Youth Protection
The Boy Scouts of
America places the greatest importance on creating the most secure
environment possible for our youth members. To maintain such an
environment, the BSA developed numerous procedural and leadership
selection policies and provides parents and leaders with resources.
Our Pack leadership is committed to creating a safe scouting program by following these
well tested guidelines.
The "three R's" of Youth Protection
The "three R's" of Youth Protection convey a simple message about personal awareness:
- Recognize situations that place someone at risk of being molested, how child molesters operate, and that anyone could be a molester.
- Resist unwanted and inappropriate attention. (Resistance will stop most attempts at molestation).
- Report
attempted or actual molestation to a parent or other trusted adult.
(This prevents further abuse and helps to protect other children). Let the
Scout know he or she will not be blamed for what occurred.
Leadership Selection
The
Boy Scouts of America takes great pride in the quality of our adult
leadership. Being a leader in the BSA is a privilege, not a right. The
quality of the program and the safety of our youth members call for
high-quality adult leaders. We work closely with our chartered
organizations to help recruit the best possible leaders for their units.
The
adult application requests background information that should be
checked by the unit committee or the chartered organization before
accepting an applicant for unit leadership. While no current screening
techniques exist that can identify every potential child molester, we
can reduce the risk of accepting a child molester by learning all we can
about an applicant for a leadership position—his or her experience with
children, why he or she wants to be a Scout leader, and what discipline
techniques he or she would use.
Required Training
- Youth Protection training is required for all BSA registered volunteers.
- Youth
Protection training must be taken every two years. If a volunteer’s
Youth Protection training record is not current at the time of
recharter, the volunteer will not be re-registered.
Scouting's Barriers to Abuse
The BSA has adopted the
following policies to provide additional security for our members. These
policies are primarily for the protection of our youth members;
however, they also serve to protect our adult leaders from false
accusations of abuse.
- Two-deep leadership is required on all outings. Two
registered adult leaders or one registered leader and a parent of a
participant, or other adult, one of whom must be 21 years of age or
older, are required on all trips and outings. Pack 473 activities are always parent volunteer led and we encourage you to stay and be part of the event. The Pack
is responsible for ensuring that sufficient leadership is provided for
all Scouting activities. Appropriate adult leadership must be present for all overnight Scouting
activities; coed overnight activities—even those including parent and
child—require male and female adult leaders, both of whom must be 21
years of age or older, and one of whom must be a registered member of
the BSA (and therefore screened and trained). The chartered organization is responsible for ensuring that
sufficient leadership is provided for all activities.
-
- No hazing. Physical hazing and initiations are prohibited and may not be included as part of any Scouting activity. We are excited to have new members in Pack 473 and we are committed to providing a scouting community without hazing.
- No bullying. Verbal, physical, and cyber bullying are prohibited
- One-on-one contact between adults and Scouts is prohibited. In
situations that require personal conferences, such as a Scoutmaster's
conference, the meeting is to be conducted in view of other adults and
youths.
- Separate accommodations for adults and Scouts are required. When
camping, no youth is permitted to sleep in the tent of an adult other
than his or her own parent or guardian. For Pack 473, we only go on family campouts -- and a parent/guardian is required to attend with their scout.
Youth
and adults must shower at different times and different genders will have separate facilities.
- Privacy of youth is respected. Adult
leaders must respect the privacy of youth members in situations such as
changing clothes and taking showers at camp, intruding only to the
extent that health and safety require. Adults must protect their own
privacy in similar situations.
- Inappropriate use of cameras, imaging, and digital devices is prohibited. While
most campers and leaders use cameras and other imaging devices
responsibly, it has become very easy to invade the privacy of
individuals. It is inappropriate to use any device capable of recording
or transmitting visual images in shower houses, restrooms, or other
areas where privacy is expected by participants.
- No secret organizations. The
Boy Scouts of America does not allow any secret organizations as part
of its program. All aspects of the Scouting program are open to
observation by parents and leaders.
- Youth leadership is monitored by adult leaders. Adult leaders must monitor and guide the leadership techniques used by youth leaders and ensure that BSA policies are followed.
- Discipline must be constructive. Discipline used in Scouting should be constructive and reflect Scouting’s values. Corporal punishment is never permitted.
- Appropriate attire for all activities. Proper
clothing for activities is required. For example, skinny-dipping or
revealing bathing suits are not appropriate as part of Scouting.
- Members are responsible to act according to the Scout Oath and Scout Law. All
members of the Boy Scouts of America are expected to conduct themselves
in accordance with the principles set forth in the Scout Oath and Scout
Law. Physical violence, theft, verbal insults, drugs, and alcohol have
no place in the Scouting program and may result in the revocation of a
Scout’s membership.
- Units are responsible to enforce Youth Protection policies. The
head of the chartered organization or chartered organization
representative and the local council must approve the registration of
the unit’s adult leader. Adult leaders of Scouting units are responsible
for monitoring the behavior of youth members and interceding when
necessary. Parents of members who misbehave should be informed and asked
for assistance. Any violations of the BSA’s Youth Protection policies must immediately be reported to the Scout executive.
Digital Privacy
A
key ingredient for a safe and healthy Scouting experience is the
respect for privacy. Advances in technology are enabling new forms of
social interaction that extend beyond the appropriate use of cameras or
recording devices (see “Scouting's Barriers to Abuse”). Sending sexually
explicit photographs or videos electronically or “sexting” by cell
phones is a form of texting being practiced primarily by young adults
and children as young as middle-school age. Sexting is neither safe, nor
private, nor an approved form of communication and can lead to severe
legal consequences for the sender and the receiver. Although most
campers and leaders use digital devices responsibly, educating them
about the appropriate use of cell phones and cameras would be a good
safety and privacy measure.
Youth Protection Reporting Procedures for Volunteers
There are two types of Youth Protection–related reporting procedures all volunteers must follow:
- When you witness or suspect any child has been abused or neglected—See "Mandatory Report of Child Abuse" below.
- When you witness a violation of the BSA's Youth Protection
policies—See "Reporting Violations of BSA Youth Protection Policies"
below.
Mandatory Report of Child Abuse
All persons involved in Scouting shall report to local authorities
any good-faith suspicion or belief that any child
is or has been physically or sexually abused, physically or emotionally
neglected, exposed to any form of violence or threat, exposed to any
form of sexual exploitation, including the possession, manufacture, or
distribution of child pornography, online solicitation, enticement, or
showing of obscene material. You may not abdicate this reporting
responsibility to any other person.
Steps to Reporting Child Abuse
- Ensure the child is in a safe environment.
- In cases of child abuse or medical emergencies, call 911
immediately. In addition, if the suspected abuse is in the Scout's home
or family, you are required to contact the local child abuse hotline.
- Notify the Scout executive or his/her designee.
Reporting Violations of BSA Youth Protection Policies
If you think any of the BSA's Youth Protection policies have been
violated, including those described within Scouting's Barriers to Abuse,
you must notify your local council Scout executive or his/her designee
so appropriate action can be taken for the safety of our Scouts.
Key Resources
The following resources may be used by parents and leaders in their
efforts to protect youth. Several are are available for purchase. Visit
your local Scout shop or www.scoutstuff.org .
The Guide to Safe Scouting
Youth Protection & Adult Leadership.
Cub Scout Leader Youth Protection Training
Topics covered include the BSA's Youth Protection policies,
kinds of abuse, signs of abuse, how to respond to disclosure of abuse,
and proper reporting procedures.
.
How to Protect Your Children From Child Abuse: A Parent's Guide
A booklet, included in the printed handbooks, providing tips to help parents talk with their sons about child abuse.
It Happened to Me / A Mi Me Pasó
This video should be used annually by Cub Scout packs or dens
when Cub Scouts are accompanied by a parent or other adult family
member. (English and Spanish facilitator's guides, and a sample letter
to parents and guardians, are available.)
You do not have to be a registered member or have a member ID to take Youth Protection training.
To take Youth Protection training go to MyScouting.org and create an account.
From the MyScouting.org portal, click on E-Learning and take the Youth Protection training.
Upon
completion, you may print a certificate of completion to submit with a
volunteer application or submit the completion certificate to the unit
leader for processing at the local council.
When your
volunteer application is approved, you will receive a BSA membership
card which includes your member ID number. After you receive your
membership card, log back into MyScouting, click on My Profile and
update the system by inputting your member ID number. This will link
your Youth Protection training records, and any other training, in
MyScouting to your BSA membership.
State Statutes on Child Welfare
Reporting
requirements for child abuse differ from state to state. The Child
Welfare Information Gateway provides access to information and resources
on a variety of topics, including state statutes on child abuse. This
site is not operated by the Boy Scouts of America.
Guide to Safe Scouting
The purpose of the Guide to Safe Scouting is to prepare adult leaders to conduct Scouting activities in a safe and prudent manner.
It Happened to Me: Cub Scout Meeting Guide
Video
Facilitator Guides. A sample letter to parents and guardians as well as
English and Spanish meeting guides for facilitators' use when showing
the age-appropriate sexual abuse prevention video.
A Time to Tell: Troop Meeting Guide
Video
Facilitator Guides. English and Spanish meeting guides for
facilitators' use when showing the age-appropriate sexual abuse
prevention video.
Personal Safety Awareness Meeting Guide (Venturing Program)
Video
Facilitator Guides. A sample letter to parents and guardians as well as
English and Spanish meeting guides for facilitators' use when showing
the age-appropriate sexual abuse prevention video.
Youth Protection Training Facilitators Guide
Video Facilitator Guides.
Camp Leadership ... A Guide for Camp Staff and Unit Leaders
Brochure
for unit leaders and camp staff who are responsible for providing a
safe and healthy camp setting where Scouts are free from the worries of
child abuse.