Tag: sexual abuse pevention

Sending your child to camp? Ask these questions first.

Cara Hansen beKidSafe, Blog, Fighting ACEs PBC, KidSafe, Latest News, News Releases April 15, 2026April 15, 2026bekidsafe, CampSafe, Center for Child Counseling, Cherie Benjsoseph, sexual abuse pevention, summer camp

Op-Ed
April 15, 2026
For immediate release
Media contact: Cara Scarola Hansen
Center for Child Counseling Public Relations Counsel
cara@yourmissionmarketing.com

Sending your child to camp? Ask these questions first.

By: Cherie Benjoseph, LCSW, Center for Child Counseling director of national outreach and education and creator of the CampSafe® curriculum.

If you could go back to any age, what would it be? For me, it’s easy—I think of my incredible summers at sleepaway camp, starting at age eight. Those experiences were formative, joyful, and unforgettable. I’m a strong supporter of day and residential camp—provided that camp is properly vetted for safety. That’s where you come in.

Are you considering the big step of sending your child to camp for a week, a month, or even an entire summer? Maybe you’re looking at a camp you attended as a child, one recommended by a friend, or one you discovered online. With so many choices, how do you get the answers you really need?

Before making a decision, take a step back. Look beyond glossy websites and highlight reels. Ask yourself: Does this camp truly prioritize safety? And not just physical safety like swimming or sports—but emotional and interpersonal safety as well.

At the Center for Child Counseling, our mission is to empower children and families with lifelong skills—so kids can spread their wings with confidence, and parents can feel secure knowing their children are prepared to navigate challenges. Camp—whether day or overnight—can be an incredible part of that growth.

When researching camps, it’s natural to focus on your child’s interests: sports, theater, horseback riding, STEM, culinary arts, or even location and religious affiliation. These factors matter—but they shouldn’t overshadow the most important question: Is this a safe environment for my child?

Think of choosing a camp the same way you would vet a potential employee. Don’t assume camps are doing thorough screening—ask the tough questions.

What Every Parent Should Ask Before Choosing a Camp

Meet the camp director.
This is the person responsible for your child’s well-being. Meet in person or via video. Ask:

How is staff recruited?
What does the screening process include?
Are references checked and employment histories verified?
What is staff retention like from year to year?

Confirm comprehensive background checks.
Does the camp conduct national fingerprint-based criminal background checks? Basic checks alone may not reflect thorough vetting.

Verify screening through the National Sex Offender Registry.
This should apply to everyone on-site—counselors, administrative staff, dining personnel, maintenance, and more.

Review the Child Protection Policy.
Ask for a copy. This policy should clearly outline:

Codes of conduct
Policies on sexual misconduct
Procedures for reporting and responding to concerns

Ask about staff training.
Staff should be trained in:

Sexual abuse prevention, intervention, and reporting
Bullying prevention and response
Recognizing and addressing physical and emotional abuse

Understand supervision practices.
How are staff monitored and supported while they are responsible for campers?

Know the reporting procedures.
If a camper or staff member has a concern, how is it reported? What follow-up steps are taken?

Confirm state licensing.
Is the camp licensed? Request documentation.

Look for accreditation.
Is the camp accredited by the American Camp Association? Ask to see proof of certification.

Having these conversations will help you determine whether a camp offers more than just fun activities and good food—it will show you whether it is grounded in professionalism, accountability, and a genuine commitment to child safety.

The Center for Child Counseling specializes in training adults who work with children in camp settings. If you’re considering a specific camp, ask whether it is CampSafe® trained. If not, you can share more information with them at: bekidsafe.org/camps.

When it comes to your child, peace of mind should not be optional—it should be part of the package.

About Center for Child Counseling
Center for Child Counseling has been building the foundation for playful, healthful, and hopeful living for children and families in Palm Beach County since 1999. Its services focus on preventing and healing the effects of adverse experiences and toxic stress on children, promoting resiliency and healthy family, school, and community relationships. www.centerforchildcounseling.org Twitter: @ChildCounselPBC Facebook: @CenterforChildCounseling Instagram: @childcounselpbc

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Parents Need to Demand Sexual Abuse Prevention at Their Kids’ Summer Camps

Cara Hansen beKidSafe, Blog, Fighting ACEs PBC, KidSafe, Latest News, News Releases March 25, 2026March 25, 2026bekidsafe, CampSafe, Center for Child Counseling, Renee Layman, sexual abuse pevention, summer camp

Op-Ed
March 25, 2026
For immediate release
Media contact: Cara Scarola Hansen
Center for Child Counseling Public Relations Counsel
cara@yourmissionmarketing.com

Parents Need to Demand Sexual Abuse Prevention at Their Kids’ Summer Camps

By: Renée E. Layman, LMHC, Chief Executive Officer of Center for Child Counseling

Every year, about 26 million children attend roughly 15,000 day and overnight summer camps across the United States. With summer on the horizon, caregivers are starting to plan how they will fill the nearly three months of summer when their kids are not in school. Parents, heed caution and make sure you are doing your part to ensure the camps you are sending your kids to are properly vetted to keep them safe this summer.

These are the facts. Every nine minutes, a child is a victim of sexual abuse and assault (rainn.org). Of those children who are sexually abused, 90% are abused by someone they know and trust. A CBS News report identified at least 578 child sexual abuse victims from camps spanning from 1960-2018. It is noted that given the reality of disclosure delays and nondisclosures, this real number of abuse cases is likely much higher.

Sexual abuse can have long-lasting physical and emotional effects, including: depression, eating disorders, self-blame, self-destructive behaviors, intergenerational cyclical abuse, learning disabilities, drug abuse. As devastating as this public health crisis is, sexual abuse and these long-term effects can be prevented through education.

As the CEO of Center for Child Counseling, a Palm Beach County-based nonprofit, we are doing our part to help ensure that camps throughout our county, state, country, and around the world are keeping kids safe. We believe all children deserve the same protection from abuse at summer camps as that which we advocate for and provide training for within schools and child care centers during the school year. We created CampSafe® as part of our beKidSafe program to make it easy for all camp staff–young adults and grown adults, alike–to become trauma-aware and recognize and stop childhood trauma and abuse in its tracks.

Our goal is for all staff, including counselors, administrators, supervisors, dining and health personnel, volunteers, and board members to arrive at camp with the same strong foundational knowledge of child sexual abuse prevention and awareness. From setting healthy boundaries to ensuring the entire camp team has a consistent safety protocol, our philosophy is to empower caregivers in all settings with a level of confidence around this topic, therefore better protecting all staff and campers. Training staff and volunteers helps break the cycle of child sexual abuse and prepares staff to be active participants in abuse prevention.

Parents and caregivers, you can help ensure the camps you choose for your children enforce strict policies that prevent and address abuse. Ask the camp director what type of training the staff receives regarding: sexual abuse intervention, prevention and reporting; bullying intervention and response; child abuse, both physical and emotional. If you would like to share information about our CampSafe® training, you can provide this link: bekidsafe.org/camps.

Together, let’s deter individuals with the wrong motives and ensure a safe, supportive environment for every camper.

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Announcing CampSafe Level 2

Cara Hansen Blog, Fighting ACEs PBC, Latest News, News Releases February 6, 2026bekidsafe, CampSafe, Center for Child Counseling, Cherie Benjoseph, Renee Layman, sexual abuse pevention, summer camp

NEWS RELEASE
February 6, 2026
For immediate release
Media contact: Cara Scarola Hansen
Center for Child Counseling Public Relations Counsel
cara@yourmissionmarketing.com

Enhanced Training to Keep Kids Safe at Camp this Summer
Center for Child Counseling’s CampSafe® Training is designed to protect campers and staff from child sexual abuse.

Every year, about 26 million children attend roughly 15,000 day and overnight summer camps across the United States. As spring draws closer, caregivers start to take action and plan how they will fill the nearly three months of summer when their kids are not in school. But how do parents ensure the camps they choose are properly vetted? Center for Child Counseling (CFCC), a Florida-based nonprofit, is doing its part in helping to ensure that camps across the country and around the world are keeping kids safe with its CampSafe® training program.

CampSafe® is a comprehensive, camp-specific online program designed to provide camp leadership and staff with the awareness and knowledge needed to prevent child sexual abuse. With summer around the corner, CFCC announces CampSafe® Level 2 for those camps that have been participating in CampSafe® training for three or more years.

“As devastating as this public health crisis is, sexual abuse and these long-term effects can be prevented through education. We created CampSafe® as part of our beKidSafe program to make it easy for all camp staff–young adults and grown adults, alike–to become trauma-aware and recognize and stop childhood trauma and abuse in its tracks.” stated Renée Layman, CEO for Center for Child Counseling.

For summer 2025, over 15,000 camp staff across 180 camps in 42 states and 20 countries participated in the CampSafe® training program. Close to 50,000 campers were protected and kept safe.

The goal is for all staff, including counselors, administrators, supervisors, dining and health personnel, volunteers, and board members to arrive at camp with the same strong foundational knowledge of child sexual abuse prevention and awareness.

“Our philosophy is to empower caregivers in all settings with a level of confidence around this topic, therefore better protecting all staff and campers. Training staff and volunteers helps break the cycle of child sexual abuse and prepares staff to be active participants in abuse prevention,” said Cherie Benjoseph, CFCC director of national outreach and education and creator of the CampSafe® curriculum.

The program was created with young adults, ages 18-26, as well as seasoned staff in mind to take the topic seriously but not instill fear. The training promotes compassion toward campers as staff become fluent in the language of safety while providing comfort, aide, and access to supervisory staff for guidance.

From setting healthy boundaries to ensuring the entire camp team has a consistent safety protocol, CampSafe® training provides scenarios, interactive learning, and clear safety language for staff. Director training modules include: screening, interviewing, and onboarding best practices; protection policy guidelines; mandated reporting; supervision through a prevention lens; pre-camp week in-person training plan; prevention for campers with special needs; scripts for teaching healthy boundaries; communication templates for staff and parents; and certification testing & documentation.

“In response to 99% of camps reporting the importance of reinforcing this training year after year, we decided to create the next level of training for seasoned staff. CampSafe Level 2 supports camp staff in putting their knowledge and skills into action,” stated Benjoseph.

This next level enhanced training allows staff to work through a variety of realistic situations, including: counselor-to-camper, camper-to-camper, and counselor-to-counselor interactions and concerns; sexual harassment; boundary violations; and disclosures of abuse at home.

The CampSafe® program was developed by professionals with expertise in sexual abuse prevention and training. The training is designed to empower all camp personnel, gently but thoroughly, before camp begins.

“Training that focuses squarely on sexual abuse prevention sends a clear message that your camp has zero tolerance for abuse. It helps deter individuals with the wrong motives and ensures a safe, supportive environment for every camper,” added Benjoseph.

CampSafe® is endorsed by the American Camp Association and approved by the Texas Department of State Health Services. It can be provided to all camp staff for a nominal fee, ranging from $300-$1,200 depending on the number of staff members being trained.

For camp associations, camp directors, parks and recreation departments, and school districts interested in learning more about how to be proactive in preventing and responding to child sexual abuse at your day or overnight camp, visit bekidsafe.org/camps or email bekidsafe@centerforchildcounseling.org.

About Cherie Benjoseph, CFCC director of national outreach and education and creator of the CampSafe® curriculum:
Cherie Benjoseph, LCSW, has dedicated her career to protecting children and strengthening camps and families through primary prevention, education, and advocacy. She earned her MSW from Boston University and has 30+ years of experience in camps, schools, and communities. In 2009, she co-founded KidSafe Foundation, focused on preventing child sexual abuse, and created CampSafe®,, which has trained 40,000+ camp staff nationwide. Cherie empowers camp staff and leadership with proactive tools to prevent abuse. As Director of National Outreach and Education at the Center for Child Counseling, she helps build trauma-informed systems. She also serves on the board of the National Coalition to Prevent Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation. A seasoned national speaker, Cherie promotes open dialogue on safety and prevention. She believes that through education, collaboration, and community, a world free from child sexual abuse is achievable.

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