The U.S. Center for SafeSport has released a summer safety checklist to help parents ask the right questions and ensure their children’s safety in sports leagues and camps. The checklist advises parents to ask programs about background checks, supervision policies, emergency protocols and abuse prevention training for staff and volunteers. It also encourages parents to casually discuss their child’s experiences with counselors and the overall environment. Monica Rivera, vice president of education and research for the U.S. Center for SafeSport, highlighted the importance of using the checklist to evaluate safety measures. “I think the summer safety checklist can not only help parents have very specific questions that they can ask programs, but even more broadly, it gives us a chance to sort of check in about where the areas are where we might need to be asking more questions about safety,” Rivera said. Rivera added that the goal is not to make summer feel scary but to help children enjoy it in safer environments. Checklist questions: 1. What are the criteria for volunteer and staff screening and background checks?2. How are children supervised during structured activities and free time?3. What kind of abuse prevention and response training do volunteers and staff undergo?4. Do you have policies that limit unsupervised one-on-one contact between adults and minors?5. What are the established processes for reporting and responding to abuse and misconduct?6. What policies do you have around cyberbullying and online communication for children and staff?7. What are the sleeping arrangements for minors and overnight staff or volunteers, and how are they monitored? (For overnight programs)8. Is an adult emergency contact available 24/7? (For overnight programs)
The U.S. Center for SafeSport has released a summer safety checklist to help parents ask the right questions and ensure their children’s safety in sports leagues and camps.
The checklist advises parents to ask programs about background checks, supervision policies, emergency protocols and abuse prevention training for staff and volunteers. It also encourages parents to casually discuss their child’s experiences with counselors and the overall environment.
Monica Rivera, vice president of education and research for the U.S. Center for SafeSport, highlighted the importance of using the checklist to evaluate safety measures.
“I think the summer safety checklist can not only help parents have very specific questions that they can ask programs, but even more broadly, it gives us a chance to sort of check in about where the areas are where we might need to be asking more questions about safety,” Rivera said.
Rivera added that the goal is not to make summer feel scary but to help children enjoy it in safer environments.
Checklist questions:
1. What are the criteria for volunteer and staff screening and background checks?
2. How are children supervised during structured activities and free time?
3. What kind of abuse prevention and response training do volunteers and staff undergo?
4. Do you have policies that limit unsupervised one-on-one contact between adults and minors?
5. What are the established processes for reporting and responding to abuse and misconduct?
6. What policies do you have around cyberbullying and online communication for children and staff?
7. What are the sleeping arrangements for minors and overnight staff or volunteers, and how are they monitored? (For overnight programs)
8. Is an adult emergency contact available 24/7? (For overnight programs)
