Does Your Camp Registration Look Like This?

When organizations are child-centred, with children’s safety and healthy development at the heart of their what and their why, we see the benefits spill over into processes and procedures we might not think of when we think about child protection.

Like summer camp registration.

When you think about policies, procedures and best practices that protect children from sexual abuse, registration might not be the first procedure that comes to mind.

But let me tell you about my experience dropping off my child at summer camp last week.

On the day of drop-off, we arrived onto the long dirt driveway and made our way to the main site.

A staff person, wearing a staff shirt and name tag, waved at us on the driveway. We slowed down and the staffer introduced themself, welcomed us to camp and asked us about our trip. We had a nice little chit chat and they told us where to park so that we could do our COVID screening.

Lovely.

We went to the sun tent where a staff person welcomed us, introduced themselves and asked us for our camper’s name. Then we got clear instructions for doing a rapid test, and friendly and casual chit chat as we waited for the results.

With a negative test done, we drove further toward the main site. A staffer was jogging past us and gave us a big wave and a smile as they passed our vehicle.

Friendly.

We parked and walked over to the sign-in table where we were given instructions on where to meet cabin counselors, where to place luggage, and what the covid protocols were for caregivers and for campers.

Clear.

We snapped some happy photos and left our camper for the week.

All the way home, I talked about how amazing that experience was. The eye contact! The respect… the confidence… being treated like a guest (who is wanted). It was so polished. So comforting.

This doesn’t happen without training.

And training is something I advocate for. Being treated well, feeling confident in the organization that will be looking after my child, trusting that this group is doing their best for my child... these are the benefits of protecting children from sexual abuse.

This is what happens when organizations utilize effective staff training. The result is a safe place.

I drove away from that camp feeling really, really, good.

A registration process that is as polished as the one I encountered can not happen without training. It can’t happen without a healthy organizational culture. This camp takes the time to be a culture of safety and respect. And that sets them up to be a camp that can easily protect children from sexual abuse.

Camps that don’t have this strong foundation, where procedures are less thought-out, where staff training does not result in confident counselors who can greet caregivers respectfully, probably don’t have a great sexual abuse prevention policy.

If staff can't look me in the eye, or greet me warmly, or recognize when I need directions... what are the chances that they are going to be able to intervene to protect a child? What are the chances that they are prepared to receive a disclosure?

After picking up my camper and listening to the stories of good times, obstacles, and successes, my child said to me, ‘Oh, Mom, you are going to LOVE this story’.

And I do.

One day at camp, my child was sitting near the lodge when a counsellor and some young campers were passing by on their way to an activity. One of the children wanted to go back to the cabin to pick up a forgotten item.

A volunteer was passing by and overheard the child and said, “I can take the child back to get the item”.

And do you know what that counsellor said? Exactly the right thing.

The counsellor said, “You can’t do that because then you would be in a one-on-one situation. But thanks for the offer”.

1. Name the Behaviour
2. Set a Limit
3. Move On

If you’ve taken our prevention training, you will remember this boundary setting exercise.

Sometimes we have to be very intentional about setting boundaries. Using a tool like this ‘formula’ can really help, especially in the moment if you are not 100% sure about what boundary is being violated.

But in this situation, the counsellor wasn’t actively deploying a strategy. The counsellor was just responding naturally. This counsellor knows that it is their job to avoid one-on-one situations.

And that doesn’t happen without training.

If you encounter a registration process where it is OBVIOUS that everyone knows exactly what they are doing, where everyone takes the time to be courteous, respectful and friendly, that is the sign of an organization that is positioned to protect children from sexual abuse.

The more child-centered our policies and procedures are, the easier it will be to protect children from sexual abuse.

Well trained staff, working in a healthy organizational culture, will stand up for children and protect them.

This is how we can reduce the rate of child sexual abuse. We have to take the time, provide the training, and build a culture of safety in our youth-serving organizations.

I advocate for prevention training because I want children to be safe. If this is what you want for children too, then join us or encourage someone who cares for children to attend our training.

If your camp registration process doesn’t look like this, you could be putting kids at risk.

Let's work together to protect children from sexual abuse so that we can all feel secure, have confidence, and trust that adults in our communities are able to keep kids safe.