We have a duty of care for our youth members and there are specific requirements which must be met in this regard when adults (people who have reached their 18th birthday) are spending time with our Youth Members.
The requirements may be summarised as follows.
Adult members of Scouting Ireland may supervise / oversee activities / meetings involving young people and take part in overnight activities involving young people only when they:
- Have been vetted by the relevant authority through Scouting Ireland
- Have attended specific training provided by Scouting Ireland, including Safeguarding training
- Hold an Appointment or are a Rover Scout
Adults who are not members of Scouting Ireland may not be in regular contact with youth members of Scouting Ireland unless they:
- Have been vetted by the relevant authority through their own organisation
- Have attended Safeguarding training which is provided by their own organisation
- Are appropriately insured by their own organisation
Any activity or meeting which is being attended by adults who are not members of Scouting Ireland must be under the direct supervision of a Scouter at all times.
Adult ratios (ratios of Scouters to young people) are specified in a BOD-SG-002 Code of Behaviour to Assist Adults Engaging With Children in Scouting. Only Scouters count towards those ratios, any other adults do NOT count towards those ratios.
BOD-MA-001 Membership Policy sets out the membership categories of adults working with young people in Scouting Ireland. All adult members of Scouting Ireland should read that document and ensure the requirements are met, both by themselves and by any other adults they might be working with.
In Scouting we have a particular way of working; we refer to it as The Scout Method. The Scout Method calls on adults to enable the development of leadership and teamworking skills in our youth members. Our policy it that regard is set out in SID 64-10 Scout Method Policy.