A safe space is where Girl Scouts can be themselves without explanation or judgment.
The emotional and physical safety and well-being of Girl Scouts is our top priority. Safety Activity Checkpoints is laid out in three primary sections:
- Safety Standards and Guidelines, which apply to all Girl Scout activities;
- Activities at a Glance, which provide a quick look at the safety standards for activities with a focus on age-appropriateness and if prior council approval is needed; and
- Individual Safety Activity Checkpoint pages, which provide activity-specific safety measures and guidance.
All volunteers should review the Safety Activity Checkpoints manual when planning activities with girls in order to manage safety and risk in Girl Scout-sanctioned activities.
How Many Volunteers Do I Need?
From troop meetings to camping weekends and cookie booths, adult volunteers must always be present to ensure Girl Scouts have fun and stay safe, no matter their grade level. If you are not sure about the number of adults you will need for your activity, the chart below breaks down the minimum number of volunteers needed to supervise a specific number of Girl Scouts.
Troops and groups should consider the Girl Scout Leadership Experience when determining the total number of volunteers to youth members. GSEMA encourages troops to consider adding no more than two additional volunteers from the required minimum volunteer-to-girl safety ratios for their group’s level and activity.
Note: For mixed-grade level troops (Multi-Level Troops), always use the adult-to-girl ratio for the lowest grade level in the troop. For example, if the troop consists of Daisies and Brownies, the Daisy adult-to-girl ratio should be followed.
While non-members may participate in Girl Scout sponsored/supervised or otherwise approved events when permission is required as defined by the Safety Activity Checkpoints, those individuals who attend more than once should be registered members. Volunteer-to-girl ratios must be adjusted to accommodate “bring-a-friend” and other non-member youth serving type events. Families of non-member youth participants should complete an Activity Permission Form to include emergency contact information.
As a reminder, GSEMA Volunteer Policies and Procedures also requires those adults that are volunteering or helping at meetings, activities, or events in any capacity, having any contact with girls or access to their personal information or managing Girl Scout funds, potential volunteers are required to become an adult member of GSUSA, and complete a GSEMA Criminal Background Check.
All overnight participants must be a registered member of GSUSA, including all youth and all adults must be registered volunteer members of Girl Scouts with a current, eligible Criminal Background Check (CORI/SORI, plus an online national screening for those who have not lived in MA for the past 7 years).
For more details visit the Troop Management section of Volunteer Essentials.
Child Abuse Prevention and Reporting
Per our Volunteer Policies and Procedures, GSEMA “supports and maintains environments that are free of child abuse, including but not limited to sexual abuse, and neglect. Child abuse and neglect are defined as any recent act or failure to act which results in death, serious physical or emotional harm, sexual abuse or exploitation, or an act or failure to act which presents an imminent risk of serious harm.”
Procedure for Reporting Child Abuse
If the child is in immediate harm, call 911 and follow emergency procedures on the Girl Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts Emergency Procedures card (GSEMA Emergency Number: 1-800-348-7788).
If the child is not in immediate harm, document the information as thoroughly as possible on the Child Abuse Incident Report Form and submit within 24 hours of the suspected or reported abuse.
Safety Activity Checkpoints
Safety guidelines for GSUSA and GSEMA approved activities.
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