AIBU to volunteer at Cubs camp to support my AUDHD son?

[Floralscent]

Hi all,
I’m just looking for a bit of advice/other people’s experiences. My son is due to go on his first Cubs camp soon. He’s really excited, but he’s also AUDHD and can struggle a bit with things like new environments, sleep, and following instructions in a busy group.
I’m already starting to feel a bit anxious about how he’ll manage being away, especially overnight. I absolutely don’t want to hold him back or make him feel different, but at the same time I want to make sure he’s properly supported.

I was wondering if it’s ever appropriate for a parent to offer to help out at camp as a volunteer? I don’t mean hovering over him, just being around in case he needs a bit of extra support settling in. But assisting the other children too of course.

Any advice would be really appreciated!

Yanbu

I forgot to add he’s only 8.

We wouldn’t accept parents on camp - it just changes the whole dynamic and experience for that child, and also leads to other children feeling home sick and wanting their own parent. It would be really disruptive to the whole running of camp in my experience but I know other packs who always take some parents as they don’t have enough non-parent leaders.
We have taken children with additional needs and would meet 1-1 with parents before hand to talk about what is going to work for them. I’d seek this out and hear how they plan to support him, as your starting point, rather than automatically jump to going yourself.

You would need to go through the whole dbs and volunteer process to become a helper. You may not have time before the camp if its soon.

If you think it will make it more accessible for him, I think it's a lovely thing to do! I'd chat to the leader, be honest about your concerns and ask what they think.

Have you had your background checks done, DBS or PVG, whatever it is in your area? They may not allow you to do if if not.

I’ve helped out before at the group when they’ve been short on volunteers. But that’s just for the evening not a whole camp.
The camp is due to be 3 nights which seems quite a lot for an 8 year old who has never stayed away from home before now.
I have a DBS as I work in a school.

So I’m a guide leader so similar world. I think there’s no issue with volunteering, it’s often how we get new volunteers in the first place. If you’re going to do it make sure that you tell them with plenty of time so they can plan you in to their planning. I don’t know for cubs but for us we would probably ask you to do the basic level safeguarding training.

Also we always have the rule “there’s no mums here at guide camp only leaders”. So when we have kids running up screaming mum we are like what do you need so it’s not automatically “mum” who helps. So as long as your wee boy will still listen to the other leaders and you don’t contradict them I’m sure it’ll be great!

Also you might have already done this but we would do an adjustment plan for any child that needs it and might need extra help. So you could maybe go through that with them rather volunteering if that made you more comfortable.

I went and served the breakfast when my child was on cub camp, don't think I had to to be DBS checked. They asked for volunteers for various things during the camp so several parents were there.

3 nights seems like a very long time for an 8 year old!

Scout Associations rules is a Scout DBS to stay overnight, with membership number.

Helping during the day is different.

I used to to be a regular parent volunteer with Beavers and then Cubs as my DS moved up and they always had 1-2 parents volunteering to stay overnight (but not in the same tent as their DC). As long as you have a DBS it was ok.

My friend’s DS has autism and her DH has always stayed with him at camps since Beavers (now in Scouts) as he would simply be unable to attend otherwise due to his needs. Again, he needed a DBS/registered volunteer and pitched in to help with the running of the camp too.

@OneTimeThingToday Would I be able to get a scout DBS?

You need to talk to your sons Cub leader.

(We would bite your arm off if you wanted to be a semi regular helper, or be a Trustee, and do camps etc. Its just whether you can do it in time. )

You'd need a DBS to do an overnight activity as a volunteer and possibly a basic level of safeguarding. Volunteering as a parent during the day is different. I would just meet the leaders beforehand to discuss your concerns

Our Beavers and Cubs group asks for parent helpers at camp. There are a few going on ours next week.

My friend who is helping next week at camp just had to show her DBS from her NHS role and that was fine.

@padampada
I’m happy to do both & I already work in a school so I have a lot of training and safeguarding stuff already, happy to do more if necessary.

I have a DBS through school and on update service, but have to have separate DBS for scout group.

Scouts are a pain, I work in a school and still have to have one for scouts. You don't need to be an leader to have one, all our parents require one when we run our annual family camp.

If you have one from work then it should go through fairly quickly.

I would ask if you can go, we have had parents go (I've even gone with my own kids). It's really helpful if their is a child with additional needs, sometimes we would ask for a 1to1. I would think its probably a good idea for your child's first camp, a lot of cubs will have done beavers where they only do 1 or 2 nights to get them used to sleeping away from home. So as it's their first camp you maybe going this time to help and letting them go on their own next time maybe a good idea.

You do have to get a Scout specific DBS but it’s very possible to get it through your existing leaders.

I did try volunteering at my son’s Scout group for a bit (he has ADHD) but it wasn’t really helpful to him. Kind of made social struggles worse if anything because if you did intervene it was a bit like “oh X has just got his Mum fighting his battles”, and if you didn’t the feeling was “oh even X’s Mum thinks this is Ok so I’ll carry on”.

I’ve done this, i was a section assistant and came on camp with my child who has SEN. It worked fab, no issues and reassurance for him. The nature of volunteers at scouts means there’s loads of parent helpers

Great idea. Chat to Cub leader.

Have a chat with the leaders.

Sometimes what you’re suggesting is helpful, sometimes it’s really not and if the child isn’t ready to do camp then they’re not ready to do camp yet and that’s ok too. Or part of the event is the right amount.

You’ll need a scout safeguarding check and to complete some training so have the conversation sooner rather than later.

I'm surprised but how little you've mentioned about how your Son feels about going to camp. The only thing you've said is that he's very excited. The rest of your comments are about how you're worried and you're concerned, not how he feels.

If he goes and is all excited and has a wobble the very experienced leaders (who no doubt have taken dozens of shy, cautious, homesick, anxious children of varying abilities to camp before) will do a cracking job of reassuring him, helping him and teaching him resilience.

You don't need to be there for him. You only need to be there for you.

@Floralscent I became a Beavers volunteer for this reason when DD started. I went to the weekly sessions to help
out and to Beaver Camp