Published:

05/21/2013 02:33pm

Will My Child Be Safe at Camp? The One Question Every Parent Should Ask Before Sending a Child to a Sports Camp

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Julie B. Kriss
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Julie@KrissEnterprises.com

Will My Child Be Safe at Camp?
The One Question Every Parent Should Ask
Before Sending a Child to a Sports Camp

New Albany, OH - As spring advances, many parents will make final decisions about summer sports camps for their children. Evaluating camp options can be challenging. Among the many factors to consider when comparing camps are price, hours of operation, location and camp activities. While these factors help in comparing camps, they do not address the single most important question: “Will My Child Be Safe at Camp?”

Since one could expect that many camp operators might choose to respond to this question with a resounding “yes,” how should a parent make their own determination? Mark Wilson, camp expert and Managing Director of Harrison Kent Advisors, LLC recommends that every parent ask this open-ended question: “What safety measures does your camp have in place to create a safe environment for my child?”

While many camps have formal safety measures in place, the details may not be reflected in public camp materials (e.g., camp brochures, the registration form or camp website). Wilson says a well-managed camp should be able to respond to parents’ safety-related concerns by sharing how they:

1. Hire, train and supervise their staff

a. The hiring process should include a pre-employment screening of its staff, including an interview, reference check and a comprehensive criminal background check including a search of the National Sex Offender Public Website. This website is coordinated by the U.S. Department of Justice and enables any citizen to search the latest information for the identity and location of known sex offenders from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, and numerous Indian tribes.
b. All camp staff should receive training about child abuse (including sexual abuse) prevention and reporting. The camp should publish the written procedures that describe the process staff must follow if they know or suspect abuse has occurred or may occur.
c. Continuous training should be provided to camp staff, even during the camp session. Rigorous supervision of camp staff by other responsible adults should also be maintained throughout the duration of the camp.

2. Staff their camp

a. The staff-to-camper ratio should vary based on the age of the campers and the nature of the activities. But it is also important to understand the number of staff who are directly involved in the instruction and supervision of campers. Staff with purely administrative roles should not be included in this ratio.
b. The experience of camp staff matters. Experienced staff are generally well prepared to supervise minors and react to emergency situations. At a minimum, camp staff should include First Aid/CPR certified personnel. For those sports camps where there is a greater risk of injury during activities (e.g., a full equipment football camp, a lacrosse team camp, a wrestling camp, gymnastics camp, etc.), certified athletic trainers should also be employed.
c. Staffing should be consistent during scheduled and unscheduled activities. Unscheduled activities (e.g., time after a meal before the next formal camp activity begins) should not mean “unsupervised.” While camper “down time” is necessary for campers to relax and recover, it is also notorious for the number of injuries it creates.

3. Prepare for emergencies

a. The camp should have a have a written action plan that covers the steps camp staff will take in the event of an emergency (e.g., missing camper, injury, foul weather, etc.).
b. The camp should also have written procedures that address, among other things, camper allergies, special diets, restricting activities on hot days, transporting and escorting campers from one camp location to another and dorm room assignments.
c. Camp directors should review these procedures with camp staff and, when appropriate, campers. The existence and a