New Policies Regarding Scouting’s Barriers to Abuse

Cub Scout Programs

Will this new policy negatively affect family camping - like bringing an unregistered sibling and/or parent on a campout?
Unregistered siblings are encouraged to attend Cub Scout activities (ages 5 – 10) as it is a family-centered program. It uses the family camping model. This could negatively affect a few of our current families in Cub Scouts due to live-in partners or where the grandparent takes Scout to Cub Scout family campouts.

If family camping is a method that some Cub Scout packs use to encourage parent participation and recruit leadership, will the new policy negatively impact adult participation and recruitment?

No! But we must communicate it early, often, and effectively. The new policy of Barriers to Abuse is focused on putting key items in place to better protect our Scouts. 

The only exception is the parent or legal guardian of a Cub Scout on a camp out. Three key components of an adult being able to attend an overnight camp out, are securing an adult application from every adult who plans to attend a campout, a criminal background check (CBC) form and screening must be passed by the adult, and they must take mandatory Youth Protection training every 24 months which educates every adult on how to recognize and report child abuse.

What will the Bay Area Council do with a parent who does not pass the required criminal background check?

That parent will be notified that they cannot camp overnight and depending on the severity of the content on background check. A background check cannot be run without that signed CBC disclosure form. (Source: On https://www.scouting.org/health-and-safety/gss/gss01/#a, under Registration Requirements, see "Adult program participants must register as adults and follow Youth Protection policies.")

To ensure the safety of Cub Scouts, should not ALL adults on a campout be required to undergo a criminal background check and take YPT, rather than granting exceptions to any parent? (For example, a parent for Scout #1 could be a stranger, or even a threat, to one or more of the other participants. Both a background check and YPT could go a long way in mitigating these possible dangers to all participants in the pack).

Agreed. However, this is the policy as it stands now, and the Bay Area Council follows all BSA policies.

Who’s going to be policing whether or not all other overnight adults, which are not being accompanied by a registered leader at any time they are with youth members other than their own child/ward?

I think you meant to ask, “Who’s going to ensure the parent/legal guardian is accompanied by a registered leader any time they are with youth members other than their own child?” This is called Two-Deep Leadership and is required to be in practice for every unit.

May the council phase in compliance to the new policy as follows: (a) Before June 1 -- process registrations for existing parents/adults, who are planning to help with summer activities and may not have yet taken YPT, submitted to a background check, or registered, (b) Before September 1 -- continue to process registrations for existing parents/adults, who are preparing to help with other activities after the summer, and (c) After September 1 -- process registrations for new parents/adults, who join as a result of recruitment?

You want us to process the registrations for all parents/legal guardians in our system who have not submitted an application or taken YPT that want to help in the future. The only way an adult gets a background check is by submitting an adult application, which also includes signing and submitting a CBC Disclosure Form, and which requires YPT.

Scouts BSA/Venturing/ Sea Scouts/Exploring Programs

Will this new policy negatively affect camping - like bringing an unregistered sibling and/or parent on a campout?

Unregistered siblings may attend a Scouts BSA activity (ages 11 – 17) as a visitor for the purpose of joining later. Scouts BSA already has the requirement that every adult attending any Scouts BSA campout must be registered, which requires an adult application, YPT, and passing a criminal background check.

If family camping is a method that some Troops use to encourage parent participation and recruit leadership, will the new policy negatively impact adult participation and recruitment?

Note that Scouts BSA does not follow the family camping model of Cub Scouts. It was already the policy of Scouts BSA that every adult attending camp outs be registered, complete YPT, and pass a criminal background check. Scouts BSA camp out is not a place to recruit adult leadership for the troop. Troop leadership must be recruited and properly registered before the camp outs.

What options will a unit have, if the week or even just days before a campout they realize that they need someone to pull the trailer? Will the council office be able to complete an adult's registration and background check quickly?

We generally get the CBC report results within 24 hours. The biggest hold up on initiating the background check is incomplete adult applications, not having all signatures, YPT not up to date, and membership payment. If units wait, the CBC results might not allow that adult to participate. Submit the required paperwork to the council office well in advance of every camp out as part of keeping our top priority the top priority.

Additionally, we encourage all units, especially Scouts BSA troops, to be proactive in helping keep our Scouts safe by asking parents who attend meetings regularly to get registered. Program planning must also be a key part of unit planning. Units are not helping keep Scouts safe by waiting until a week or days to confirm their adult leadership for the camp out.

We believe no adult wants to place their Scouts in a harmful situation. Many examples where appropriate leadership is required include activities like the shooting range, pool, or a climbing wall. Having adequate adult leadership on campouts is just as critical. Advanced planning must be done for each. Units must assess: are there enough registered adult leaders for activities and any camp out?

What will the Bay Area Council do with a parent who does not pass the required criminal background check?

That parent will be notified that they cannot camp overnight and depending on the severity of the content on the report, that parent might not be allowed to serve as a registered member of the BSA and that parent might have extremely limited participation options.

To ensure both the maximum safety of Scouts as well as adult/volunteer participation, why is the new bar of minimal participation required to include YPT, a background check, and registration, rather than only a background check and YPT? The concern is that some adults may not wish to be registered leaders.

Currently, there is no other avenue of accountability. Applying to be a registered adult accomplishes everything. Part of the adult registration application includes a CBC Form, which permits the council to run a criminal background check. A background check cannot be run without that signed CBC disclosure form.

(Source: On https://www.scouting.org/health-and-safety/gss/gss01/#a, under Registration Requirements, see "Adult program participants must register as adults and follow Youth Protection policies.")

May the council phase in compliance to the new policy as follows: (a) Before June 1 -- process registrations for existing parents/adults, who are planning to help with summer activities and may not have yet taken YPT, submitted to a background check, or registered, (b) Before September 1 -- continue to process registrations for existing parents/adults, who are preparing to help with other activities after the summer, and (c) After September 1 -- process registrations for new parents/adults, who join as a result of recruitment?

You want us to process the registrations for all parents/legal guardians in our system who have not submitted an application or taken YPT that want to help in the future. The only way an adult gets a background check is by submitting an adult application, which also includes signing and submitting a CBC Disclosure Form, and which requires YPT.