• Policies should also include considera- tions if a child protection agency/police conduct an investigation on the camp’s site. • Any information related to a suspicion or report of abuse is confidential between the person directly involved, the person making the report and a child protection agency and/or police. The camp director should consult with a child protection agency and/or police regarding the appro- priate sharing of information with staff, volunteers, campers, parents and the board of directors. • If child abuse or family violence are sus- pected and not reported, the child(ren) may be at further risk. The individual(s) who suspects abuse and does not report is col- luding with the family and/or alleged abus- er in continuing to keep it a secret.
SUPERVISION Staff are “in loco parentis” — they have the role of a primary caregiver while at camp and are entrusted with the everyday care and supervision of campers. Hiring and supervision policies should reflect the fol- lowing: • A vulnerable persons criminal back- ground check for all staff, counsellors-in- training and volunteers; • Minimum age of staff; • Staff/camper ratios at camp during the day and night, taking into account the dif- ferent activities, like special days, day trips and overnights; • On-time off: do staff sleep in cabins with campers or in a designated cabin? Are staff responsible for any problems with camper behaviour? Expected behaviour of staff, including any use of alcohol/drugs and assuming of responsibilities; • Visitor’s day: who is responsible for supervision of children (i.e., parents or staff)?; • Appropriate attire when supervising during showering; • Sharing of beds; • Sign-out/sign-in procedures when leav- ing the camp; and • Guiding campers’ behaviour: accept- able guidance strategies; prohibited responses (e.g., physical punishment, humiliation) and consequences if a prohib- ited response is used; when to seek help from a supervisor; sending campers home due to behaviour. At every camp, proper supervision is
critical; the challenge is balancing camper independence with supervision.
www.canadacampsmag.com Spring 2010 Canada Camps 21
RELATIONSHIPS Relationships with campers, CITs and staff are friendly and often affectionate. It is imperative for staff, CITs and volunteers to have clear direction as to the appropriate- ness of relationships at camp. The Criminal Code of Canada sets out the laws regarding consent to sexual acts. The general age of consent is 16 years old. However, if some- one is in a position of trust or authority, consent is not legal until 18 years old. Examining your “camp culture” within
the legal parameters in mind will assist in the development of relevant policies, including:
• Prohibited sexual contact between campers, staff and CITs. All camp staff, including CITs, are considered to be in a position of trust or authority over campers; all staff are in a position of trust or author- ity over campers and CITs; and the camp director is in a position of trust or authori- ty over everyone; • Permitted relationships between staff and their conduct (e.g., use of discretion with intimacy, sleeping arrangements); • Staff not encouraging romantic rela- tionships among campers; • The unacceptability of games that involve any kind of intimidation, force,
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32