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Safeguarding

All of our leaders are interviewed locally and asked to provide references. They undergo the mandatory training they need to be the best they can be, including basic first aid and child protection. Special training is provided for those taking young people away on residential events like camps and sleepovers.

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Everyone who works with young people also has to undertake a disclosure check (also known as a ‘police check’) - these are also reviewed periodically.

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If you have any concerns about safeguarding please get in contact using the contact us form or speak to one of the leaders in confidence.

Are there a set of 'rules' that volunteers follow?

Yes. As Scouts, we have a clear code of behaviour we expect everyone to abide by, known as the ‘Yellow Card’. This code is shared with all adults who interact with young people – regardless of their role – and is included in the training leaders receive.

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If you volunteer to help out with an activity, you’ll be given your own yellow card to keep on hand and refer back to. You can see a digital copy of the Yellow Card (linked below), or call The Scout Association on 0345 300 1818 to discuss it.  You can also view the Scouts' safety policies – which relate to how our leaders run adventurous activities responsibly – in chapter two of Policy, Organisation and Rules (POR). 

The Scouts' Child Protection and Safety Policies

Child protection and safety are two of The Scouts' key policies that anyone involved in Scouts must work to. You can see the full policies in the relevant Policy, Organisation and Rules (POR) sections below:

What are the arrangements for outings or camps?

All leaders taking young people away will have received the relevant training and will have a Nights Away Permit, or be working towards this under the guidance of experienced leaders. Leaders will always give you notice, ask for your permission and provide you with a way of contacting the group while they’re away.

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All residential activities (such as camps and sleepovers) are required to have at least two adults present, unless the young people involved are participating in an expedition or event where adults are not expected to attend at all. We’ll always tell you if there is to be no adult presence for a particular activity, and we’ll never ask to take individual young people away on their own.

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No young people under the age of 18 are allowed to consume alcohol while they’re taking part in Scout activities. All information about Scouting and alcohol can be read by viewing the Green Card linked below:

What should parents and carers be aware of?

The NSPCC advises parents and carers to be wary of

  • Activities where parents are discouraged from staying to watch or become involved.

  • Activities or behaviour that encourage rough play, sexual innuendo or humiliating punishments.

  • Individuals who take charge and operate independently of organisational guidelines.

  • Individuals who show favouritism or personally reward specific children.

  • Encouragement of inappropriate physical contact. 

  • Poor communication and lack of parental involvement, leaving you feeling uneasy.

  • Children who drop out or stop going for no apparent reason

  • Invitations for children to spend time alone with staff or volunteers (or even to visit their home).

 

We agree wholeheartedly with the NSPCC and would not expect any of this behaviour to occur in The Scouts. 

 

As always, if you have any concerns, please raise them immediately with us, or – if you’d rather speak to someone else - contact the Scout Information Centre on 0345 300 1818.

How can I best communicate the importance of staying safe to my children?

The world is constantly changing. Technology is constantly evolving. Society puts pressure on young people to experience new things, but that can also make them feel vulnerable and unsure about the world around them.

The Scouts' STAY SAFE leaflet contains information for young people about how to stay safe online and in the real world, and gives them all the age-specific information they need to report anything that makes them feel worried, scared or upset. It's available from local Scout Shops free of charge, or to download digitally below:

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The Scout Association have also put together a video on safeguarding for Scouts and Explorers linked below:

 

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