Safeguarding Children and Youth

In a letter from the First Presidency, dated February 23, 2006, we were reminded of our responsibility to protect children. "Our Heavenly Father has entrusted parents, leaders, and teachers to care for and protect the children and youth of the Church". Included in this letter are church policies to help "teach, care for, and protect" them. http://www.lds.org/pa/ym/SafeguardingChildrenLtr.pdf

One of the policies states, "All adult leaders participating in Scouting are to be registered through local Boy Scout Councils (see Church Scouting Handbook, 4-5) and comply with guidelines in the Guide to Safe Scouting.

President Boyd K. Packard said, "Never allow a Scout leader to function in any position in a (Scout) unit sponsored by the Church in the United States until he has been registered with the Boy Scouts of America." (from a letter to Stake Presidents, January 2, 1997) http://www.ldsbsa.org/pdf/resources/SCOUT%20LEADER%20REGISTRATION%20and%20CHURCH%20POLICY.pdf

The following are BSA guidelines for Youth Protection and Safety. The highlighted words help focus on our responsibilities:

• "The adult application requests background information that should be checked by the unit committee or the chartered organization before accepting an applicant for unit leadership. To provide the safest possible experience for our members, a criminal background check is conducted on all new adult volunteers. The information required to conduct the check is taken from the adult application". http://www.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/46-221.pdf
  
• "All volunteers are expected to complete Youth Protection training. It is available online on the website www.scouting.org . . . you are expected to complete the training within 90 days of assuming a leadership position". (Boy Scouts of America Adult Application, cover page)
  
• Youth Protection Training must be renewed every two years. (Training Certificate from completing online course.)
  
• How to Protect Your Children from Child Abuse: A Parent's Guide" is a tear-out booklet bound in with BSA youth books. It is designed for parents or guardians and young people to use together for youth protection training.
  
• The BSA has bilingual, age-appropriate videos for all youth age groups to address the problems of sexual abuse.
  • It Happened to Me/A Mí Me Pasó (No. AV-09DVD11) should be used annually by Cub Scout packs or dens, but only for Cub Scouts accompanied by a parent or other adult family member.
    
  • The video for Boy Scouts, A Time to Tell/Hora de Contarlo (No. AV-09DVD04), introduces the "three R's" of Youth Protection, and should be viewed by troops annually.
    
  • Personal Safety Awareness/Concientización Sobre la Seguridad Personal (No. AV-09DVD27) is the video for Venturing-age young people. http://scouting.org/scoutsource/HealthandSafety/GSS/toc.aspx
    
• In addition to Youth Protection, the Guide to Safe Scouting is the leader's guide to current policies and procedures. The purpose of the Guide to Safe Scouting is to prepare adult leaders to conduct Scouting activities in a safe and prudent manner. The policies and guidelines have been established because of the real need to protect members from known hazards that have been identified through 90-plus years of experience. Limitations on certain activities should not be viewed as stumbling blocks; rather, policies and guidelines are best described as stepping-stones toward safe and enjoyable adventures. The online version is available at http://scouting.org/scoutsource/HealthandSafety/GSS/toc.aspx