Reporting incidents promptly is critical so we can respond to them in an appropriate manner, and it helps us properly manage any potential claims. Plus, details included in reports are valuable in helping us prevent the re-occurrence of similar incidents.
All injuries, illnesses, and incidents that occur during official Scouting activities must be reported within 24-48 hours to the Safe Scouting Specialist or your District Executive by completing the Incident Report Form.
In the event of an injury or illness during a Scouting activity, an HSR claim form can be submitted within 90 days from the date of injury. You can obtain a form by reporting the incident using the Incident Report Form and sending it to the Council’s Risk & Safety representative. Please contact our Safe Scouting Specialist at Safe.Scouting@stlbsa.org for claim forms, instructions and assistance.
Please note: The HSR policy is excess of any other available medical benefits sources. This means that you must file your bills through your primary, or personal, insurance carrier prior to this policy responding.
Youth Protection Reporting Procedures for Volunteers –
Mandatory Report of Child Abuse:
All persons involved in Scouting shall report to local authorities any good-faith suspicion or belief that any child is or has been physically or sexually abused, physically or emotionally neglected, exposed to any form of violence or threat, exposed to any form of sexual exploitation, including the possession, manufacture, or distribution of child pornography, online solicitation, enticement, or showing of obscene material. You may not abdicate this reporting responsibility to any other person.
Reporting Violations of BSA Youth Protection Policies:
If you think any of the BSA’s Youth Protection policies have been violated, including those described within Scouting’s Barriers to Abuse, you must notify your local Council Deputy Scout Executive or his designee, the Safe Scouting Specialist, so appropriate action can be taken for the safety of our Scouts.
Steps to Reporting Child Abuse:
- Ensure the child is in a safe environment.
- In cases of child abuse injury or medical emergencies, call 911 immediately.
- In addition, if the suspected abuse occurred in the Scout’s home or family, you are required by state law to immediately report/contact the local child abuse hotline.
- Notify the Council immediately by completing the Youth Protection and Membership Infraction Form sending it to your District Executive or the Safe Scouting Specialist and the Deputy Scout Executive. (If you are unable to complete the form, a phone call or email will suffice.)
Forms & Links:
Incident Report Form
Youth Protection and Membership Infraction Form
Near Miss Incident Report Form
Youth Safety Fact Sheet
Youth Safety Infographic
Scouting’s Barriers to Abuse
Navigating Incidents Guide for Units (keep on file with your unit for future reference!)
Printable Safe Scouting Card with QR link for wallet
Printable Safe Scouting Card with Policies
BARRIERS TO ABUSE UPDATE
As part of our ongoing commitment to abuse prevention, the Boy Scouts of America is updating the adult supervision requirements for overnight activities. This update enhances the minimum “two-deep leadership” requirements by additionally requiring every adult present on overnight activities to be a registered member of the Boy Scouts of America. These adults must submit an adult application and registration fee, undergo a criminal background check, a volunteer screening database check, and must complete mandatory Youth Protection Training.
All Cub Scout Packs, Scouts BSA Troops, Venturing Crews, Sea Scouting Ships, Exploring Posts, council, and district overnight programs will be required to comply with this update by September 1, 2023.
WHAT HAS CHANGED?
- The “72-Hour Rule” is eliminated.
- All adults staying overnight* in connection with a Scouting activity must be currently registered as: (1) Adult Fee Required Position, (2) Adult Program Participant Individuals aged 18-20 participating in a Venturing, Sea Scouting, or Exploring program.
- All adults must review the “How to Protect your Children from Child Abuse: A Parent’s Guide” that can be found in the front of each Youth Handbook.
All OVERNIGHT adults must be currently registered in an adult fee required position* including:
- 18+ adults attending a Scouts BSA, Venturing, Sea Scout or Exploring activity.
- 18+ adults attending a Cub Scout event/activity who are not the parent or legal guardian.
What is an adult fee required position?
- A list of qualifying adult registration fee required positions can be found below and here.
- Registration as a Merit Badge Counselor, Lion Cub partner, Tiger Partner does not meet the requirement.
*Limited exception for Cub Scout overnight Programs.
- Cub Scout Programs – Overnight Exception: Cub Scout parents or legal guardians taking part in an overnight Cub Scout program with their own child or legal ward are not required to register as leaders.
- The parent or legal guardian must be accompanied by a registered leader at any time they are with youth members other than their own child/ward.
Further details from the BSA National Council on Barriers to Abuse can be found here.
CUB SCOUT PARENT EXEMPTION SPECIFIC QUESTIONS:
Q: Our Cub Scout Pack has a campout planned for this weekend. The Scout’s mom is unable to attend, but the grandfather would like to camp with the Cub Scout in her place. Does the grandfather need to be a registered leader?
A: Yes. Only parents and legal guardians are exempt from registration requirements if they participate in an overnight Cub Scout activity with their child/ward. Grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc. will need to be registered members of the BSA in a fee-based position to camp overnight.
Q: Since the parent is unable to attend and there isn’t time to register the grandparent, does that mean the Cub Scout can’t attend at all?
A: No. In exceptional circumstances when a parent or legal guardian cannot attend an overnight activity with their Cub Scout, the Scout may participate under the supervision of another registered adult member of the BSA who is the parent of a Cub Scout also attending. The unit leader and parent/legal guardian must agree to the arrangement ahead of time, and all Youth Protection policies apply. At no time may another adult accept responsibility for more than one additional “non-family member” youth. For Webelos/Arrow of Light den coordinated campouts where the camping only includes Webelos/Arrow of Light youth, a Webelos/Arrow of Light Scout whose parent/legal guardian cannot attend may participate under the supervision of at least two registered leaders. The leaders and a parent/legal guardian must agree to the arrangement ahead of time, and all Youth Protection policies apply.
Q: All our Tiger Cub Parents are listed as adult partners, so they are already registered.
A: No. Tiger Cub and Lion Cub Adult Partners are not and have never been considered registered positions within the BSA. In order for an adult to be registered they must complete an adult application, complete Youth Protection Training, submit to a criminal background check and pay any fees for their registration.
Q: If a female Cub Scout is the only female at an event and her father is with her at the event, and all of the other registered leaders there are male, does a registered adult female need to be present since the lone female is with her parent?
A: Yes. If a female Cub Scout is present, a registered female leader must also be in attendance at the event, per the BSA’s Youth Protection Guidelines. (They do not need to be at every activity.)
SCOUTS BSA/VENTURING/SEA SCOUTS/EXPLORING QUESTIONS:
Q: We have a parent in our unit who is only able to attend one overnight camping activity each year. Does this parent need to be registered?
A: Yes. Even if they are only attending one camping event during the year, they must be registered in a fee-based position.
Q: Our Crew has members who are over 18, how do we register them?
A: Individuals aged 18-20 are registered as Adult Program Participants. Upon turning 18, young adults must submit an adult application, complete Youth Protection Training, and clear a background check. They will still be able to participate in the program, hold leadership positions, and earn awards like younger members, but the adult application is required for a background check to be completed by the National Council.
Q: Why is a female adult 21 years of age or over required whenever female youth are present, but not the other way around?
A: The requirement to ensure that a registered female adult is present at activities serving girls is not dissimilar to policies we’ve enacted in the past for Venturing when male and female adult leaders were required for certain co-ed activities. At this time and after substantial and thorough consideration, we believe that these are the best, most appropriate measures for our movement.
REGISTRATION QUESTIONS:
Q: We have a parent listed as the unit advancement chair, is that sufficient?
A: No. Positions such as Unit Advancement Chair are functional roles, which are not registered positions. An individual serving in that type of role should be registered as a Member of the Unit Committee.
Q: What position codes are considered “fee-based?”
A: A full list of fee-based position codes can be found on Youth Protection and Barriers to Abuse FAQs | Boy Scouts of America (scouting.org) and at the bottom of this page. Typical unit-based positions include Scoutmaster/Assistant; Cubmaster/Den Leader/Assistant; Advisor/Associate; Skipper/Mate; Member of the Committee; Committee Chair; or Chartered Organization Representative. Units may also use the Unit Scouter Reserve position. Additional positions, including District and Council positions, can be found by using the link above.
Q: Why do they need to be registered in a fee-based position?
A: Registration in a fee-based position ensures that all adults undergo a background clearance check and volunteer screening database check.
Q: Is there a recommended way to register those adults who help out here or there but otherwise are not actively participating with our unit?
A: Yes. For those adults who only help out here and there, for example, driving the troop trailer to a campout and staying the night once or twice a year, we recommend that they be registered as Unit Scouter Reserve. 18-20-year-olds who wish to remain registered with a troop but are otherwise inactive, for example away at college, can be registered as College Scouter Reserve. Otherwise, all adult adults should be registered in the position that corresponds with the role they are fulfilling.
Q: How will adult registration be verified for those adults staying overnight at Scouting events?
A: For unit-coordinated overnight activities, it is the responsibility of the unit to ensure all adults meet BSA registration requirements. For district and Council-coordinated activities and events, verification will take place during arrival and check-in. A current unit roster from my.scouting must be presented to check against the event registrant roster or individuals may present a current BSA membership card which is available through my.scouting.
| Fee-Based Unit Positions: | Fee-Based Council and District Positions: |
| Assistant Cubmaster Assistant Scoutmaster Assistant Webelo Leader Assistant Den Leader Chartered Organization Rep. Committee Chairman Committee Member Cubmaster Den Leader Explorer Post Advisor Lion Coordinator Lion Den Leader Mate New Member Coordinator Pack Trainer Post Explorer Post Associate Advisor Post Committee Chairman Post Committee Member Principal / Executive Officer Scoutmaster Skipper Tiger Den Leader Unit Chaplain Unit College Scouter Reserve Unit Scouter Reserve Venturing College Scouter Reserve Venturing Crew Advisor Venturing Crew Assoc. Advisor Webelo Leader
|
Assistant Council Commissioner Asst. Roundtable Commissioner Asst. District Commissioner College Scouter Reserve Council Advisory Council Council Assistant Treasurer Council Associate Member Council Camp Staff (Adult) Council Camp Staff (Youth) Council Chaplain Council Commissioner Council Committee Member Council Executive Board Member Council Exploring/LFL Committee Chr Council Exploring/LFL Committee Member Council Honorary Member Council Member-at-Large Council President Council Religious Emblems Coord Council Scout Alumnus Council Service Team Chair Council Service Team Member Council Treasurer Council Vice-President District Exploring/LFL Committee District Chairman District Chaplain District Commissioner District Exploring / LFL Comm Chr District Member-at-large District Religious Emblems Coord District Service Team Chair District Service Team Member District Vice-Chairman LFL Stem Day Camp Staff (Adult) LFL STEM Day Camp Staff (Youth) Neighborhood Chairman Neighborhood Committee Roundtable Commissioner Scouter Reserve Unit Commissioner |
If you have any youth protection, incident, injury, illness, insurance, policy or other safety related questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our Safe Scouting Specialist @ Safe.Scouting@stlbsa.org.