Tip Sheet: Safety Planning for Summer
Summer often means new activities and increased independence for children as they try new summer programs, go to day or overnight camps, or even spend extended visits with family or friends. Recent headlines are a good reminder as we make summer plans for children that adults need to be educated, prepared, and willing to ask questions of the organizations and institutions they trust to care for children.
Get Educated
- Read A Summer of Happy Memories: Camp Safety.
- Learn Warning Sign behaviors and how to respond.
- Learn how to Talk to Children and Teens about prevention.
- Know what to ask leaders of the programs your kids are involved in.
- Create or review your Family Safety Plan.
Be Prepared to Speak Up
- Use our Let's Talk guidebook to help you speak up when you see behaviors that concern you.
- Know what to ask administrators when you're concerned about how a teacher or other staff or volunteer is interacting with a child.
- Learn about options for dealing with a camp's no cell phone or e-mail policy.
Especially for Sports
- Read answers to Frequently Asked Questions about Sexual Safety in Sports.
- Download and share our Sexual Safety in Sports: Talking to Children about Coaches who Show Inappropriate Interest tip sheet.
Resources for Organizations and Professionals:
- Create policies that reduce risk. Review our 9 Questions Parents Need to Ask When Selecting a Program for their Child with your staff to be sure you have comprehensive policies and practices and that all staff who interact with youth are knowledgeable about your policies and practices.
- Review 5 ways we can help your organization keep children safe ... then Contact Us.
- Review Safety in Daycare and Educational Settings and Child Sexual Abuse Prevention in Faith Communities for more help keeping children safe.
If You Need More Help
If you have a concern about a specific situation or need help thinking through a specific concern, our Help Services are available.
- Visit our Ask Now! Advice Column to browse questions from concerned adults - and our answers - about preventing child sexual abuse.
- Email or call the Stop It Now Helpline (1.888.PREVENT).
- Browse our Online Help Center to find guidance and resources for responding to typical situations.
Share Prevention Tip Sheets in Your Community
We encourage you to print and share these tip sheets in your family and community. Our tip sheets are licensed under the Creative Commons, which allows you to reproduce them as long as you follow these Guidelines. Please contact us about permissions and to tell us how you plan to put our resources to work.