Child Abuse Protection Policy
As part of your staff onboarding at pre-camp, have each staff member sign the Child Protection Policy (CPP). This policy gives you another opportunity to set the tone of a Culture of Safety at your camp. The importance of being able to address this important topic with seriousness and sensitivity supports your zero-tolerance policy and serves as a review with staff what the protocol would be if there is an issue. As part of signing this Child Protection Policy, the staff member has had to have passed the CampSafe training.
The following is a sample Child Protection Policy which your organization should review and modify as necessary to meet your camp’s unique needs.
You can find a copy of this policy in the Reference Library.
A Note On Mandated Reporting – Reporting protocol is part of the Child Protection Policy. Mandated reporting is covered in the CampSafe training but needs to be reviewed during your pre-camp orientation so all staff hear the same information at the same time. This is another opportunity to introduce the members of the Child Protection Team who are well versed in prevention, intervention, response and reporting of any type of child abuse and misconduct as well as know the laws and protocol for your state.
A list of State Agency Reporting Hotline Numbers can be found in the Reference Library