Child Safety at Camp Wyldewood
At Camp Wyldewood, we believe children should be able to experience Christ, Community, and Creation in an environment where they are known, cared for, supervised, and protected. Child safety isn't one program or one policy…it’s a culture. Your child’s safety is our focus before they even arrive at camp. From staff recruitment, hiring, training and monitoring, to policies and program design, Camp Wyldewood is committed to a culture that promotes a safe camping experience for your child.
How We Protect Campers
The information below is grouped by topic so parents can quickly understand the safeguards used throughout the camp experience.
Staff Screening & Training
- Criminal background, Child maltreatment registry, and National Sex Offender registry checks on all volunteers, summer staff, and full time staff.
- Reference checks on every employee at camp.
- Staff training that emphasizes child abuse recognition, reporting child abuse, appropriate staff/camper boundaries, camper supervision, appropriate physical contact, bullying prevention, emergency procedures, safety during activities, health and injury procedures, behavior management, severe weather procedures, etc.
- Multiple child protection trainings (online and in person) required for volunteers.
Supervision & Boundaries
- Rule of 3 Policy: A camper should never be alone with a single staff member or camper; groups always consist of at least three people.
- No cell phones allowed for both campers and counselors: This policy is in place in order to encourage direct face to face interactions, reduce distractions, protect camper privacy in regards to photos/videos, and protect campers from being exposed to inappropriate content while at camp.
- No “free time” at camp. Schedules are intentionally developed to keep campers engaged and organized in groups so that we can better monitor campers at all times.
- No camper or staff member is allowed to be on your child’s bed at any time except your child.
- Shower stalls have a curtain for the changing area of the stall and also one for the shower area of the stall. (Counselors are stationed next to the line for the showers during shower times to help prevent anyone being bothered while showering)
Camper Awareness & Reporting
- All campers receive training on the first night for recognizing, resisting, and reporting inappropriate activity.
- Multiple avenues for campers to report inappropriate behavior:
- Reporting to counselors
- Reporting to Leadership Team members
- Reporting to directors
- Reporting to nurse or office staff
- “Black Box” to leave signed or anonymous notes to report inappropriate behavior in. (This box is checked daily by Nurse and Office Admin together.)
Medical Care & Abuse Response
- Registered Nurse or Doctor volunteers as the medical professional on site every session.
- Hired “Nurse’s Assistant” to add to the level of healthcare a camper can receive. This is usually a nursing student or a college student who has received some form of medical training.
- Immediate reporting of suspected child abuse to the proper state authorities in accordance with state law. (All Camp Wyldewood employees and volunteers are legally mandated to report suspected child abuse.)
Water & Activity Safety
- Certified Lifeguards present for lake swim, pool swim, and kayaking.
- Life jackets REQUIRED for all lake swim and kayaking participants.
- Pool swim participants must pass a swim test to swim in the deep end.
Pickup & Departure Security
- IDs checked upon checkout to confirm that your child is being picked up by someone on your child’s authorized pickup list.
Our Commitment to Your Family
When you send your child to Camp Wyldewood, you are placing your deepest trust in us. We do not take that responsibility lightly. We are committed to provide an environment where children are supervised, respected, protected, and cared for and where concerns are taken seriously and addressed appropriately. We want to create a fun filled week of camp, but we believe a fun week of camp can only occur if we create an environment where children can safely encounter Christ, Community, and Creation.
Join Us in Keeping Children Safe
Have any questions or concerns about child safety at camp?
Contact Executive Director, Brian Bullard