At Fort Bluff, abuse prevention is of the highest importance. Abuse prevention is more than just doing background checks. We weave abuse prevention into our entire camp environment, through training, monitoring, and feedback systems.
Staff Training
Our abuse prevention training begins before our summer staff are out of school. During the spring, Fort Bluff's summer staff leadership go through a weekend of training. Part of their training includes a review of everything we teach our entire summer staff on abuse prevention, new information about how we watch and monitor everyone around us, and what to do in situations where abuse is suspected.
As part of our summer staff training for our entire staff, we train everyone on background information about abuse prevention and specific rules and procedures we have in place. One of our sessions is taught by a licensed professional counselor (LPC). All summer staff must pass at test on the abuse prevention concepts taught during training. Some key concepts and procedures we teach our staff are:
As part of our summer staff training for our entire staff, we train everyone on background information about abuse prevention and specific rules and procedures we have in place. One of our sessions is taught by a licensed professional counselor (LPC). All summer staff must pass at test on the abuse prevention concepts taught during training. Some key concepts and procedures we teach our staff are:
- The Rule of Three
Summer staff should never be alone with a camper in a private place. While one to one conversations are an important part of our ministry, they should always be done in public places with other people around. Trips to the bathroom involve three people, which can be a mix of campers or staff and campers. - Appropriate and inappropriate physical and verbal interactions
- Appropriate and inappropriate camper contact outside of camp
- What to do if you encounter abuse of any kind
On-Property Monitoring
Abuse of any kind needs opportunity. Monitoring is an important abuse prevention tool because it decreases the opportunity for abuse to happen. During the summer, campers are busy with planning activities during their time at camp, and we have accountability checks on campers and staff throughout the day.
Monitoring checks are far-reaching and include checking any secluded areas for people, doors to closets and other rooms are locked and unable to be opened, bathrooms are clear, and that staff and campers are interacting with each other in appropriate ways both physically and verbally.
During training, we teach the concept of monitoring “two levels up, one level down.” What this means is that each staffer should be monitoring two levels above them, which would include their summer leadership and resident staff, and one level down, which would include their campers. This means everyone at camp has eyes watching them.
Additionally, Fort Bluff employs police officers to patrol at night for an added layer of accountability for both resident and summer staff.
Monitoring checks are far-reaching and include checking any secluded areas for people, doors to closets and other rooms are locked and unable to be opened, bathrooms are clear, and that staff and campers are interacting with each other in appropriate ways both physically and verbally.
During training, we teach the concept of monitoring “two levels up, one level down.” What this means is that each staffer should be monitoring two levels above them, which would include their summer leadership and resident staff, and one level down, which would include their campers. This means everyone at camp has eyes watching them.
Additionally, Fort Bluff employs police officers to patrol at night for an added layer of accountability for both resident and summer staff.
Reporting
In compliance with Tennessee State law, if any of our staff become aware of potential or actual abuse, we report any suspicions and information we have to the appropriate agency.
