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.  

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. 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 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

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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