April is Youth Protection Month

During this month, councils emphasize youth protection training; focus on increasing the awareness of our members, volunteer leaders, and communities on child abuse prevention; and position themselves as leaders in child advocacy and youth protection.

Each unit is encouraged to participate in one or more of the following ways:

·         Ensure that the unit’s adult leaders have taken Youth Protection training.

·         Discuss with youth in a unit meeting the exercises found in “How to Protect Your Children From Child Abuse”, the pull-out pamphlet in the front of each youth and adult handbook.

Present the age-appropriate, award-winning video-based training with the meeting guide to your youth and their parents

Youth Protection and Boy Scouts of America

Because of the great concern the Boy Scouts of America has for the problem of child abuse in our society, the Youth Protection program was developed in 1988 to help safeguard both our youth and adult members. 

In support of our continued efforts to offer training to as many Scouters as possible and to support the requirement of having at least one youth protection-trained adult, a 30 minute internet version of youth protection training has been developed. >>Click here for all things Youth Protection

*In order to take the youth protection online, you will be required to create a MyScouting Account

Creat a MyScouting Account

If you are unable to create an account or cannot log in, contact national support at  800-627-3025  800-627-3025 (select option 9) between 8 AM and 8 PM ET Monday through Friday. Alternatively send an e-mail to myscouting@netbsa.org with your login e-mail address and contact information.

Click here to sign-up to take the Online Youth Protection Training

A leader can also take the regular youth protection course, check out your district's web calendar for the next scheduled Youth Protection Training.

Upon completion of the online training, registered adult members will receive the following: Certificate of Completion and a letter from the Scout Executive.

The training course is offered to schools, churches, or other youth-serving organizations in the Council. People who do not have access to a computer at home can go to a local library to take the course. Those completing the online training who are not registered adult members will receive all of the above except the certificate of completion.

How does the BSA prevent child abuse in Scouting?

The Boy Scouts of America has adopted a number of policies aimed at eliminating opportunities for abuse within the Scouting program. These policies focus on leadership selection and on placing barriers to abuse within the program.  BSA policies and procedures are explained in the Guide to Safe Scouting available here or at the Katahdin Area Council Freedom Center Scout Service Center in Orono.

Reporting Suspected Child Abuse

The BSA requires immediate notification of the Scout Executive whenever information about possible child abuse in the Boy Scout program is uncovered.  Refer to the Child Abuse Reporting Requirements and Suspected Child Abuse Reporting Form available on this website or at the Katahdin Area Council Freedom Center Scout Service Center in Orono.

BSA Strategy to Guide the Youth Protection Program

The 3 R's of Youth Protection:

·         Recognize that anyone could be a child molester and be aware of situations that could lead to abuse.

·         Resist advances made by child molesters to avoid being abused.

·         Report any molestation or attempted molestation to parents or other trusted adults

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. 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. The chartered organization is responsible for ensuring that sufficient leadership is provided for all activities.

·         No one-on-one contact. One-on-one contact between adults and youth members is not permitted. 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.

·         Respect of privacy. Adult leaders must respect the privacy of youth members in situations such as changing clothes and taking showers at camp, and intrude only to the extent that health and safety require. Adults must protect their own privacy in similar situations.

·         Separate accommodations. When camping, no youth is permitted to sleep in the tent of an adult other than his own parent or guardian. Councils are strongly encouraged to have separate shower and latrine facilities for females. When separate facilities are not available, separate times for male and female use should be scheduled and posted for showers.

·         Proper preparation for high-adventure activities. Activities with elements of risk should never be undertaken without proper preparation, equipment, clothing, supervision, and safety measures.

·         No secret organizations. The Boy Scouts of America does not recognize any secret organizations as part of its program. All aspects of the Scouting program are open to observation by parents and leaders.

·         Appropriate attire. Proper clothing for activities is required. For example, skinny-dipping is not appropriate as part of Scouting.

·         Constructive discipline. Discipline used in Scouting should be constructive and reflect Scouting's values. Corporal punishment is never permitted.

·         Hazing and Bullying prohibited. Physical hazing, bullying and initiations are prohibited and may not be included as part of any Scouting activity.

·         Junior leader training and supervision. Adult leaders must monitor and guide the leadership techniques used by junior leaders and ensure that BSA policies are followed.

·         Member responsibilities. 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 Law. Physical violence, hazing, bullying, theft, verbal insults, drugs, and alcohol have no place in the Scouting program and may result in the revocation of a Scout's membership in the unit.

Unit responsibilities. 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 youth members who misbehave should be informed and asked for assistance in dealing with it.

Contacting the Katahdin Area Council -- Reporting Child Abuse