CAMP GUIDE
2012
Know Before They Go What questions should you ask before sending a kid to camp? BY L I N D S AY J. WES TLE Y
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There are so many different ways to think of risk and safety when you’re in loco parentis.
It also looks at the suitability and safety of specific programming, the ratio of staff to campers and opportunities for camper growth. In short, an ACA evaluation goes beyond spot-checking the kitchens to really dig into the nitty-gritty of what your child will be doing each day. “Safety is a shared responsibility; camps and families need to partner together to ensure that children and youth have the best possible camp experience,” says Peg Smith, CEO of the American Camp Association. “ACA-accreditation is a family’s best evidence of a camp’s commitment to the health and safety of campers, so if the camp is not accredited, ask why.” There could be a perfectly logical reason. Adventure camps, such as Jericho-based Northland Adventure Education & Therapy Center, often don’t seek ACA accreditation because they report to — and follow guidelines established by — other outdoorindustry organizations. “As an adventure-education camp, we’re closely regulated by the American Mountain Guides Association, the American Canoe Association, Outward Bound and
PIETER BOHEN, FARM & WILDERNESS CAMPS KNOW BEFORE THEY GO P. 28 »
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KIDS VT
MAY 2012 KIDSVT.COM
FAST-FORWARDING TO SUMMER, your camper-to-be probably has a million questions: Will I make friends? Will there be spiders? What’s it like to sleep in a tent? Will we have pancakes on Saturday morning? How do you go to the bathroom in the woods? As a parent, you probably have a few queries of your own, such as: Will my child be happy and safe when he or she is out of my sight? You’re right to ask. Kids go off to camp to push their personal and physical boundaries, but how much pushing is too much? Is there a way to vet camp counselors before entrusting your child to them? One of your first questions should be whether or not the place is accredited by the American Camp Association. It’s not mandatory, but tests the ACA applies during the evaluation process have established a safety standard across the industry. Unlike required state licensing, which focuses mainly on health standards, cleanliness and sanitation, the ACA evaluates emergency protocols, staff qualifications and medical care, collaborating with experts from organizations including the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Red Cross.
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