By Cherie Benjoseph, MSW, LCSW, Child Safety Expert, Director of National Outreach
If you could go back to any age, what would it be? The first thing that comes to mind is my amazing summers at camp, starting when I was 8 years old (yes, you read that right). Many who know me might be surprised that I am a strong supporter of sending children to overnight camp. But yes, I am – provided the camp is properly vetted for security. It’s there that you intervene.
The KidSafe philosophy is to give children and families skills for a lifetime, so kids can spread their wings and fly and parents can be confident their kids can handle anything that comes their way. This includes not missing out on the benefits of attending camp (day or night).
So, are you considering the big step of sending your child to camp for a week, a month, or even two months? Are you going to send them to a camp you went to when you were a kid? To a camp you found online? To the one over whom a friend or neighbor raves? So many questions. How do you get the answers you need?
When making these decisions, we ask that you take a step back and think about the best way to choose a camp for your child. We ask you to look beyond the glossy photos on the website and ask yourself if any camp makes safety their number one priority. And not just water and recreational safety.
Often when looking for a camp, we only focus on a child’s particular interests, for example sports, drama, horses, computing or culinary arts. Or maybe the camp is located in a favorite part of the country or has a specific religious affiliation that suits you. All of these are important, but don’t forget to ask the tough questions about safety. Questions similar to those you would ask when vetting a potential new hire. Don’t assume that the camp you are considering does the same level of screening that you expect or want.
When looking for camps, consider the following:
Meet the camp director. Your child will be in the care of this person. Do it in person or by video. Ask direct questions, such as:
- How and from where are your staff recruited? What is your selection procedure? (Does the camp do background checks? Seek references? Retain employees from season to season versus constant turnover? Conduct in-person or video interviews with job seekers)?
- Confirm that the camp performs a national criminal background fingerprint check. (If a camp only provides a background check without a detailed review, this signals a lack of due diligence in its hiring practices).
- Is every staff member screened through the National Sex Offender Registry? (This includes all counsellors, administration, catering, maintenance and anyone else on camp premises).
- Ask if the camp has a child protection policy. This is a policy signed by all staff which includes codes of conduct, a clear policy on sexual misconduct and procedures to follow in response to reports of abuse. It’s always a good idea to request a copy of a camp’s child protection policy.
- Ask what type of training staff receive regarding:
• Intervention, prevention and reporting of sexual abuse
• Intervention and response to bullying
• Child abuse, both physical and emotional - What type of supervision do you offer to the staff who take care of your campers?
- If a camper or staff member wishes to report a concern, what are your procedures for facilitating such reporting and for appropriate follow-up?
- Are you licensed by the state? If so, can I get a copy of your license?
- Are you accredited by the American Camp Association? If so, can I get a copy of the ACA certification?
Having this kind of conversation with a camp director will help you determine if a camp not only offers great activities and food, but is also built on a solid foundation of professionalism and thoughtful camp philosophy.
Center for Child Counseling specializes in training adults working with children at camp. If you have a specific camp in mind, ask if it is CampSafe® trained. If you would like to share CampSafe® training information with a specific camp, you can do so by providing that camp with this link: www.centerforchildcounseling.com/campsafe.
