U.S. Center for SafeSport

U.S. Center for SafeSport Summer Safety Checklist

8 Questions to Ask Before Your Child Starts a Summer Program

Whether your child is joining a summer sports league or heading off to camp, the answers to these questions can help you evaluate a program’s preparedness to prevent and respond to abuse and misconduct. Discover the answers to these questions by contacting a program administrator or checking a program’s policies before your child’s program begins.

  1. What are the criteria for volunteer and staff screening and background checks?
  2. How are children supervised during structured activities and free time?
  3. What kind of abuse prevention and response training do volunteers and staff undergo?
  4. Do you have policies that limit unsupervised one-on-one contact between adults and minors?
  5. What are the established processes for reporting and responding to abuse and misconduct?
  6. What policies do you have around cyberbullying and online communication for children and staff?
  7. What are the sleeping arrangements for minors and overnight staff or volunteers, and how are they monitored? (For overnight programs)
  8. Is an adult emergency contact available 24/7? (For overnight programs)

The Center offers numerous educational resources to prevent, recognize, and respond to abuse and misconduct in and around sport and other active settings.

Read through our Parent and Guardian’s Handbook for Safer Sport to check if your program’s answers to these questions are in line with best practices in abuse prevention. This free resource is designed for parents of athletes of all ages. It helps parents learn to recognize misconduct in sport and ensure their children have a positive and safe sport experience.

Lastly, if you’re a parent or youth sports coach, take a moment to check out our article Help Your Child Thrive This Summer: Learn How to Spot 9 Signs of a Negative Sport or Camp Environment to help you stay aware and informed throughout the summer season.

“As parents we never stop worrying, but it’s important to turn concern into action. SafeSport’s Summer Safety Checklist offers one easy way to verify that the environments we are sending our children into prioritize safety and well-being.” 

Benita Fitzgerald Mosley
CEO, U.S. Center for SafeSport
LA84 Olympic Gold Medalist

“When we think about safety in sport settings and beyond, prevention is crucial. It’s not enough to have good intentions. Rules and policies are necessary to create a solid foundation for safety and to prevent opportunities for abuse to occur.”

Monica Rivera
Vice President, Education & Research
U.S. Center for SafeSport

U.S. Center for SafeSport