Keeping young people safe

All our volunteers give their time freely to help young people thrive. Some volunteers lead their group week in and week out. Others call in occasionally to share a specific skill, or provide an extra pair of hands – whether they’re abseiling down mountains, or helping a group of eight year olds build a robot, or expertly remembering how everyone takes their tea.

All of our leaders are interviewed locally and asked to provide references. They undergo the mandatory training they need to be the best they can be, including basic first aid and child protection. Special training is provided for those taking young people away on residential events like camps and sleepovers.

Everyone who works with young people also has to undertake a disclosure check (also known as a ‘police check’).

Yes. As scouts, we have a clear code of behaviour we expect everyone to abide by. This code is shared with all adults who interact with young people – regardless of their role – and is included in the training leaders receive.

If you volunteer to help out with an activity, you’ll be given your own copy of our guidelines to keep on hand and refer back to. You can see a digital copy of them here, or call our national Information centre on 0345 300 1818 to discuss it.  

Safeguarding and safety are two of our key policies that anyone involved in scouts must work to. You can see the full policies in our Policy, Organisation and Rules section:

• Safeguarding policy
• Safety policy

Each scout group has a number of different sections (age groups) – which may include a: 

• squirrel drey (for 4-6 year olds)
• beaver colony (for 6-8 year olds)
• cub pack (for 8-10 ½ year olds)
• scout troop (for 10 ½-14 year olds)

The lead volunteer in the scout group is responsible for overseeing and supporting volunteers in each section and oversee the day to day management of the scout group

Explorer scouts meet together in a explorer unit  (for 14-18 year olds)
       and
Members of the scout network also meet in network units (for 18-25 year olds).

The team leader for the 14 to 24 team is responsible for overseeing and supporting volunteers in each of the units in their area and oversee the day to day management of explorer scouting and the scout network in the area.

The district lead volunteer is the volunteer is responsible for a wider geographical area - such as a town, London Borough, of a larger area of a city or county.

If you’d like to contact your group lead volunteer, district 14-25 team leader, or district lead volunteer contact us at office@southlonmdonscouts.org.uk 

If you’re unhappy with anything relating to your child’s time in scouting, you should raise it immediately with your local leaders, no matter how trivial it may seem.

If you’d rather speak to someone else, please refer to our page relating to concerns about scouting.

All leaders taking young people away will give you notice, ask for your permission and provide you with a way of contacting the group while they’re away.

All residential activities (such as camps and sleepovers) are required to have at least two adults present, unless the young people involved are participating in an expedition or event where adults are not expected to attend at all. We’ll always tell you if there is to be no adult presence for a particular activity, and we’ll never ask to take individual young people away on their own.

No young people under the age of 18 are allowed to consume alcohol while they’re taking part in scout activities.

The NSPCC advises parents and carers to be wary of

• Activities where parents are discouraged from staying to watch or become involved.
• Activities or behaviour that encourage rough play, sexual innuendo or humiliating punishments.
• Individuals who take charge and operate independently of organisational guidelines.
• Individuals who show favouritism or personally reward specific children.
• Encouragement of inappropriate physical contact. 
• Poor communication and lack of parental involvement, leaving you feeling uneasy.
• Children who drop out or stop going for no apparent reason
• Invitations for children to spend time alone with staff or volunteers (or even to visit their home).

We agree wholeheartedly with the NSPCC and would not expect any of this behaviour to occur in The Scouts.

As always, if you have any concerns, please raise them immediately with your child’s leaders, or – If you’d rather speak to someone else, please refer to our page relating to concerns about scouting.