Youth Protection

Scouting America Youth Protection Mission Statement

True youth protection can be achieved only through the focused commitment of everyone in Scouting. It is the mission of Youth Protection volunteers and professionals to work within Scouting America to maintain a culture of Youth Protection awareness and safety at the national, territory, council, district, and unit levels.

Leadership Selection

Scouting America takes great pride in the quality of our adult leadership. Being a leader in Scouting America is a privilege, not a right. The quality of the program and the safety of our youth members call for high-quality adult leaders.

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. While no current screening techniques exist that can identify every potential child abuser, we can reduce the risk of accepting a child abuser by learning all we can about an applicant for a leadership position—his or her experience with children, why he or she wants to be a Scout leader, and what discipline techniques he or she would use.

Scouting America has a multilayered adult leader selection process that includes criminal background checks administered by a nationally recognized third party and other screening efforts. Click here for information on the selection process.

Required Training

• Safeguarding Youth training is required for all Scouting America registered volunteers and is a joining requirement.
• Safeguarding Youth training must be taken every year. If a volunteer’s Safeguarding Youth training is not current at the time of annual registration renewal, the volunteer will not be re-registered.

For more information on Scouting America’s Youth Protection, visit the Scouting America website at Youth Protection | Scouting America.