When any youth’s actions have made youth events unsafe or are inconsistent with the rules and expectations of the event, UUA staff or empowered program leaders, including those members of Right Relationship Team (e.g. Spirit Committee, Spirit Corps, etc.) may suspend or restrict that youth’s involvement in UUA events. Potential causes are noted in the section on rules and behavioral expectations.

UUA staff is responsible for documenting the circumstances and events for suspended youth on a Summary Report Form (see Appendix) and forwarding these records to the Director for Youth and Young Adult Ministry. All documentation will be retained according to the Documentation Policy. If legal action or child welfare agency action is involved, the youth will remain under suspension until legal processes and/or child welfare processes are resolved.

To determine the scope of the suspension or restriction, the UUA staff responsible for the event and either the program leadership team or two others responsible for the event will convene. This process will occur after an investigation and potential restorative process as described in “Restoring Right Relations.” When the youth holds a historically marginalized identity UUA staff responsible for supporting youth with marginalized identities will be included.

Permanently banning youth from all youth events is a last resort and done only if a youth’s behavior constitutes a serious threat to the other attendees or the youth that cannot be remedied with less restrictive behavioral contracts or in less serious situations after restorative practices have been pursued.

The reasons for any temporary or permanent removal or any other terms of restriction will be documented and communicated with the youth, their parents or guardians, the religious professionals of their home congregation, and any other UU programs in which they participate.

The youth and their parents or guardians (if under 18) will have a right to view a file summary and to make a statement to be considered before any final decisions are in place.

Specific developmental plans or actions will be required before reinstatement. In cases where a permanent ban is put in place, a youth may appeal such a decision to the supervisor of the UUA staff responsible for the program within which their suspension occurred.

Files for youth whose suspension is still active when they bridge into adulthood will be kept on record for review in case they wish to volunteer in youth ministry as an adult.