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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

scout camp - boys and girls sharing a room

28 replies

justcheese · 29/05/2015 20:05

Just dropped my 10 year old DD at scout camp. The scouts are sharing a room, all boys aside from 4 girls. Scouts are aged from 10-14 years.

They have camped before but boys and girls have always slept seperately.

I'm not suggesting anything untoward will happen for a minute, but AIBU to be uncomfortable with this?

Am aware I might be.....Grin

OP posts:
yetanotherchangename · 29/05/2015 20:06

YANBU - everyone should have been notified about this beforehand. Is there a leader sleeping in the room with them?

Maladicta · 29/05/2015 20:11

I'd be very surprised, the rules on keeping genders separate are very very clear.

Original poster
justcheese · 29/05/2015 20:11

No - apparently the leaders aren't allowed to sleep in the room with them Hmm

OP posts:
ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 29/05/2015 20:12

If they are all sleeping in one big room together I think it is fine.

Camping different (unless all in one massive tent) as 2-3 people in an enclosed private space.

musicinspring1 · 29/05/2015 20:13

Yanbu I'm surprised that that's 'allowed' having helped at various youth event camping things. I'm not suggesting anything would happen either but I'd be very uncomfortable about it.

Original poster
justcheese · 29/05/2015 20:14

Could you point me in the direction of any formal guidance Maladicta?

Many thanks

OP posts:
musicinspring1 · 29/05/2015 20:14

Yes - I'd assumed scout tents. Is it tents or a large hall?

AlmaMartyr · 29/05/2015 20:15

Yes, leaders aren't allowed to sleep in the same room. Not sure about gender divide although I'd be surprised too.

Original poster
justcheese · 29/05/2015 20:17

Its a large room - sleeps about 20 I would guess and will be full

OP posts:
Jenijena · 29/05/2015 20:18

You need to look up POR Scouts - that's the regs. Will try to look up now but no, not normal practice.

jaspercat2002 · 29/05/2015 20:25

I think they have to 'separate' the sleeping areas - ideally separate rooms but if not possible then with a curtain or similar. Will check with Dh when he gets home as he's a cub leader.

Oakmaiden · 29/05/2015 20:29

The only thing I can find says this : "You will need to ensure separate washing/toilet facilities for girls and boys, and if possible separate sleeping areas. "

So looks like it is preferable, but not essential.

They should have made you aware of the situation first though - I can see it being a problem for some older girls...

Jenijena · 29/05/2015 20:33

Husband (scout leader) just had a look, and says do a search for 'mixed scouting'. Crucially, it should have been discussed prior to you turning up this evening.

MrsLeighHalfpenny · 29/05/2015 20:34

I wouldn't be comfortable with girls and boys sharing rooms. What if one if the girls has a period related accident or something.

At Brownies the girl/boy thing doesn't arise, but adults ARE allowed to share a room with the girls if necessary.

I would ask the Scout Leaders to at least rig up a curtain to a!!ow each sex some privacy, but if there are only four girls, they may be able to work out some better solution.

Princess28 · 29/05/2015 20:35

I've done school residentials where we've 'camped' in a village hall. Boys at one end, girls at the other, with a moveable screen between them. In fact two moveable screens as the staff slept between the screens.

Original poster
justcheese · 29/05/2015 20:36

I wasn't told in advance and do feel that i should have been.

Have since spoken to the mums of the other girls and they don't have a problem so it looks like i will have to be 'that' parent Grin

OP posts:
Original poster
justcheese · 29/05/2015 20:37

Thank you Jenijena will have a look

OP posts:
honeyandfizz · 29/05/2015 20:49

I'm surprised too - when ds attends cubs camp (only 8/9/10 year olds) girls and boys are made to sleep in seperate tents. I thought it was the rules across cubs/beavers/scout land.

ChoudeBruxelles · 29/05/2015 20:51

Used to be a beaver leader and even at that age they didn't share

Themoleandcrew · 29/05/2015 20:53

We only have girls in our beavers and cubs, none in our scouts section. As there are literally only one of each who attend camp the girls bunk in with the boys. But we do inform parents beforehand. Leaders are not allowed to sleep in with the children.

misssmapp · 29/05/2015 20:55

I have just dropped my ds at scout camp ! There are 2 girls and 5 boys, on the way he told me the girls would share a tent as they were girls. Makes sense to me .

scrivette · 29/05/2015 21:01

When I was at Venture Scouts we got in trouble a couple of times for sharing tents with the boys so I am quite surprised it is allowed now.

Maladicta · 29/05/2015 21:12

When I did my Nights Away training for Beavers it was stressed as an absolute no-no. The leaders have to be in separate areas too.

I'm trying to find it in POR but at a minimum you should have been informed it were to be mixed - most districts and groups have a sleep separate policy including Explorers. Certainly all my dc have had single sex tents.

Sleeping in tents makes it much easier to segregate, where are they if it's a room?

ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 29/05/2015 21:15

Can't find anything about it in POR...

Tobiasfunke · 29/05/2015 21:20

I was just away with a mixed group cubs/Beavers. We were told they can share a room but the parents of the girls should be asked before hand whether or not they and the girls mind.
If they do mind then a separate area needs to be found/created. Sections sharing with a big age gap such as Explorers and Beavers is a no no as are leaders and kids.