[Namron] The Pooky Protection and Prevention Act (or not)

[Isobel de Kirkbryde]

I like your ideas, Pooky.  Of course you worry.  Those are your lil darlin's.  It almost makes me wonder if we need 3 adults with children's activities -- or a responsible older youth who could go notify said parents when the adults have to stay with the rest of the crew.  That would provide someone to run errands for the MoC and learn some other great group skills as well. 

Just thinkin' aloud.  Feel free to consider and toss aside ideas as needed. 

A lover of Pooky and the children.

Isobel

Lord Pooky <lord_pooky at hotmail.com> wrote:    P { margin:0px; padding:0px } body { FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY:Tahoma }  Thank you and big hugs Elizabeta! I appreciate you doing the research!
 
This version has a couple more paragraphs then the one I carry all the time in MY files.
 
This is probably not the finest forum to bring this up, but I'll practice on you guys first:
 
 ...the volunteer in charge cannot force them to remain, but should contact the parent.
 
Point 1 : The volunteer in charge cannot leave the other 20+ children to go find and contact the parent.
Point 2 : The assistant non related volunteer who must be present at any children's activities can not leave the group to find and contact the parent. 
Point 3 : Asking a crying and upset 6 year old " where is your mommy and daddy? " or " where are you camped? " and counting on that method as the only means of reuniting with the Parent or legal guardian seems a bit unrealistic.
Point 4: The solution:
 
One can't easily and immediately contact the parent unless the information of who and where the parent is, is physically connected to the child.
True they sign that info in if the child is at an MoC activity, but that doesn't help if the child is found crying and sitting in the dirt in the middle of the road.
 
As I read things right now, things seem to lean in the direction for preclusion of SCA's culpability and liability. I think we can have that and include a couple lines which will mandate the safety of the minors. 
Ok sure, I'll write them now:
 
We can call it The Pooky Protection and Prevention Act. ( or not )
 
Children under 12 must have readily identifiable information attached to their person at all times while at an Official SCA Function. The location of said information should be known to the child to assist an adult in locating the information. The information is mandated to include :
 
Name of Child
Name of Parent or Legal Guardian
Name of Group or Affiliation Par. / Leg. Guar. with whom the Par. / Leg. Guar. will be camping and/or
Most likely location of Par. / Leg. Guar. 
Cell phone # of Parent or Legal Guardian
 
That much information stenciled on to / badged on to a sash behind the shoulder of / pinned to / fastened somehow securely to a child will help immensely to put an end to the on-sight Amber Alerts / children who are lost or separated / the parents who leave the children with MoC's for an extra 45 minutes.  
 
The crying child in the parking lot with an unconfirmed adult.... 
 
I worry,
 
Pooky ~ Just an adult who cares
 
P.s. Thanx for letting ME Blog for safety.
 
 
---------------------------------
 
> From: silvina at allegiance.tv
> To: namron at ansteorra.org
> Date: Thu, 10 Aug 2006 15:19:17 -0500
> Subject: Re: [Namron] Pooky Blah Blah and a Capora Question
> 
> My Dear Pooky,
> 
> I did not find anything in kingdom law that addressed this issue other than
> what has already been mentioned, but I did find this in the Seneschal's
> Handbook.
> 
> Children
> 
> Children are the future of the Society and are welcome at all events, where
> we should
> 
> offer ways for them to enjoy themselves. However, the SCA is not a huge,
> safe
> 
> playground where children can wander freely. Parents are responsible for
> their children
> 
> at all times. Parents should always know where their children are. If the
> children are
> 
> under 12, they should be within eyesight or earshot of their children.
> Parents cannot
> 
> leave the site without their children unless they have provided a notarized
> waiver for
> 
> children in the care of a non-parent adult. Children under 12 are not
> suitable babysitters
> 
> at SCA events.
> 
> Minors who are 15 or older are permitted to hold certain offices if the
> Kingdom officer is
> 
> aware of the age of the minor and if that officer, the minor's parents, and
> the group
> 
> approve. Minors cannot hold the office of Seneschal or Treasurer or manage
> the gate at
> 
> an event.
> 
> SCA-Sponsored Children's Activities
> 
> Your group can choose to host children's activities at events for children
> between the
> 
> ages of 5 and 12. Parents must sign their children into and out of children'
> s activities,
> 
> and must accompany any child under the age of 5 during the activities. If a
> child refuses
> 
> to stay at the activity, the volunteer in charge cannot force them to
> remain, but should
> 
> contact the parent.
> 
> Official SCA groups must ensure all SCA children's activities are approved
> by the local
> 
> group Seneschal or Event Steward and if possible by the local Minister of
> Children
> 
> (MoC). These activities should take place as near the main activities as
> possible, with
> 
> safety of the children always in mind. Make parents aware that children's
> activities are
> 
> not a babysitting service. These activities are provided to encourage
> participation by
> 
> minors and to educate minors about our society and history.
> 
> For all organized SCA functions for minors, a minimum of two adults (age 18
> or older),
> 
> unrelated to one another by blood or marriage, must be present. This policy
> does not
> 
> relieve parents or guardians from their primary responsibility for the
> welfare of their
> 
> 22
> 
> children. This policy is not subject to the granting of variance or
> "grandfathering" of
> 
> existing activities.
> 
> For the purpose of this document, the following definitions apply:
> 
> 
 Minor-A person under the age of 18
> 
> 
 Adult-A person who has reached the age of 18
> 
> The Seneschal is responsible for ensuring that volunteers at children's
> activities are fully
> 
> aware of all relevant policies and guidelines concerning minors and the
> running of
> 
> activities. MoCs must ensure that sufficient leadership is provided for all
> activities, and
> 
> have the right and responsibility to cancel activities if the requirements
> cannot be met.
> 
> Encourage parents to volunteer for a couple of hours to help ensure that
> sufficient
> 
> assistance is available.
> 
> Officers and volunteers are not responsible for correcting the behavior of
> children at
> 
> children's activities or for restraining or disciplining these children.
> Children exhibiting
> 
> lewd, violent, or otherwise severely problematic behavior at organized
> activities should
> 
> be returned to parents. The Event Steward or Seneschal should be notified of
> the
> 
> problem if such actions must be taken. An MoC should not accompany an
> individual
> 
> child to the bathroom, but may escort groups of children to the restroom
> facility. Parents
> 
> are ultimately responsible for seeing to the physical needs of their
> children. Additionally,
> 
> children who are ill must remain in the care of their parent, guardian, or
> designated
> 
> caretaker and should not be brought to children's activities.
> 
> When planning activities, MoCs should consider their available
> resources-such as
> 
> volunteer assistance, funds for supplies, and available location-when
> determining size
> 
> and structure of activities, and should try within those means to meet the
> needs of a
> 
> given event. The recommended budget for children's activities is $20-50.
> 
> Seneschals and parents should review the "Guidelines for Ministry of
> Children's
> 
> Activities" for more information.
> 
> 
> 
> Elizabeta
> 
> 


 
. 
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