The Boy Scouts of America places the greatest importance on creating the most secure environment possible for our youth members.
Effective immediately, the National Office has changed its Youth Protection requirements.
New Youth Protection Course MUST be taken by October 1st for all registered leaders.
Update Your Training by October 1, 2018
The Boy Scouts of America’s updated youth protection training doesn’t just talk about the dangers of child predators – it shows how they work to gain access to their victims.
In early February, the BSA introduced newly updated youth protection training that is required for all volunteers before October 1, 2018. Even if they took the previous training prior to the February rollout, it will need to be taken it again.
The updated training, which includes three modules and a test that take a little over an hour to complete, draws on research from experts in the field of child abuse and maltreatment to identify the contributing factors and threats across the spectrum of child abuse, including: bullying, neglect, exposure to violence, physical and emotional abuse, and child sexual abuse. Once completed, volunteers will not have to retake the training for two years.
New to this version of the training program are video interviews with psychologists and law enforcement professionals who discuss the root causes of abuse, how to recognize it, and how to respond.
“There is no substitute for hearing directly from experts who have spent their careers studying child predators and abusers,” said Michael Johnson, the BSA’s director of youth protection. “They shine a new light on the challenge we all face in protecting kids and how parents and volunteers can put barriers in place to keep them away.”
Some of the most impactful aspects of the training are interviews with abuse survivors, who give their first-hand perspectives. “In developing this training, we discussed whether or not to include survivor videos,” said Johnson. “It was the right decision. Their testimony is powerful and highlights how predators work and the tragic impact like nothing else.”
In addition to updated training, the BSA recently announced new policies to ensure compliance with mandatory training requirements, including:
As of January 1, 2018, no new leader can be registered without first completing youth protection training.
As of January 1, 2018, no council, regional, or national leader will be allowed to renew their registration if they are not current on their Youth Protection Training.
As of September 1, 2017, no unit may re-charter without all leaders being current on their Youth Protection Training. Registrars no longer have the ability to approve charters without full compliance.
Effective June 1, 2018, adults accompanying a Scouting unit who are present at the activity for 72 total hours or more must be registered as a leader, including completion of a criminal background check and Youth Protection Training. The 72 hours need not be consecutive. All together, it’s a bold new approach that will serve as just one part of the BSA’s ongoing effort to enroll the entire community in the fight against child abuse both in and out of Scouting.
Need help with the training? Find out more in the How-to Guide for Taking Youth Protection
Youth Protection Training Now Available on Mobile
The Youth Protection (Y01) online training course will now work on mobile devices.
Volunteers can access YPT at my.scouting.org and complete the training from their tablet!
IMPORTANT: The training certificate is not automatically produced upon completion of the training course!
Volunteers will need to return to the My Training page to print their certificate. Improvements are in the works to prompt the volunteer to return to print the certificate.
