Part 1: Summer Camp Safety
Who's Really Watching Your Kids? How to Look Past the Brochure and Choose a Safe Camp
By Larry Betz | Prepared Not Paranoid https://www.preparednotparanoid.com/
When parents start looking at summer camps, the conversation usually sounds the same. What activities do they offer? How many weeks? Can my child bring a phone? Will they make friends?
Those are fair questions. But there's a more important one that most families never ask out loud:
Who is going to be watching my child, and what systems are in place to keep my child safe?
Many camps open registration for next summer in the fall and winter, and the best spots fill fast. That's exactly why now is the time to ask these questions, before the deposit is paid and the decision is made.
Camp can be one of the best experiences of a child's life. It builds confidence, independence, and friendships that last for years. This series is not about scaring you away from camp. It's about helping you choose one with your eyes open.
There Is No National Camp Safety Code
This surprises most parents. In the United States, there is no single national standard for camp safety. Licensing, inspections, staff screening, and emergency planning rules are set state by state, and they vary widely.
When CBS News investigated camp safety in December 2018, it found that eight states had no licensing requirement for overnight camps, and 18 states did not require background checks for camp employees. Some states have tightened their rules since then. Many have not.
The type of program matters too. A day camp, an overnight camp, a church camp, a sports camp held on a college campus, and a specialty camp for kids with medical needs may all fall under different rules, or under almost no rules at all.
So the first question isn't "Is this camp safe?" It's "Who checks?"
Licensing vs. Accreditation: What's the Difference?
These two words get used like they mean the same thing. They don't.
Licensing is the legal minimum. It's the state saying a camp met the basic requirements to operate. Ask which state agency licenses the camp, then verify with that agency that the license is current and in good standing.
Accreditation is voluntary. The American Camp Association (ACA) reviews camps against standards for health, safety, staff training, and risk management. For example, ACA standards require an annual criminal background check on all seasonal staff, along with interviews, reference checks, and a check of the National Sex Offender Public Website.
Accreditation is a good sign. It means the camp invited an outside review. But it is not a guarantee that every staff member will follow every rule every day. A strong camp has both, and it can show you how its rules work in real life.
Texas Shows How Camp Rules Really Change
If you want proof that camp safety rules often change only after something goes wrong, look at Texas.
On July 4, 2025, catastrophic flash flooding hit the Texas Hill Country. The Guadalupe River rose with almost no time to react. More than 130 people died, including 27 campers and counselors at Camp Mystic, an all-girls camp that had operated along the river for nearly a century.
Two months later, on September 5, 2025, Texas signed the Heaven's 27 Camp Safety Act into law, named for the girls and counselors who died. Among other things, the new rules:
Prohibit sleeping cabins in FEMA-designated floodplains, with limited exceptions
Require NOAA weather radios and a camp-wide alert system that works without internet
Require written emergency action plans for floods, storms, lost campers, and injuries, submitted to the state every year
Require annual staff emergency training and evacuation drills at the start of each session
Require camps to tell parents in writing if any part of the camp sits in a floodplain
Those changes came at a heavy price. And the rollout has not been simple. By May 2026, more than 300 Texas camps were still waiting for licenses under the new rules as summer approached.
Here's the part every parent outside of Texas should hear. Families who lost daughters at Camp Mystic are now pushing other states, including Alabama and Missouri, to pass similar laws. One of those mothers, Dr. Jill Marsh, put it simply: "It was a big surprise, both in Texas and here, to see how little is required and is just self-regulated."
These families have been clear that they are not anti-camp. Neither am I. But if your state hasn't changed its rules, then the questions are up to you.
Asking about licensing, emergency plans, staff training, and reporting policies is not overreacting. It's doing your homework.
Why Child Protection Belongs in This Conversation
Floods and storms make headlines. Abuse usually doesn't, until years later.
That same 2018 CBS News investigation identified 578 people who reported being sexually abused at children's camps over a 55-year period, with 21 cases surfacing in 2018 alone. The number itself is dated. The lesson is not.
Camps put children away from home, outside their routines, and around adults and older kids they don't know well. Seasonal staff, overnight supervision, and one-on-one access all raise the stakes when screening and supervision are weak. We'll cover this fully in Part 2.
Look Beyond the Brochure
A beautiful website, a busy activity calendar, and a well-known name do not prove a camp is safe. Before you pay a deposit, do a little digging.
Review what's in writing.
Look for:
Named leadership, not just a logo and a phone number
A physical address and emergency contact information
Who provides health care, and when they're on site
Written child-protection rules
How parents are notified when something happens
A way to report a concern that doesn't go only through the camp director
Search online. Type the camp's name and the director's name along with words like complaint, lawsuit, inspection, violation, license, abuse, injury, flood, and closure. A clean search doesn't prove safety. An online accusation doesn't prove wrongdoing. But both can tell you which questions to ask.
Visit if you can. Walk the property and pay attention to:
Who can walk onto the grounds, and whether anyone notices
Whether staff are engaged with kids or looking at their phones
How bathrooms and changing areas are set up
How close the water is, and how access to it is controlled
Where kids sleep, and where staff sleep
How drop-off and pickup work
Whether leaders answer your questions calmly
That last one matters more than you'd think.
Red Flags in How Leadership Answers
A trustworthy camp understands why parents ask hard questions. Good directors welcome them because it shows you care.
Be cautious when you hear answers like these:
"We know everyone here."
"They're all good people."
"We've never had a problem."
"We've been doing this for 40 years."
None of those answers describe a safeguard. They describe a feeling. Reputation is not a policy.
Other red flags:
Leaders get defensive, brush you off, or make a joke of the question
They can't tell you who licenses or regulates the camp
They won't share written policies
They can't name the person responsible for safety or medical care
Ask Yourself:
Did they answer my question, or did they just reassure me?
Could they show me the policy, or did they only describe it?
If something went wrong, would I trust these people to call me first?
What to Say
You don't need to be confrontational. You just need to be clear.
"We're excited about your program. Before we register, could you send me your written safety and child-protection policies?"
"Which state agency licenses your camp? I'd like to check your status."
"Is your camp accredited? When was your last review?"
"Who is in charge of safety on site, and how do I reach that person directly?"
A good camp will say, "Of course." Watch how they respond. Their reaction tells you as much as their answer.
Remember: Safety isn't something you assume about a camp. It's something you verify.
Trust Your Gut
If something about a camp doesn't sit right with you, don't talk yourself out of it because the website looked great or another family loves it. Your instincts are information. Awareness gives you time. Time gives you options. And one of those options is choosing a different camp.
Get the Free Summer Camp Safety Checklist
I put every question from this series into one printable Summer Camp Safety Checklist so you can bring it to a tour, a phone call, or an open house and check things off as you go.
[CTA: Comment or DM "[KEYWORD]" to get your free copy / or download it here: LINK]
The checklist is part of The Family Safety Toolkit, a collection of 20 practical checklists covering water safety, trusted adults, family tech rules, home security, travel, and more. [Get The Family Safety Toolkit here: LINK]
Coming Up in Part 2
In Part 2, we'll talk about the most important question of all: who has access to your child? We'll cover staff screening, the boundaries every camp should enforce, grooming warning signs, and what happens between campers when adults aren't looking.
Sources
Fun and Safety: ACA-Accredited Camps Set the Standard, American Camp Association
How to Choose a Camp: Safety Tips, American Camp Association
Heaven's 27 Camp Safety Act: New Texas Law HB1/SB1 Explained, Perry Weather
'Heaven's 27' camp safety bill signed into Texas law, CNN (September 5, 2025)
Camp Mystic confirms 27 campers, counselors die in Guadalupe River flooding, FOX 7 Austin
Camp Mystic parents seek stronger camp regulations in other states, PBS NewsHour (February 2026)
Disclaimer
This article is for general informational and educational purposes only. It is designed to help families ask better questions and start important conversations. It is not a substitute for professional advice, training, or services, including legal, medical, mental health, licensing, or law enforcement guidance. Camp laws and licensing requirements vary by state and change over time, so verify the current rules where your child's camp operates. Prepared Not Paranoid and Larry Betz are not responsible for the content of third-party websites or resources linked here and make no guarantee of their accuracy or completeness.
If you suspect a child is being abused, contact local law enforcement, your state's child protective services, or the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-422-4453 right away. If a child is in immediate danger, call 911.
Prepared Not Paranoid. Protecting the Most Vulnerable Among Us.
