Youth Protection
STEPS TO REPORT
CHILD ABUSE
As adults in Scouting, we are mandated reporters of child abuse and neglect. This means, each of us are required by law to report reasonable suspicions of abuse. As such, if we are approached by a child reporting abuse or neglect, we will always believe the child. Scouts and their families in Pack 575 can rest assured knowing your leadership team is trained and prepared to protect the children we serve.
In the event of reasonable suspicions of abuse or neglect, the following steps are to be taken:
Ensure the child is in a safe environment.
In case of child abuse or medical emergencies, call 911 immediately.
In addition, if the suspected abuse occurred in the Scout's home or family, you are required by state law to immediately report/contact the local child abuse hotline. In Georgia, that number is 1-855-GACHILD or 1-855-422-4453.
Notify the District Scout Executive or his/her designee. If they cannot be reached, call the 24/7 Scouts First Helpline at 1-844-726-8871 or email at scoutsfirst@scouting.org.
BSA YOUTH PROTECTION MISSION STATEMENT
True youth protection can be achieved only through the focused commitment of everyone in Scouting. It is the mission of Youth Protection volunteers and professionals to work within the Boy Scouts of America to maintain a culture of Youth Protection awareness and safety at the national, territory, area, council, district, and unit levels.
LEADERSHIP SELECTION
Scouts BSA takes great pride in the quality of our adult leadership. Being a leader in Scouts 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.
Scouts BSA has a multilayered adult leader selection process that includes criminal background checks administered by a nationally recognized third party and other screening efforts. Click here for information on the selection process.
REQUIRED TRAINING
Youth Protection training (YPT) is required for all Scouts BSA registered volunteers and is a joining requirement. 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.
PARENTS AND YPT
You do not have to be a registered member of the Scouts BSA to take Youth Protection training. In fact, Pack 575 encourages parents and all participating adults to take the online training.
To take Youth Protection training go to My.Scouting.org and create an account. You’ll receive an email notification with your account information, including a member ID/reference number.
From the My.Scouting.org portal, click Menu then My Dashboard from the menu list. The My Training page displays to take Youth Protection training. Upon completion, you may print a training certificate and present it to our leadership team.
Rank books include a pamphlet entitled, "Youth Protection: How to Protect Your Children from Child Abuse, A Parent's Guide". Scouts and their families are required to complete these activities to earn rank each year. We hope you will find this pamphlet as important as we do!
SCOUTING'S BARRIERS TO ABUSE
Scouting’s Barriers to Abuse are published in the Guide to Safe Scouting and the online version is maintained as the most current. Frequently-asked questions are also addressed in this FAQ.
OTHER IMPORTANT RESOURCES
>> Cyber Chip: Today's youth are spending more time than ever using digital media for education, research, socializing, and fun. To help families and volunteers keep youth safe while on line, Scouts BSA introduces the Cyber Chip.
>> Bullying Awareness: The idea that a Scout should treat others as he or she wants to be treated—a Scout is kind—is woven throughout the programs and literature of Scouts BSA. When a Scout follows the principles of the Scout Oath and Scout Law, bullying and hazing situations should never occur. These fact sheets will help with bullying awareness and direct you to resources provided by Scouts BSA and other entities we work with to protect children.