Youth Protection Policy – Global Robotics & Science Foundation

Students cannot learn, compete, or belong unless they are safe. That principle is stated first in the Global Robotics Mission and Philosophy because it comes before everything else the VEX Robotics Competitions exist to deliver. This Youth Protection Policy puts that principle into practice. This policy is informed by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, including the principle that children are entitled to protection from all forms of physical or mental violence, injury, abuse, neglect, and exploitation. It governs the conduct of every adult who participates in VEX Competition activities, sets the standards for supervision, screening, and reporting, and establishes how Global Robotics responds when something goes wrong.

This policy reflects the first of the Commitments in the Code of Conduct: put student safety first, always. This Youth Protection Policy is incorporated into the Code of Conduct and applies according to its terms. It works alongside the Event Reporting and Conduct Review Procedure. Where this policy and the Code of Conduct address the same subject, the more protective standard prevails. Physical safety, medical, and emergency preparedness standards for VEX Competition events are addressed in the applicable event and competition manuals, which work alongside this policy.

Global Robotics strongly encourages every adult covered by this policy, and in particular every Coach or Mentor, to complete youth protection training annually. Recommended resources include Darkness to Light (www.d2l.org) and the Child Welfare Information Gateway (www.childwelfare.gov). Global Robotics may from time to time identify additional training resources on the Global Robotics website. Global Robotics may make training mandatory for some or all roles in future seasons and will provide advance notice before doing so.

Some jurisdictions require youth protection training for coaches, teachers, or other adults who work with minors. Where applicable law requires training as a condition of serving in a role covered by this policy, that requirement applies in full, and nothing in this policy excuses or is intended to draft around compliance with it. An adult subject to such a requirement must satisfy it before serving in that role.

1. Definitions

The following definitions apply throughout this policy.

Youth Participant. Any individual who is (a) under the age of 18, regardless of the applicable age of majority in their country of residence, or (b) enrolled in primary or secondary education, regardless of age. The VEX Competitions serve students in grades 3 through 12 and university level programs. The protections of this policy extend to any Youth Participant present at a covered activity, whether or not the individual is a registered competitor. University-level participants who are 18 or older are Adult Participants for purposes of this policy, unless they are also enrolled in a secondary school program.

Adult Participant. Any individual who is 18 or older and not enrolled in primary or secondary education.

Minor. Synonymous with Youth Participant.

Coach or Mentor. An Adult Participant who regularly works with a student team in preparation for or participation in the VEX Competitions.

Event Partner. An organization or individual authorized by Global Robotics to hold a VEX Competition event.

Event Lead. The individual designated by Global Robotics or the Event Partner as the primary on-site point of contact responsible for event operations and safety at a particular VEX Competition event.

Global Robotics. The Global Robotics and Science Foundation, referred to throughout this policy as "Global Robotics."

Volunteer. An individual who provides services at a VEX Competition event without financial compensation from Global Robotics.

Active Role. Any role in connection with a VEX Competition event or team that involves assigned duties or responsibilities, credentialed access beyond public areas, or supervision of or regular interaction with Youth Participants, including coaches, mentors, volunteers, Event Partner staff, and Global Robotics staff and contractors serving at an event. Attendance solely as a spectator is not an Active Role. A representative of a sponsor or exhibitor whose duties are confined to a public exhibit or display area and do not involve supervision of Youth Participants does not hold an Active Role but remains subject to the conduct standards of this policy while present at an event.

High-Contact Role. A role involving direct custodial responsibility for Youth Participants, potential for extended one-on-one interaction with Youth Participants, or overnight supervision. Examples include overnight chaperones, adults responsible for supervising Youth Participants during event-related travel, medical and first aid personnel, and any role that involves accompanying a Youth Participant away from open, public spaces.

Low-Contact Role. A role involving only brief or incidental interaction with Youth Participants in open, public spaces where multiple adults are present. Examples include scorekeepers, registration assistants, announcers, and logistics support.

Cleared adult. An adult who holds current clearance under Section 5 or, in a jurisdiction where provider-based screening is not available, an adult who has completed the requirements of Section 5.5.

Non-related. With respect to a Youth Participant, any adult other than the Youth Participant's parent or legal guardian.

Grooming. Any pattern of behavior by an adult designed to build inappropriate trust with a Youth Participant or their family in order to enable abuse, including efforts to isolate a student from parents, guardians, or other adults; to establish secretive communications; to normalize physical contact; or to make the student feel special, indebted, or obligated.

Mandatory Reporter. An individual required by law in their jurisdiction to report suspected child abuse or neglect to law enforcement or child protective authorities. Many jurisdictions treat coaches, teachers, and event organizers as mandatory reporters. Global Robotics treats all adults covered by this policy as mandatory reporters for purposes of internal reporting obligations, regardless of local law.

2. Scope and Application

Capitalized terms used but not defined in this policy have the meanings given in the Code of Conduct.

2.1 This policy applies to all Adult Participants in VEX Competition activities, including coaches, mentors, volunteers, Event Partners, Global Robotics staff and contractors, sponsors, and any other adult who interacts with Youth Participants in connection with the VEX Competitions.

2.2 This policy applies at VEX Competition events and venues; during event-related travel; in team spaces and during team activities; in online, livestream, broadcast, and chat environments associated with participation; and to conduct outside formal events that materially affects the safety of a Youth Participant connected to the VEX Competitions. An adult's obligations under this policy do not end when an event concludes. Conduct that continues after an event, including ongoing digital communication, social contact, or any other interaction between an adult and a Youth Participant that originated in or was enabled by their VEX Competition relationship, remains subject to this policy.

2.3 The VEX Competitions operate in more than 60 countries. Applicable law varies. This policy establishes a baseline that applies to all participants wherever they compete. Where the law of a participant's home country or the country in which an event is held imposes a more protective standard than this policy, that more protective standard applies. Where this policy imposes a more protective standard than local law, this policy applies. Nothing in this policy excuses noncompliance with any applicable law; this policy sets a unified floor and defers to whatever standard is most protective of Youth Participants.

2.4 Participation in any VEX Competition activity is acceptance of this policy and all related policies. An adult who does not comply with this policy is not eligible to participate.

3. Adult Conduct Standards

3.1 Supervision and Observable Interaction

This section sets different supervision standards for three settings: VEX Competition events and travel, ordinary team activities, and activities held at schools.

Events, travel, and overnight stays: two adults required. Every VEX Competition event, and every activity involving event-related travel or overnight accommodations, must be supervised by at least two adults covered by this policy. If a second adult is not present, the activity must not proceed, except that a scheduled activity may be concluded safely and Youth Participants supervised until they are released to a parent or guardian. Responsibility for meeting this minimum at an event rests with the Event Partner; a team is not required to bring two adults to an event, though it is encouraged to do so.

Ordinary team activities: one cleared adult permitted; two encouraged. A team activity, such as a team meeting, build session, or practice, may be supervised by a single cleared adult, provided that the activity takes place in an open and observable setting, that a parent or guardian of each Youth Participant knows the location and schedule of the activity and the identity of the supervising adult, and that the supervising adult complies at all times with the observable and interruptible interaction requirements of this section. The single supervising adult must never be alone with a single Youth Participant; if attendance falls to one Youth Participant, the activity must end and the adult must remain with the Youth Participant in an open, observable location until the Youth Participant is released to a parent or guardian. Global Robotics strongly encourages a second adult at every team activity.

Observable and interruptible interaction. No adult may be alone with a single non-related Youth Participant in a private or unobservable setting. Any one-on-one interaction between a non-related adult and a Youth Participant must be observable and interruptible by another adult. If a one-on-one interaction is necessary, it must occur in an open, visible location within sight of another adult. Disability-related personal care is governed by Section 3.7.

Emergency exception. A genuine emergency involving the immediate health or safety of a Youth Participant excuses compliance with this section only to the extent and for the duration the emergency requires. The adult must report the circumstances in writing to the Event Lead or to Global Robotics as soon as practicable.

School settings: school policies govern supervision. Where a team activity takes place at a school or similar educational institution and is conducted under that institution's own policies governing adult supervision and student safety, compliance with those policies satisfies the supervision requirements of this section, including the standards for adult presence and one-on-one interaction. The prohibited conduct standards of Section 3.3 and the reporting requirements of Section 7 apply in all settings without exception.

3.2 Required Conduct

All adults covered by this policy must:

Comply with the supervision and observable interaction requirements of Section 3.1.
Communicate with Youth Participants in ways accessible to a parent, guardian, or other adult. Digital communication with a Youth Participant must occur in a group communication channel that other adults can see, such as a team chat or an event messaging platform, or must copy a parent, a guardian, or another cleared adult who is not the sender. If a Youth Participant initiates a private digital communication, the adult must not continue the exchange privately; the adult must move the conversation to a compliant channel and inform another cleared adult or the Youth Participant's parent or guardian.
Maintain professional boundaries appropriate to their role.
Treat all Youth Participants equitably and without favoritism, regardless of competitive outcomes, team affiliation, skill level, race, color, national origin, ethnicity, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability, or any other characteristic.
Report concerns about student safety promptly and through the channels in Section 7.
Cooperate fully with any Global Robotics investigation or official law enforcement inquiry.
Intervene immediately when they witness prohibited conduct occurring. The obligation to act is immediate; reporting after the fact does not satisfy this requirement when intervention was possible. An adult who witnesses another adult violating this policy must separate the parties, remove the Youth Participant to safety, and report the incident as required by Section 7.

3.3 Prohibited Conduct

The following conduct is prohibited for all adults covered by this policy:

Violating the supervision and observable interaction requirements of Section 3.1.
Digital or electronic communication with a Youth Participant that does not comply with the requirements of Section 3.2.
Grooming behavior of any kind.
Physical contact with a Youth Participant beyond what is culturally appropriate, incidental, and consistent with a professional role — always subject to the Youth Participant's consent and comfort.
Photographing or recording a Youth Participant other than (a) official event documentation, livestreaming, or broadcast authorized by Global Robotics or the Event Partner, (b) photography by a parent or guardian of their own child, (c) general photography of public competition areas in which no individual Youth Participant is singled out, or (d) photography for which specific written consent has been obtained from the Youth Participant's parent or guardian, separate from any consent required for competition participation. No photography or recording is permitted in any location where privacy is expected, including restrooms, changing areas, and sleeping rooms, for any purpose.
Giving a Youth Participant money, gifts, or financial benefits that are not disclosed to and approved by the Youth Participant's parent or guardian, or that are given for any purpose other than a legitimate competitive, educational, or program-related purpose authorized by Global Robotics or the Event Partner.
Encouraging, inviting, or allowing a Youth Participant to keep activities, conversations, or communications secret from their parent or guardian.
Transporting a Youth Participant in a personal vehicle without prior written consent of a parent or guardian, except in a genuine emergency.
Using profane, degrading, sexually suggestive, or harassing language with or in front of a Youth Participant.
Any sexual contact, sexual advance, sexual coercion, or sexual misconduct involving a Youth Participant, regardless of the Youth Participant's apparent consent or the age of majority under local law.
Providing or facilitating access to alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, vaping devices, illegal substances, pornography, or other adult content to a Youth Participant.
Using or being impaired by alcohol, cannabis, or illegal substances while supervising Youth Participants or while on duty in any Active Role at a VEX Competition event or team activity.
Physical abuse, corporal punishment, or any use of physical force against a Youth Participant other than in an immediate safety emergency.
Emotional abuse, humiliation, isolation, or degrading treatment of a Youth Participant.
Bullying in any form, including verbal, social, physical, group, or cyber.
Retaliating against any person who reports a concern about student safety in good faith.
Cultivating a personal social relationship with a Youth Participant outside the competitive context, including through social media engagement, personal outings, or communication that serves no legitimate competitive, educational, or program-related purpose. Adults maintain role-appropriate distance from Youth Participants at all times.

3.4 Physical Isolation and Supervision

Adults should conduct activities in open, visible, public areas whenever possible. When an adult must accompany a Youth Participant to a non-public area (for example, to address a medical concern), a second adult should be present whenever possible, and the situation should be communicated to the Event Lead as soon as practicable. This section operates within the requirements of Section 3.1 and does not create a separate or lesser standard.

3.5 Travel and Overnight Events

For events that involve travel or overnight accommodations, the following additional standards apply to all adults covered by this policy.

Sleeping accommodations: No adult may share a sleeping room with a non-related Youth Participant unless that adult is the Youth Participant's parent or legal guardian. Adults and Youth Participants must be assigned to separate sleeping rooms.

Overnight supervision: Adults responsible for overnight supervision of Youth Participants must conduct room checks in pairs and must not enter a Youth Participant's sleeping room alone.

Excursions: Adults accompanying Youth Participants on off-site excursions during an event must maintain the supervision and visibility standards of this policy throughout. No adult may take a Youth Participant on a private excursion or separate a Youth Participant from the group without the prior knowledge of the team's coach and written consent of a parent or guardian.

Travel documents and funds: Adults who hold passports, travel documents, or funds on behalf of Youth Participants must account for those items to a parent or guardian and must return them to the Youth Participant or their parent or guardian promptly upon request.

Youth rooming: Youth Participants may share sleeping rooms only with other Youth Participants of the same gender, and room assignments should avoid pairing Youth Participants of significantly different ages absent parent or guardian approval.

Chaperone coverage: Where both male and female Youth Participants travel, the supervising adults should include at least one adult of each gender whenever reasonably possible. Room checks of Youth Participants must be conducted in pairs under this section, and whenever reasonably possible at least one adult conducting a room check must be of the same gender as the Youth Participants in the room.

Home lodging: Youth Participants may not be lodged overnight in the personal residence of any adult covered by this policy other than the Youth Participant's own parent or legal guardian, unless the arrangement is part of a hosted lodging program approved in advance by Global Robotics with written parent or guardian consent, screening of adult household members where available under Section 5, and a defined check-in protocol.

3.6 Virtual Team Environments

Team and event activities conducted by video conference, voice chat, messaging platform, or similar means are subject to this policy. Scheduled virtual team meetings must include at least two adults whenever reasonably possible, and no adult may hold a one-on-one virtual meeting or breakout session with a single Youth Participant; the observable and interruptible standard of Section 3.1 applies and may be satisfied by the presence of another adult in the session, by a parent or guardian's awareness of and access to the session, or by recording the session with notice. Team messaging platforms must be configured so that channels involving Youth Participants are visible to at least one cleared adult or to parents and guardians, and private direct messaging between an adult and a Youth Participant is governed by Section 3.2.

3.7 Disability-Related Personal Care

Global Robotics supports the full and equal participation of Youth Participants with disabilities in the VEX Competitions. This section governs how disability-related personal care is provided so that a Youth Participant who requires assistance is never placed outside the protections of this policy, and no adult providing authorized assistance is placed in violation of it.

Personal care assistance means assistance with toileting, dressing, changing, bathing, feeding, mobility transfers, or the administration of medication or medical procedures. Intimate care means toileting, dressing, changing, or bathing assistance, or any other assistance involving the Youth Participant being undressed.

No adult covered by this policy may provide personal care assistance to a Youth Participant except as provided in this section, and no adult may perform any personal care task that the Youth Participant is able to perform independently.

Care plans. Personal care assistance is provided under a written care plan submitted by the Youth Participant's parent or guardian on the form and through the registration process designated by Global Robotics, and approved by the administrator designated under Section 10.3. The care plan identifies the assistance required, the individual or individuals authorized to provide it, and where it will be provided. A care plan remains in effect for the season stated in the plan and must be renewed each season. Event Partners do not receive, review, or store care plans or the medical information in them. Before each event, the Event Partner receives through the event roster only the identity of each adult authorized under an approved care plan, and the Event Partner's sole responsibility under this section is to verify that identity in the same manner as other roster verifications under Section 11.

Who may provide assistance. Personal care assistance may be provided only by:

(a) The Youth Participant's parent or guardian, who may provide any assistance described in the care plan. Section 3.1 does not restrict a parent or guardian's care of their own child.

(b) A designee: an aide, nurse, or other individual named in the care plan by the parent or guardian, who may provide any assistance described in the plan. A designee must register through the process designated by Global Robotics, complete the acknowledgement and self-disclosure attestation under Section 11, complete screening under Section 5 on the same basis as any other Active Role, and wear event credentials. A designee's authority extends only to the Youth Participant named in the care plan.

(c) A cleared program adult designated in the care plan, only where the parent or guardian has requested it, and only for personal care assistance other than intimate care. No adult covered by this policy other than a parent, guardian, or designee under paragraph (b) may provide intimate care to a Youth Participant under any circumstances. A program adult designated under this paragraph holds a High-Contact Role, must hold current clearance under Section 5, and when providing assistance must do so with a second cleared adult physically present or immediately outside an open door, and must be of the same gender as the Youth Participant whenever reasonably possible. The program adult must record each instance of assistance, including the date, time, and nature of the assistance, through the means designated by Global Robotics, and those records are available to Global Robotics and to the parent or guardian on request. Event Partners have no responsibility for creating, maintaining, or reviewing these records.

Location. Personal care assistance is provided only in designated accessible facilities at the venue or in the Youth Participant's own family accommodations. Personal care assistance must never be provided in the personal room, vehicle, or residence of the adult providing it, and must be provided with the maximum privacy and dignity the setting allows.

Medication. Medication is administered by the parent, guardian, or designee as authorized in the care plan and as permitted by applicable law. Program adults and Event Partner personnel do not administer medication except in a genuine emergency under Section 3.1.

Confidentiality. Care plans and the information in them are handled as confidential information under Sections 7.8 and 7.10 and are shared only with those who need the information to provide or safeguard the assistance.

No exclusion. A request for a care plan, or the existence of one, is never a basis for excluding a Youth Participant from participation. If an Event Partner believes it cannot host a Youth Participant with an approved care plan at a particular event, it must notify Global Robotics before declining, and Global Robotics will work with the family to identify an alternative.

Relationship to Section 3.1. Assistance provided in accordance with an approved care plan does not violate Section 3.1. The emergency exception in Section 3.1 continues to apply to urgent situations not covered by a care plan.

4. Screening and Volunteer Requirements

4.1 All adults serving in any Active Role in connection with a VEX Competition event or team, including coaches, mentors, volunteers, and Event Partner staff, must complete a background check through Global Robotics' designated third-party screening provider before participating. As part of registration, each adult will be asked to authorize the screening and to acknowledge how screening information is handled. Screening is conducted on the legal basis available under the law of the relevant jurisdiction, and Global Robotics will obtain any separate consent or authorization that applicable law requires. Participation is not permitted until clearance is confirmed. The screening requirements described in this Section are stated in full in Section 5, which governs in the event of any difference.

4.2 Except as provided in Section 4.6, volunteers aged 18 or older may serve in any role for which they are otherwise qualified.

4.3 Minor volunteers (under 18) may participate in Low-Contact Roles only, subject to the following:

Ages 14-17: May serve in Low-Contact Roles if approved by the Event Lead, paired with appropriate adult supervision, and with written parental or guardian approval.
Under 14: May serve in Low-Contact Roles only if (a) the role is in open, public areas within line of sight of multiple cleared adults; (b) direct supervision is provided at all times by a parent, guardian, or adult specifically designated in writing by a parent or guardian; (c) no supervising adult oversees more than two under-14 volunteers at a time; and (d) written parental or guardian approval has been provided.

4.4 Volunteers must wear event identification at all times while on duty and remain in their assigned role unless directed otherwise by a Global Robotics staff member or Event Lead.

4.5 Any safety concern, incident of misconduct, or violation of this policy must be reported immediately to a Global Robotics staff member or Event Partner per Section 7.

4.6 An individual who is a Youth Participant, including an individual aged 18 or older who is enrolled in secondary education, may volunteer only in Low-Contact Roles under the conditions of Section 4.3 applicable to ages 14 through 17, regardless of the individual's age. Youth Participant status controls over age for all purposes of this policy.

5. Background Checks

5.1 Scope

A background check is required for every adult who serves in any Active Role in connection with a VEX Competition event or team, including coaches, mentors, volunteers, Event Partner staff, and Global Robotics staff and contractors, in every jurisdiction in which Global Robotics' designated third-party screening provider supports screening. There are no role-based exemptions in those jurisdictions. Spectators who do not hold an Active Role at an event are not subject to this requirement. Youth Participants, including those aged 18 or older, are not subject to background checks; their volunteer service is governed by Sections 4.3 and 4.6. Every background check must include a search of applicable sex offender registries where such a registry is lawfully available for screening purposes in the relevant jurisdiction.

Screening is administered through Global Robotics' designated third-party screening provider, and every clearance decision is made by or on behalf of Global Robotics under the uniform standards of this policy. Global Robotics does not accept a background check performed for another organization, including a school district, employer, other nonprofit, or government agency, as a substitute for Global Robotics clearance in jurisdictions where the designated provider supports screening. Adults in other jurisdictions are screened as provided in Section 5.5.

5.2 Frequency

Background checks are valid for two years from the date of clearance. Any adult whose clearance has expired must complete a new background check and receive clearance before participating in any subsequent VEX Competition event. If an adult's background check has been submitted but clearance has not yet been confirmed, that adult may not participate in any Active Role until clearance is received. Event Partners must not permit participation on a provisional basis pending a background check result. Any adult who is charged with or convicted of a disqualifying offense after receiving clearance must immediately self-report to Global Robotics and must not participate in any VEX Competition activity until Global Robotics has reviewed the matter. Global Robotics may revoke clearance upon learning of a post-clearance disqualifying event, regardless of when the background check was last completed.

5.3 Program-Specific Screening

Global Robotics requires program-specific screening through its designated third-party screening provider so that clearance standards, screening scope, timing, adjudication criteria, and recordkeeping are applied consistently across VEX Competition activities. Background checks from external sources are not accepted as a substitute for Global Robotics clearance. Where an official government screening mechanism is used under Section 5.5, adjudication of any results made available to Global Robotics remains with Global Robotics under the uniform standards of this policy.

5.4 Disqualifying Offenses

No individual with a disqualifying offense may be placed in any role involving direct oversight or supervision of Youth Participants. An offense is evaluated by the conduct involved, not by the name or classification the offense carries in the jurisdiction where it occurred. An offense under the law of any jurisdiction that involves conduct described below is disqualifying, however the offense is denominated. The following categories of offenses are disqualifying for purposes of this policy:

Sexual offenses: any offense involving sexual conduct with, sexual exploitation of, or sexual communication with a minor; sexual assault or any nonconsensual sexual offense involving a victim of any age; possession, production, or distribution of child sexual abuse material in any form, including AI-generated material; enticement, solicitation, or grooming of a minor; incest; and any offense requiring registration as a sex offender in any jurisdiction.
Offenses of violence and endangerment: any offense involving physical harm or the threat of physical harm to a minor; any offense involving the abandonment, endangerment, neglect, or abduction of a minor; any offense involving domestic or family violence; and any serious offense of violence against any person.
Other serious offenses: any offense involving the distribution of drugs or controlled substances to a minor; any offense involving human trafficking; and any other offense involving conduct that poses a material risk to the safety of Youth Participants.

For purposes of this section, neither the age of a minor, the purported consent of a minor, nor any law establishing an age of consent in a particular jurisdiction is relevant to whether an offense is disqualifying.

A disqualifying offense includes a conviction, a probated or suspended sentence, deferred adjudication or its equivalent, and an admission of guilt, under the law of any jurisdiction.

An individual with pending criminal charges for conduct described in this section is ineligible to participate on an interim basis until the charges are resolved. Interim ineligibility based on pending charges is a protective measure and is not a determination of guilt.

5.5 International Application

Global Robotics' designated third-party screening provider does not currently support screening in every country in which VEX Competition activities occur. Global Robotics may extend provider-based screening to additional countries as lawful and reliable screening mechanisms become available, and will identify the jurisdictions in which provider-based screening is required through the registration process.

In jurisdictions where provider-based screening is not available, the following standards apply. First, where applicable law requires an adult working with minors to hold an official clearance, such as an enhanced criminal record disclosure, a working with children check, a vulnerable sector check, or a police clearance certificate, the adult must hold a current clearance as required by that law, and the Event Partner must verify it before the adult serves in an Active Role. Second, every adult in an Active Role must complete the self-disclosure attestation contained in the acknowledgement form under Section 11, disclosing any disqualifying offense under Section 5.4 and any prior removal or disqualification from an organization serving minors. Third, the continuing self-report obligation in Section 5.2 applies to all adults in all jurisdictions.

The unavailability of provider-based screening does not waive the disqualifying offense standards in Section 5.4. A disqualifying offense that is known or disclosed, regardless of how that information was obtained or the jurisdiction involved, is disqualifying everywhere.

5.6 Disqualification Notice and Applicable Law

If a background check reveals a disqualifying offense, the individual will be notified in writing that they are ineligible to participate and will be provided the information required by applicable law, including the identity of the screening vendor and the individual's right to dispute the accuracy of the report. A pending dispute does not suspend the disqualification. If a dispute is resolved in the individual's favor and the report no longer reflects a disqualifying offense, the individual may reapply. All background checks are conducted in compliance with applicable law in the jurisdiction where the check is performed.

6. Abuse Definitions

The following definitions apply throughout this policy and, to the extent provided in the Code of Conduct's incorporation of this policy, in the Code of Conduct. These definitions are provided to ensure that all adults covered by this policy can recognize and report concerning behaviors.

Physical Abuse. Non-accidental physical injury or harm intentionally inflicted on a Youth Participant, including hitting, pushing, restraining, or any other physical force used to punish, intimidate, or control.

Sexual Abuse. Any sexual contact, sexual activity, or conduct of a sexual nature directed at or involving a Youth Participant by an adult, regardless of the Youth Participant's apparent consent or any local age of consent law. This includes grooming behaviors, exposure to sexually explicit material, and any contact or conduct of a sexual nature, whether for the gratification of the adult or otherwise. Sexual conduct between Youth Participants constitutes peer sexual abuse when there is no consent, when consent is not possible because of age, capacity, or the circumstances, or when one Youth Participant holds a position of power or authority over the other or a significant age or developmental advantage. Peer sexual abuse is subject to the reporting requirements of Section 7.

Emotional or Psychological Abuse. Acts that harm a Youth Participant's sense of identity, dignity, or self-worth, including humiliation, confinement, isolation, verbal assault, intimidation, or degrading treatment.

Neglect. Failing to provide a Youth Participant with necessary supervision, physical safety, or protection from harm during an activity or event for which an adult has accepted supervisory responsibility.

Bullying. Repeated behavior intended to hurt, threaten, exclude, or control a Youth Participant, including verbal, social, physical, group, or cyberbullying.

Grooming. See Section 1.

Online and Technology-Facilitated Abuse. Any abuse, exploitation, or harassment of a Youth Participant conducted through digital means, including social media, messaging applications, email, livestreaming, or any other electronic platform. This includes sharing, distributing, or soliciting images or video of a Youth Participant without parental consent; cyberbullying; digital grooming; and any conduct that exposes a Youth Participant to sexual content, exploitation, or harm through a digital channel. Conduct that occurs online is subject to the same standards as conduct that occurs in person.

Hazing. Any conduct, whether by an adult or another Youth Participant, that subjects a student to humiliation, physical discomfort, degradation, or psychological harm as a condition of joining, remaining part of, or being accepted by a team or group. Hazing typically involves group participation and uses team membership or belonging as leverage. A student's apparent consent is not a defense. All forms of hazing are prohibited and must be reported under Section 7.

7. Reporting Requirements and Procedures

7.1 All adults covered by this policy who witness, suspect, or are informed of any conduct that may constitute abuse, grooming, neglect, or a violation of this policy must report it promptly. Certainty that a violation occurred is not required to make a report.

7.2 Reports of suspected child sexual abuse or other serious harm to a Youth Participant must be made immediately to local law enforcement or the appropriate child protective agency, in compliance with applicable law. Nothing in this policy delays or replaces that obligation, and Global Robotics does not require that an internal report be made before a report to authorities. Where published contact information is unavailable, dialing the local emergency number and requesting assistance is appropriate.

In every case, the manner in which a report to external authorities is made must be guided by the best interests and safety of the Youth Participant. If no appropriate authority is available in the relevant jurisdiction, or if a reporting adult reasonably believes that contacting local authorities would itself place the Youth Participant at risk of serious harm, the adult must immediately report the matter to Global Robotics under Section 7.3, and Global Robotics leadership, with the advice of legal counsel, will determine and document the safest available course for protecting the Youth Participant and engaging appropriate authorities. This paragraph does not excuse compliance with any mandatory reporting law that applies to the reporting adult.

7.3 In addition to any report to authorities, all reports of suspected abuse, grooming, or policy violations must be made to Global Robotics leadership. Reports may be made:

By contacting the Event Lead directly at the event.
By contacting a Global Robotics staff member at the event or at [contact information to be inserted].
Through Global Robotics' online incident reporting form at [URL to be inserted].
Anonymously, if the report includes enough information to allow a meaningful review. Anonymous reports must be submitted through Global Robotics' online incident reporting form, which is the only channel that supports genuine anonymity. In-person or verbal reports to event personnel cannot be treated as anonymous. Global Robotics will process anonymous reports and take appropriate action to the extent the information provided permits a meaningful review.

7.4 If the person about whom a report would be made is the Event Lead, an Event Partner, or the Global Robotics staff member who would ordinarily receive the report, the report must be made to the next level: directly to Global Robotics through the online incident reporting form or the staff contact identified in Section 7.3, bypassing the person involved. If the report concerns a member of Global Robotics leadership, the report may be made directly to legal counsel for Global Robotics or to a designated individual identified with the reporting information described in Section 7.3, and Global Robotics will publish a means of doing so. No person may receive, evaluate, or participate in the review of a report concerning their own conduct, and no person may be required to report a concern to or through the person the concern is about.

7.5 A Youth Participant may raise a concern directly and does not have to report through a coach, mentor, parent, or other team adult. A student who raises a concern will be taken seriously, will not be penalized, and will not be required to confront the person about whom they are reporting. Global Robotics will maintain a dedicated reporting channel accessible directly to students, separate from the adult reporting channels, the details of which will be published with the event registration materials and on the Global Robotics website. Adults at an event who receive a concern from a student must treat it as a report under this Section and act accordingly.

7.6 Upon receiving a report of suspected child sexual abuse or serious harm to a Youth Participant, Global Robotics leadership will, without delay:

Ensure the immediate safety of the Youth Participant involved.
Remove the alleged perpetrator from contact with Youth Participants.
Notify law enforcement or child protection agencies, legal counsel, and the Board of Directors or its designee.
Refrain from conducting any internal investigation before notifying authorities.

7.7 Reports of other policy violations (such as boundary violations, inappropriate language, or supervision failures) must be made to a Global Robotics staff member or Event Partner promptly, and no later than the end of the same event day for conduct occurring at an event, or 48 hours after the reporting adult becomes aware of the conduct for conduct occurring outside an event.

7.8 Global Robotics protects the confidentiality of all persons involved in a report to the maximum extent possible. Information is shared only with those whose direct involvement in evaluating, deciding, or carrying out the matter makes it necessary. Confidentiality does not prevent disclosure required by law, court order, or the safety of a Youth Participant.

7.9 Retaliation against any person who reports a concern in good faith is prohibited. A good-faith report that proves mistaken is not a violation. A knowingly false report, or one made to harass, retaliate, or gain competitive advantage, is a violation subject to corrective action.

7.10 Global Robotics collects and uses personal information in connection with screening under Section 5 and reports under this Section 7 only for the purposes of protecting Youth Participants, administering this policy, and complying with applicable law. Access to this information is restricted to those whose direct involvement in evaluating, deciding, or carrying out a matter makes access necessary, consistent with Section 7.8. This information is stored securely, is not used for any unrelated purpose, and is retained in accordance with Section 7.11 and applicable law. Where information is transferred across national borders, Global Robotics will implement safeguards required by applicable data protection law. Global Robotics will publish a privacy notice describing its handling of screening and report information, and will honor the rights that applicable law gives individuals in their personal information.

7.11 Records of reports made under this Section 7, including the report, the response, and the outcome, are retained by Global Robotics for so long as necessary to protect Youth Participants and to address matters that may arise in the future, and at minimum for the period required by applicable law. Records relating to suspected abuse of a Youth Participant are retained on a long-term basis. Routine administrative records, including acknowledgement forms under Section 11, are retained for a minimum of three years. Retention is subject to applicable data protection law, and records are stored and eventually destroyed securely.

8. Response to Reports

8.1 Global Robotics treats all reports of abuse, misconduct, or policy violations seriously. Upon receiving a report, Global Robotics will document the report, assess the immediate safety of any Youth Participant involved, take interim protective measures as needed, and determine appropriate next steps.

8.2 For suspected child sexual abuse or serious physical harm, Global Robotics will follow the mandatory steps in Section 7.6. No internal investigation will be conducted before notifying authorities.

8.3 For other violations, a designated Global Robotics officer or staff member will:

Document the incident using the designated reporting form.
Notify the appropriate Global Robotics officer.
Determine appropriate next steps within 24 hours of receipt of the report, which may include temporary removal from duties pending review, corrective action, retraining, removal from the event, or referral to the Conduct Review Procedures.

8.4 Global Robotics staff, Event Partners, Event Leads, and designated safety personnel may immediately remove, restrict, or separate any adult from Youth Participant contact or event areas when necessary to protect Youth Participants, preserve safety, or permit appropriate review. This authority may be exercised without a final determination of misconduct.

8.5 An alleged perpetrator may be temporarily suspended from participation pending the outcome of an investigation. Temporary suspension is an interim protective measure and does not constitute a final determination.

8.6 Reviews of conduct violations are governed by the Conduct Review Procedures, including the procedural protections described in Section 9.2 of the Code of Conduct. Students are not interviewed or formally questioned without an appropriate adult present.

8.7 When the individual alleged to have engaged in prohibited conduct is a Youth Participant, Global Robotics responds with the safety and wellbeing of every Youth Participant involved as the primary consideration, and all Youth Participants involved are treated as children. Global Robotics will take immediate steps to protect the affected Youth Participant, will notify the parents or guardians of each Youth Participant involved unless notification would place a Youth Participant at risk of harm, will comply with applicable mandatory reporting law, and will determine appropriate program measures under the Conduct Review Procedures. Interim protective measures under this section are designed to separate the Youth Participants involved and protect their safety, not to punish. Nothing in this section limits or delays any reporting obligation under Section 7.

8.8 Global Robotics' response to a report is centered on the safety and wellbeing of the affected Youth Participant. In every matter involving suspected abuse of or serious harm to a Youth Participant, Global Robotics will designate a point of contact for the Youth Participant's family, will assist the family in identifying appropriate medical, psychological, or victim support resources, will keep the family reasonably informed of the status and outcome of the matter to the extent consistent with law and the safety of those involved, and will take reasonable steps to enable the Youth Participant's continued safe participation in the VEX Competitions if the family wishes. No Youth Participant will be penalized, excluded, or disadvantaged because they or their family made a report or because they were the subject of harm.

8.9 Global Robotics maintains a centralized record of individuals who are ineligible to participate under this policy, whether by reason of a disqualifying offense, a determination under the Conduct Review Procedures, or an interim protective measure. Ineligibility applies to all VEX Competition activities in all countries and all seasons until removed by Global Robotics. Global Robotics will implement measures reasonably designed to prevent an ineligible individual from registering for or serving in any Active Role at any event, and Event Partners must verify against event rosters as directed by Global Robotics. Ineligibility records are maintained confidentially under Sections 7.8 and 7.10. Where the law of a jurisdiction requires an organization to refer or report an ineligibility determination or removal to a government authority or barring scheme, Global Robotics will make the referral or report that law requires.

9. International Operations

9.1 This policy applies uniformly to all VEX Competition activities in all countries. Global Robotics does not maintain separate standards for different jurisdictions; the baseline in this policy applies everywhere.

9.2 Where an applicable law or regulation in a particular country is more protective of Youth Participants than this policy, that law or regulation governs for events in that country. Global Robotics will incorporate more protective local requirements into event-specific guidance as needed.

9.3 Where this policy imposes a more protective standard than local law (for example, regarding age of consent, mandatory reporting, or background check scope), this policy applies to all adults participating in VEX Competition activities in that jurisdiction.

9.4 Event Partners operating in jurisdictions with different legal requirements are responsible for identifying applicable local requirements that exceed this policy and communicating them to Global Robotics. Event Partners are jointly responsible for ensuring compliance with both local law and this policy.

9.5 An adult who participates in VEX Competition activities accepts this policy as a condition of participation, regardless of whether the standards in this policy differ from or exceed the legal requirements of their home country or the country in which they are participating.

10. Policy Administration and Updates

10.1 This policy applies to VEX Competition activities and related programs administered or authorized by Global Robotics. The use of VEX products, curriculum, or educational materials alone does not make a classroom, summer camp, or other educational program subject to this policy unless it is affiliated with or conducted as part of a VEX Competition activity or other Global Robotics-sponsored program.

10.2 Global Robotics may revise, update, or supplement this policy at any time. Updated versions become effective upon publication and supersede all prior versions. Global Robotics will provide reasonable notice of material changes to Event Partners and will make the current version publicly available.

10.3 Global Robotics will designate an individual or individuals responsible for the administration of this policy, including oversight of screening and clearance, receipt and coordination of reports, maintenance of the records described in Section 7.11, and coordination with legal counsel and the Board of Directors or its designee. Contact information for the designated individual or individuals will be published with the reporting information described in Section 7.3.

11. Acknowledgement

All Global Robotics staff, Event Partners, coaches, mentors, and volunteers must sign an acknowledgement form confirming that they have read, understood, and agree to comply with this policy before participating in any VEX Competition activity involving Youth Participants. Acknowledgement forms are retained by Global Robotics or the Event Partner for a minimum of three years. Acknowledgement is collected through the registration process administered by Global Robotics or the Event Partner. Global Robotics will designate the form and the method of collection. The acknowledgement form includes the self-disclosure attestation described in Section 5.5. Event Partners must confirm to Global Robotics, prior to each event, that all adults in Active Roles at that event have completed a current acknowledgement and hold current clearance where required under Section 5. An adult who has not completed a current acknowledgement may not participate in any Active Role. When Global Robotics makes a material revision to this policy, a new acknowledgement is required, and Global Robotics will identify at publication whether a revision is material for this purpose.