Incident Reporting

Forms & Links:
Injuries & Illnesses Report Form
Youth Protection Report Form 
Near Miss Incident Report Form
Youth Safety Fact Sheet
Youth Safety Infographic
Scouting’s Barriers to Abuse
Guide to Safe Scouting
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
Auto Transportation Safety Reminders
Bullying Awareness Booklet - "Be Upstanding: Step In, Speak Up"

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.