What You Really Should Be Asking Your Camp Director…

As parents, you may have read numerous articles about what to ask the camp owners and directors, from facilities, to camper- staff ratios, to the objectives of the camp. Here is a list of some questions that you should be asking your Camp Director so that you can make sure your child is in a safe and secure environment where respect and tolerance are the order of the day.

•  What staff training do you do? How many days is it? Do you send your staff to conferences to upgrade their training to prepare them for summer camp? At your pre camp training do you have any guest speakers?

•  Do the overnight camp have a staff curfew so that staff receive an adequate amount of sleep to function properly?

•  Does the summer camp allow staff to leave other then on a day off or allow “town nights” while campers are at camp?

•  Do you specifically cover in your staff training topics such as respect, bullying, cabin bonding, discipline, homesickness, “the unattached camper”, first aid training, anaphylaxis management, adolescence and sexual issues for staff and older campers?

•  Do you give all of your staff a basic first aid course?

•  Does your summer camp water system have filters, Ultraviolet light and chlorination? Is your water system checked at least once a day to insure the quality of the water? (If so, it is likely better than water in the city).

•  How old is the senior staff person in each cabin?

•  Do you hire extra staff in case a staff member leaves for any reason?

•  Do you receive two references on your summer camp staff?

•  Do you do a criminal reference check on your staff?

•  Do your kitchen staff take a food handling course each year?

•  Do all your foreign staff enter legally with a Visa thus ensuring they have no medical problems or criminal record?

•  How old are your tripping staff? Do you send out junior trippers alone on a canoe trip?

•  Do you have a security guard at summer camp?

•  Do you offer healthy choices in terms of food at meals such as Salad bar, vegetarian options for all campers, and fresh fruit at every meal? Are your staff trained to ensure kids are eating healthy and getting enough fruits, vegetables and protein?

•  Is the overnight camp doctor on site a family physician or pediatrician who knows kids illnesses or are they specialists?

•  Is every medical form reviewed by the medical staff at camp and also by the Camp Director?

•  If the overnight camp is coed are the girls cabins separate from the boys for privacy?

•  Do the girls and boys units, especially the older ones, have Unit Heads that are the same sex as the kids so that the campers can approach their Unit Head with sensitive issues?

•  Are there showers and washrooms in the cabins?

•  Do the younger cabins have fewer kids in the cabin so they get that special attention they deserve?

•  Do the Camp Directors, Activity Heads and Unit Heads meet once a day to advise of any camper’s issues so everyone is prepared to give that child the extra attention they require?

•  Do the staff at each activity actually have skills related to that activity or are they people that are just there to supervise at that activity?

•  What does the summer camp do when it rains?

•  Do the Camp Directors take the time to meet with each unit and all the campers on the first day of each session to explain to them that the staff and directors are there for them and that they can be approached at any time on a confidential basis, about any issue?

•  When you request to discuss camp, (if the Camp Director is in your area), will the Director come to your home to meet you, thus giving you the necessary time and respect to get to know your child and answer your questions in person to ensure your child’s needs are met at summer camp?

•  Does the overnight camp provide a reference list if asked to be provided?