Youth Protection
The Boy Scouts of America places the greatest importance on creating the most secure environment possible for our youth members. To maintain such an environment, the BSA developed numerous procedural and leadership selection policies and provides parents and leaders with resources for the Cub Scout, Boy Scout, and Venturing programs.
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Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse Policy
Q & A:
Q: What is your policy?
A: All registered adult volunteers — no matter what their position entails — must complete Youth Protection training.
Q: Why is Youth Protection Training required?
A: Youth safety is of paramount importance to the Boy Scouts of America, therefore, it is important to implement this training at all levels of the organization. The BSA is always reevaluating and reassessing its policies to ensure the safest youth program and the best training are offered. The BSA's Youth Protection training has been in existence long enough for it to be understood and accepted as a mandated training for all registered BSA adult volunteers.
Q: When does Youth Protection Training have to be taken?
A: All registered leaders are required to renew their Youth Protection training every two years. No individual leader will be able to register without being up-to-date on his or her Youth Protection training.
Q: Is there a grace period to get all registered adults trained?
A: If a leader's Youth Protection training is not current, the volunteer must take or renew this training immediately. Every effort should be taken so that all adults involved in Scouting have a current certificate of completion of the Youth Protection training.
Q: Does "all registered volunteers" mean all registered volunteers — even board members and council presidents?
A: Yes. The goal is to have all registered volunteers Youth Protection trained. This is important to the Boy Scouts of America as a youth organization and reinforces the BSA's commitment to the well-being of all youth members and volunteers.
Q: I am sure I know all there is to know about youth protection. Can I "test out" by only taking the Youth Protection online quiz?
A: No. Youth Protection requires a sustained vigilance and a commitment to helping protect youth. You must complete the entire online training in order for your Youth Protecton certificate to be valid. This ensures you receive the latest information on BSA Youth Protection.
Q: Does the executive officer (institutional head) of a unit need to take Youth Protection training?
A: We believe everyone should take youth protection training, however, the executive officer is not a registered leader so, he or she is not required to complete Youth Protection training, although it is strongly recommended. If the executive officer is a registered member of the BSA, then he or she must complete Youth Protection training.
Q: I am a Tiger Cub adult partner and ScoutParent. Do I need to take Youth Protection training?
A: All registered adults are required to take Youth Protection training. The Tiger Cub adult partner and ScoutParent designations are not registered adult positions; therefore, mandatory Youth Protection training is not required. However, under the initiative "Youth Protection Begins with You," it is strongly recommended, however, that all adults involved in Scouting take Youth Protection training.
Q: I am an Explorer Post Advisor. Does this new policy apply to me?
A: Yes. All registered adults are required to take Youth Protection training.
Q: Do leaders need to wait until they have final clearance on the background check to meet with youth?
A: No. As long as their application is fully completed, submitted to the Council Service Center, and approved, they will be able to interact with other registered & trained adults and youth while the Criminal Background Check (CBC) is still pending.
Q: Do merit badge counselors need to take Youth Protection training?
A: Yes. A merit badge counselor is a registered volunteer position.
Q: Can units that have some adult leaders who have not completed Youth Protection training be rechartered?
A: In order for a unit to be rechartered, it must have all the required positions filled with Youth Protection-trained adults. Adults who do not have current (within the past two years) Youth Protection training will not be reregistered.
Q: Can a council or district organize Youth Protection group training for its adults?
A: Yes. It is encouraged that adults take the training via the online module, but the instructor-led model is still acceptable as long as the most current version of the Youth Protection DVD is used and the end-of-course quiz is proctored by the trainer at the end of the training session. Reminder: It is critical that training completion certificates be issued after successful completion and that a formal training record roster be submitted ot the council registrar so proper credit can be recorded in teh profiles of each participant.
Q: Will both the regular and Venturing leader versions of Youth Protection training meet the requirement?
A: Yes, as long as the most current versions of the DVDs are used for group training. The online version is the preferred method, as it allows for those taking the training to get one-on-one training and take all the time they need for review. The individual is issued an immediate certificate of completion, which allows for the updating of the volunteer's ScoutNet record.
Q: If a person is not a registered leader, how can he or she log in and take the Youth Protection training?
A: A person does not have to be a registered volunteer to take Youth Protection training. To take the training, log in to myscouting.org and click on create an account. After you have confirmed your new myscouting account username and password, log in to myscouting.org and click on e-training to begin the Youth Protection training. Upon completion, print a certificate to submit with a completed adult leader application to the unit leader or your local council representative for processing. Remeber to keep a copy for your records.
Once the application is approved, the new leader will receive his or her membership card with their member ID. It is important that new members log back in to myscouting.org and update their profile with this member ID to receive credit for completing this and any other training.