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The decision to send your child to camp can be very stressful
for parents. In today's society, it's hard to trust
other people to be safe and have your child's very best
interests at heart. There is no seal of approval, no guarantee,
no blinking light saying "Proven safe! Proven safe!" However,
parents can reduce concerns and have confidence that their children
will be safe at an ACA-accredited camp.
ACA accreditation assures parents that the camp has had a voluntary,
independent safety audit that goes beyond regulations in most
states. To achieve accreditation, camps must demonstrate compliance
with any mandatory standards applicable to their specific programs,
as well as substantial compliance with an additional body of
standards in ten operational areas that specifically address
the delivery of a quality camp program.
By choosing an ACA-accredited camp, parents know they are sending
their child to someone they can trust, someone who does have
their child's best interests at heart. They know that every
possible safety precaution has been taken, and that standards
and regulations have been met. An ACA-accredited camp allows
children to play and take healthy risks in a safe and nurturing
environment.
It is important for parents to know that there is a difference
between licensing and accreditation. Licensing focuses on the
enforcement of the minimum regulations, whereas accreditation
focuses on education — supporting the best practices in
all aspects of camp operation.
Although no accreditation process, no licensing program, and
no set of regulations or laws can guarantee safety, ACA accreditation
is the best evidence for parents that a camp is committed to
health and safety. To access a list of ACA-accredited camps,
visit Find A Camp at www.CampParents.org.
For more information on accreditation, visit www.CampParents.org/funsafety.php.
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