"Three Rs" 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.

BSA Strategy to Guide the Youth Protection Program

The Boy Scouts of America has identified the societal problem of child abuse as one of five unacceptables. We have adopted a strategy to guide our Youth Protection program.

1. Educating Scouting volunteers, parents, and Scouts to aid in the detection and prevention of child abuse. This training program is a key element in the educational program of the BSA. In addition, information is provided to members and their families through BSA publications and video productions.

2. Establishing leader—selection procedures to prevent offenders from entering the BSA leadership ranks. The adult leader application form requests relevant information that should be checked by the chartered organization before accepting the applicant into unit leadership. The National Council Registration Service routinely screens applicants against a listing of individuals known to be ineligible for BSA membership.

3. Establishing policies that create barriers to child abuse within the program. BSA has adopted various policies to guide the interaction of adult and youth members.

4. Encouraging Scouts to report improper behavior in order to identify offenders quickly. Through stressing the "three Rs" of Youth Protection, members are encouraged to report attempted or actual abuse.

5. Swift removal and reporting of alleged offenders. Anytime abuse is suspected in Scouting, the alleged offender will not be eligible to participate in the program until completely exonerated of the accusations. The Scout executive is responsible for reporting all suspected abuse to the proper authorities irrespective of whether the person making the allegations to him reports to the authorities.

Youth Protection and the 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.

“Youth Protection Guidelines for Adult Leaders and Parents” training course can be completed by clicking on this link. This resource can ONLY be accessed through the approved BSA local council websites. This new online training course will help ensure that no activities will need to be cancelled because a youth protection-trained leaders is not available.  A leader may take either the online course or the regular youth protection course that the council has been offering.

Upon completion of the online training, registered adult members will receive the following: Certificate of Completion, Letter from the Scout Executive, DAC Child Abuse Reporting Requirements and Course Information Handout. 

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 Dauch Scout Service Center.

From the BSA Guide to Safe Scouting:

• Youth Protection in Scouting 
• How to Protect Your Children from Child Abuse: A Parent's Guide
• Section I - Information for Parents
• Section II - Information for Youth

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 Dauch Scout Service Center.

Youth Protection Resources

In addition to the Online Youth Protection Training, the BSA offers three additional adult courses.  “Youth Protection Training for Adult Leaders” AV-09V001A, a 90 minute comprehensive program. “Youth Protection: Boy Scouts and Cub Scout Leader Training Module” AV-09V010, an abbreviated version of the 90-minute course. “Youth Protection Guidelines: Training for Adult Venturing Leaders” AV-03V014 for Venturing leaders.

For youth, the BSA uses a variety of tools, including videotapes, to communicate with young people about protecting themselves against all forms of abuse.  The BSA’s award-winning videos of child abuse prevention help youth recognize dangerous situations and avoid becoming victims.

The video “It Happened to Me” AV-09V011 is designed for Cub Scouts, boys ages 6 to 10, to view with their parents or guardians.  The video presents five scenarios of high-risk situations that boys may encounter.  It establishes safety rules that help the boys counteract the fear and shame that can result from potentially abusive situations.

“A Time to Tell” AV-09V004 is designed for Boy Scouts, boys ages 11 to 14.  This video depicts the risks of sexual abuse through dramatizations of adolescent experiences.

A third video, “Youth-Protection: Personal Safety Awareness,” AV-09027is designed for any young adult (boy or girl) ages 14 to 20.  It is made up vignettes dealing with the issues of acquaintance rape, Internet safety, stalking, and fraternization.  Each scenario is followed by instructions for local group discussions and a teen panel discussion, with pertinent advice regarding each situation.

“How to Protect Your Children From Child Abuse”, is a pull-out pamphlet in the front of each youth and adult handbook. The pamphlets are also available on this website.

Venturing Youth Protection Resources

Venturing Advisors and Sea Scout Skippers should recognize that the content of the on-line training course is not specifically directed toward these programs, and that is is important to view the Venturing Youth Protection video in addition. A four page handout on Venturing Youth Protection guidelines is available here in Adobe Acrobat .pdf format.

Youth Protection Guidelines for Venturing Leaders  video. BSA Supply No. AV-03V014 "Youth Protection: Personal Safety Awareness" - Video for 14 to 20 year-old coed crews and ships. Scenarios are presented, local discussion allowed, and then Reality Check segments are presented to clarify the information regarding issues of acquaintance rape, internet safety, stalking, and sexual harassment. BSA Supply No. AC-09V027

Youth Protection and the Commissioner

Each unit commissioner plays an important role in youth protection:

1. Annually explain and promote the latest training, booklets, and videos about BSA Youth Protection for unit adults in every unit you are assigned to serve. This is usually done as part of your November visit at a unit committee meeting.

2. Help units and their chartered organizations use proper leader-selection procedures.

3. Coach unit people if child abuse occurs.

4. Promote unit use of the videos designed to protect youth from sexual abuse: It Happened to Me, No. AV-09V011, for Cub Scout age, A Time to Tell, No. AV-09V004, for Boy Scout age, and Personal Safety Awareness, AV-09V027, for high school age.

5. Explain to unit adults how the boy and parent use the inserts in the front of the youth handbooks.

6. Consult with your council. Talk with your district commissioner or district executive to find out about the latest BSA resources on the prevention of child abuse.

If you have any questions concerning Youth Protection and the BSA, contact your District Executive or Jerry Freyberg, Director of Support Services (313) 897-1965.

CHILD ABUSE REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

Contacting the Council

The Boy Scouts requires immediate notification of the Scout Executive whenever information about possible child abuse in the Boy Scout program is uncovered.  Call the Detroit Area Council Dauch Scout Center at (313) 897-1965 during normal business hours.  For after-hours notification, call the next business day.

If the suspected abuse or neglect happens at a DAC camp, it should be reported to the Camp Director who will then notify the Scout Executive.

The “Suspected Child Abuse Reporting Form” should be completed and submitted to the Detroit Area Council with in 72 hours.  One report per incident is required.  The form is available here on the council website or at the council office.

Download the Child Abuse Reporting Requirements
Download the Suspected Child Abuse Reporting Form

Reporting Child Abuse to Authorities

The law says any person having reasonable cause to believe that a child has been subjected to child abuse or acts of child abuse shall report this information immediately to the Michigan Department of Child & Family Services, Child Protective Services.  If the abuse has taken place in Wayne County call the 24 Hour Hot Line: (313) 396-0300; Oakland County 24 Hour Hot Line: (248) 975-5010; Macomb County: during business hours (586) 412 6109, weekend and holidays (586) 254-1513.

Investigations

As a volunteer in Scouting, you are cautioned that you are not an investigator and the investigating of allegations of abuse is best left to proper authorities.

Immunity From Civil or Criminal Liability

Any person who, pursuant to the law, reports abuse and neglect or testifies in a child abuse hearing resulting from such a report is immune from any criminal or civil liability as a result of such action. 

Penalty For Failure To Report

Any person who knowingly fails to report suspected abuse or neglect pursuant to the law or to comply with the provisions of the law is a disorderly person and subject of a fine or imprisonment.

Download the Suspected Child Abuse Reporting Form

"A Time To Tell"  Video

This is the step-by-step guide using the Youth Protection Video, A Time to Tell, with Your Boy Scout Troop

Obtain the guide from the BSA National Website