less:
  • Volunteering 31 days or more:
    • Criminal History Record Check, issued by the Pennsylvania State Police
    • Child Abuse History Clearance, issued by the Department of Human Services
    • FBI fingerprint based record check submitted through the Pennsylvania State Police or its authorized agent

Make copies of the documents and MAIL the copies to Daphne Frownfelter, 5820 3rd St., Verona, PA  15147-2448.  PLEASE DO NOT EMAIL THE DOCUMENTS.  Once received, the copies of your background check will be recorded and kept in an undisclosed location In accordance with FIRST’s GDPR guidelines.

Coaches, Mentors and other Adults Affiliated with a Team Competing in Pennsylvania

Coaches mentors and other adults regardless of state of residency or location of the team are required to be in compliance with the:

  1. FIRST Youth Protection Program
  2. Pennsylvania Child Protective Services Law

Compliance with the Pennsylvania Child Protection Services Law, including tracking clearances of adults, is the responsibility of each individual team and their School or Organization.