2018 GUIDE TO SAFE SCOUTING

[John-in-KC]

Ladies and gentlemen

Here is the 2018 Guide to Safe Scouting. 

I've skimmed it.  The most significant change I see is all Scouters are mandatory reporters for purposes of youth protection. 

Here's a link from the National website, I'm also attaching a copy. I commend it to all for your critical review.   Here's the link if you need to copy/paste it into local documents:

https://filestore.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/34416.pdf

This is the local downloadable copy:  34416.pdf

Edited May 21, 2018 by John-in-KC
Broken link

[John-in-KC]

Feedback is a gift, @RichardB

i have read outs from Scouters Ons on the Back to Gilwell, Facebook WoodBadgers group that new G2SS and the YP policies on this National link do do fully agree with each other. https://www.scouting.org/training/youth-protection/

Please, would you look into the matter and get back to the field?

TIA

[T2Eagle]

A couple of changes, or just discrepancies, that I see between these guidelines and even  the brand new YPT I just took:

“Youth sharing tents should be no more than two years apart in age.”  There’s no mention of siblings.

“In all other programs youth and adults tent separately.”  This precludes a youth sharing a tent with a parent.  This isn’t a common occurrence, but I’ve had it happen.  Certainly cannot think of any way the rule makes sense.

[NealOnWheels]

Years ago scouts could no longer camp by themselves.  Today it appears they can no longer have meetings or day activities without adults.

"Two registered adult leaders 21 years of age or over are required at all Scouting activities, including meetings."

"Patrol Activities—A Scout patrol may participate in patrol activities. Two-deep adult leadership is required."

[John-in-KC]

1 hour ago, NealOnWheels said:

Years ago scouts could no longer camp by themselves.  Today it appears they can no longer have meetings or day activities without adults.

"Two registered adult leaders 21 years of age or over are required at all Scouting activities, including meetings."

"Patrol Activities—A Scout patrol may participate in patrol activities. Two-deep adult leadership is required."

Welcome to liability underwriter attorneys having the only voice that counts, he says cynically. 

[qwazse]

So much for meeting with an MBC, even in a public library, even if one or both non-registered parent(s) stays with the scout.

Edited May 23, 2018 by qwazse

[NealOnWheels]

 

Seems that phone calls between adults and scouts will no longer be practical.

OLD:

Two-deep leadership and no one-on-one contact between adults and youth members includes digital communication. Leaders may not have one-on-one private online communications or engage one-on-one in other digital activities (games, social media, etc.) with youth members. Leaders should copy a parent and another leader in digital and online communication, ensuring no one-on-one contact exists in text, social media, or other forms of online or digital communication.

NEW:

Private online communications (texting, phone calls, chat, IM, etc.) must include another registered leader or parent.

[Jameson76]

1 minute ago, NealOnWheels said:

 

NEW:

Private online communications (texting, phone calls, chat, IM, etc.) must include another registered leader or parent.

Most Boy Scouts would be shocked to learn that their phone can actually be used for voice communications.  

[qwazse]

Communications MB:

requirement 1 d (one of four options)

Quote

List as many ways as you can think of to communicate with others (face-to-face, by telephone, letter, e-mail, text messages, and so on). For each type of communication discuss with your counselor an instance when that method might not be appropriate or effective.

Easy answer: "When any number of youth want to talk to an adult and there is no second adult registered leader over age 21."

requirement 4

Quote

Interview someone you know fairly well, like, or respect because of his or her position, talent, career or life experiences. Listen actively to learn as much as you can about the person. Then prepare and deliver to your counselor an introduction of the person as though this person were to be a guest speaker, and include reasons why the audience would want to hear this person speak. Show how you would call to invite this person to speak.

"First, sir, if you are a registered adult, please hold. I need to find one other registered adult for this meeting to go forward."

Or,

"This interview will be monitored by a second adult of age 21 or older."

[thrifty]

7 minutes ago, NealOnWheels said:

Private online communications (texting, phone calls, chat, IM, etc.) must include another registered leader or parent.

As scout parents, one of us was always present when he was calling a MBC.  He can't make an agreement to meet someone and then just expect us to drive him without checking our schedules.  We don't have MBCs in the troop so he would always be meeting strangers out of town, sometimes an hour away.  He talks to the MBC, tells us the plans and then we say yes or suggest an alternative plan.  I don't recall ever needing to use speaker phone but if things got confusing we would just tell him to use that.

From my experience, the adult leaders are the ones that have the most trouble remembering to copy an additional person when sending messages.

[Eagle94-A1]

On 5/21/2018 at 10:32 PM, NealOnWheels said:

Years ago scouts could no longer camp by themselves.  Today it appears they can no longer have meetings or day activities without adults.

"Two registered adult leaders 21 years of age or over are required at all Scouting activities, including meetings."

 

That will cause problems for some units. I know back in the day, I was the only adult at camp the entire week, and 2 other adults would swap out. And yes, I was 19-20 when that happened. Also know of troops that have challenges with 21+ adults doing things and rely heavily on their 18-2o year old adutls.

 

 

On 5/21/2018 at 10:32 PM, NealOnWheels said:

"Patrol Activities—A Scout patrol may participate in patrol activities. Two-deep adult leadership is required."

 

That is so screwed up. But saw that coming, especially with the introduction of girls. IMHO BSA is beginning to prepare for coed patrols, despite what they are saying about separate programs and "linked troops."

[Tampa Turtle]

17 minutes ago, Eagle94-A1 said:

That is so screwed up. But saw that coming, especially with the introduction of girls. IMHO BSA is beginning to prepare for coed patrols, despite what they are saying about separate programs and "linked troops."

Many of this saw this coming but we keep getting told that "no, no, no changes no co-ed". The meeting requirement will be a problem for some patrols...our best patrols just get together and meet in addition to Troop meetings...which is exactly what we want them to do.

[Gwaihir]

19 minutes ago, Eagle94-A1 said:

 

That will cause problems for some units. I know back in the day, I was the only adult at camp the entire week, and 2 other adults would swap out. And yes, I was 19-20 when that happened. Also know of troops that have challenges with 21+ adults doing things and rely heavily on their 18-2o year old adutls.

 

 

 

That is so screwed up. But saw that coming, especially with the introduction of girls. IMHO BSA is beginning to prepare for coed patrols, despite what they are saying about separate programs and "linked troops."

So how do you stop the gang of friends that's in the patrol from just hanging out together on a camping trip?   No one wears their uniform anymore anyway, just wear a Nike t-shirt instead of a class-b t-shirt and you're good to go.  These rules are absurd.  

[Eagle94-A1]

1 minute ago, Tampa Turtle said:

Many of this saw this coming but we keep getting told that "no, no, no changes no co-ed". The meeting requirement will be a problem for some patrols...our best patrols just get together and meet in addition to Troop meetings...which is exactly what we want them to do.

Agreed, there have been several times that my sons patrol have met at my house. I would be the only adult home, and usually either go outside and play with youngest, or go to my office and shut the doors.

[Gwaihir]

4 minutes ago, Tampa Turtle said:

Many of this saw this coming but we keep getting told that "no, no, no changes no co-ed". The meeting requirement will be a problem for some patrols...our best patrols just get together and meet in addition to Troop meetings...which is exactly what we want them to do.

Mike Rowe's issues with scouting are even more relevant.