As stated by the Scouting America and echoed by the South Florida Council:
Scouting America – Safeguarding Youth Mission Statement
True youth protection can be achieved only through the focused commitment of everyone in Scouting. It is the mission of Youth Protection volunteers and professionals to work within Scouting America to maintain a culture of Safeguarding Youth awareness and safety at the national, territory, council, district, and unit levels. Protección Juvenil En Español
Safeguarding youth is our highest priority:
As part of our continued commitment to creating a safe and supportive environment for every young person in our programs, we are excited to announce the launch of the new Safeguarding Youth Training (SYT).
This training replaces the previous Youth Protection Training (YPT) and reflects a significant investment in updated content, delivery, and compliance standards. SYT is designed to be more engaging, accessible, and aligned with current best practices in youth protection.
What You Need to Know:
Deadline: All volunteers must complete SYT by May 31, 2026.
Recognition of Prior Training: If you completed YPT before May 22, 2025, it will be honored until May 31, 2026, after which SYT will need to be taken.
Why This Matters:
This overhaul is more than a name change. SYT introduces updated modules, clearer policies, and a more robust learning experience to ensure every adult in our movement is equipped to protect and empower youth.
Next Steps:
Log in to your My.Scouting account and click the Safeguarding Youth Training logo on the right of the page to be taken directly to the new course.
Leadership Selection
Scouting America takes great pride in the quality of our adult leadership. Being a leader in Scouting America is a privilege, not a right. The quality of the program and the safety of our youth members call for high-quality adult leaders.
The adult application requests background information that should be checked by the unit committee or the chartered organization before accepting an applicant for unit leadership. While no current screening techniques exist that can identify every potential child abuser, we can reduce the risk of accepting a child abuser by learning all we can about an applicant for a leadership position—his or her experience with children, why he or she wants to be a Scout leader, and what discipline techniques he or she would use.
Scouting America has a multilayered adult leader selection process that includes criminal background checks administered by a nationally recognized third party and other screening efforts. Click here for information on the selection process.
Required Training
- Safeguarding Youth training is required for all Scouting America registered volunteers and is a joining requirement.
- Safeguarding Youth training must be taken every year. If a volunteer’s Safeguarding Youth training record is not current at the time of recharter, the volunteer will not be re-registered.
- Download the How-To Guide for taking Youth Protection Training
- The South Florida Council takes it a step further. The Safeguarding Youth Training must be valid during the entire term of registration. We must have trained leaders in Safeguarding Youth. We will notify the leader when they are getting close to expiration and seek a renewal. If they do not renew, we must temporarily expire their membership. Reinstatement is simple with proof of completion. Please read the full wording of the Councils previous resolution here. December Resolution
- NOTICE REGARDING Safeguarding Youth TRAINING: All adult volunteers must complete Scouting America’s Safeguarding Youth Training course, and maintain an active Safeguarding Youth Training certificate. The membership of any adult volunteer that fails to renew their Safeguarding Youth Training certificate within thirty days of it expiring will be automatically rescinded. Any dues paid prior to the rescission of membership will be deemed forfeited without further notice. Any adult volunteer whose membership has been rescinded due to the failure to renew their Safeguarding Youth Training certificate within thirty days of it expiring is permitted to re-take the Safeguarding Youth Training course and re-apply for reinstatement as a registered adult volunteer, which includes payment of a new dues fee.
For additional information, please visit the National Page at: https://www.scouting.org/training/youth-protection/