Youth Protection Policies

Our Troop follows the BSA’s Youth Protection policies and the VIRTUS policies of the Baltimore Archdiocese to protect your child and others involved in Scouting. Our Troop Committee and the Scoutmaster Staff follow mandatory practices, which I summarize below:

  • Two Leaders on Outings. A minimum of two registered and Youth Protection trained BSA leaders must be present. Both persons must be at least 21 years old and at least one of these people must be a female.

  • Two Adults on Cyber Communication. There are no one-on-one online or digital activity or electronic communications. A parent or guardian are always included in any email or text between an Adult Leader and youth member, ensuring no one-on one contact exists in text, social media, or other forms of online or digital communication. Video or Zoom advancement meetings between a Troop Leader and a Scout require a parent or guardian to be present with the Scout during the entire meeting

  • No One-On-One Contact is allowed between Youth and Adults. When a situation requires a personal conference, the meeting is conducted with knowledge and in the view of other adults and youth.

  • Separate Accommodations for Youth and Adults. No youth is allowed to sleep in a tent with an adult other than her own parent or guardian. Separate shower and bathroom facilities are used for adults, and youth. The only exception is when separate facilities are not available and scheduled and posted times are used to separate adults from youth and males from females.

  • Buddy System: Self-selected groups of 2 or 3 youth assure boys and girls are never alone on Scouting activities.

  • Privacy is Maintained. Youth and adults respect privacy in situations like changing clothes or taking showers. Adults are not allowed into such areas unless a health or safety issue requires it. In such cases two adults are required.

  • No Inappropriate Digital Use. No use of digital devices is allowed in circumstances where privacy is expected or requested.

  • No Secret Organizations. These are prohibited in the BSA and in our Troop.

  • No Hazing or Bullying is permitted.

  • Girl leaders are carefully advised. We monitor and advise our girl leaders to assure safety and compliance with BSA policies.

  • Discipline. This is always positive and constructive. No corporal or negative activities are allowed.

  • Appropriate Clothing Required. Bathing suits (One piece or Tankini’s) are required when swimming and no revealing clothing is allowed.

  • Mandatory Reporting. All Troop Leaders are required by law, BSA and Baltimore Archdiocese policy to report youth protection-related incidents or suspicions. Any good-faith suspicion or belief that a child has been abused or exposed to any form of exploitation or obscenity is required by law to be reported to local law enforcement. Scoutmasters in particular are under an obligation to report to law enforcement any information from a child or adult indicating child abuse may have occurred whether or not in connection with the Troop – Please do not joke or engage in humor about these topics in the presence of Scouts or Troop volunteers. We are also required to notify our local professional BSA Scout Executive and our Chartered Organization (Priest) of the Church of such matters.

  • Safe Family Camping.    Only BSA-registered adult leaders and committee members are allowed to attend overnight activities, because this assures each adult has undergone a background screening and has completed Youth Protection Training.  An exception is that occasionally the Troop will open a campout to all family members of Scouts.  In those cases a separate set of “family camping” rules applies – but all adults attending “family camping” weekends still need to have taken the Youth Protection Training

For more information about BSA’s Youth Protection policies you can visit - https://www.scouting.org/training/youth-protection/