Scouts recommend mixed sex sleeping accommodation

[ArabellaScott]

'To make sure all members feel included you can:

Make a range of different sleeping options available to all members, including mixed-sex accommodation, single and multiple occupancy tents or dorms, or compartment tents with single rooms in them that a young person could discreetly use.'

https://www.scouts.org.uk/volunteers/equity-diversity-and-inclusion/lgbtqplus/trans-and-gender-identity/

Nothing could possibly go wrong.

Teenagers never have a problem with impulse control, boundaries, sexual assault or rape.

Never.

Where the fuck are the safeguarding experts in this organisation?! Why is no-one in Scouts aware of the many reasons that this new decision of theirs is a bad idea 🤦‍♀️

Here's the risk assessment page:

https://www.scouts.org.uk/volunteers/staying-safe-and-safeguarding/risk-assessments/

'Teenagers, such as Scouts and Explorers, are also more likely to take risks, so we need to be aware of how they perceive risk in order to help keep them safe. '

'Risk assessments should include information on how you will minimise safeguarding risks such as your ratios, following the yellow card and when undertaking a nights away event, details of your sleeping arrangements, making sure that young people and adults have separate accommodation and privacy.'

Thanks Arabella.

I am sure nothing could possibly go wrong ! I mean, I remember Stephen Whittle telling everyone how when they were a girl guide, they were having sex with the scouts on camp. So, hey, why on earth would making accommodation mixed make any difference in the challenges of safeguarding vulnerable children?

That has been the guidance for years.

Mixed sleeping accommodation has always been risk assessed for. It happens for many reasons, not just "inclusion".

well surely, it's never such a small risk it's ok? Unless an adult is also sleeping in there? and two adults at that?

Is the risk of abuse in mixed sex accommodation assessed?

The safeguarding section specifically says that adults and children must sleep separately.

For example... a few years out campsite flooded. We had one indoor room...

Was it better for them all to sleep inside that room... or half to sleep in leaking tents?

Wasn't I just reading on the BBC that 14 was now the most common age for females to report being sexually assaulted?

They'll need to provide creche tents so Scouts can attend camp with the resulting offspring.
I suppose it's one way to boost flagging numbers.

In that case, unless kids could be watched so they didn't rape each other - go home frankly.

Raped, not just sexually assaulted.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cxr202eee0no

'Nearly a quarter of all reported victims were 17 or younger. This makes it the second-largest age bracket, behind 18 to 29 years old.
According to the data, more than 4,300 children reported being a victim of rape or sexual assault to the Met in 2023, equating to a report of sexual abuse about every two hours.
Kellie Ann Fitzgerald, National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) assistant director for London and the South East, said child sexual offences in London "remain close to record levels".'

'Trans people should use the facilities they feel most comfortable with using.
You may want to talk to trans young people about which facilities they would like to use at regular meeting places and on residential trips.'

https://www.scouts.org.uk/volunteers/equity-diversity-and-inclusion/lgbtqplus/trans-and-gender-identity/

This has been the guidance since scouts became mixed, so a very long time.

To be honest if anything is going to happen it wouldn't be in the sleeping accommodation where there are a number of people. It would be in one of the many other situations at a camp where 14 year olds are not directly supervised. Free time, on activities, clearing up after cooking etc.

Scouts at a Pride event

x.com/gaynotqueer1/status/1837775600385249653?s=46&t=SPorwN-mokktL467rcZ57g

Do you think it's sensible to have mixed sex sleeping accommodation?

Government doesn't even recommend it for families.

https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/does-the-law-set-an-age-at-which-children-cant-share-a-bedroom/

'Section 325 of the Housing Act 1985 (the ‘room standard’) provides a household may be statutorily overcrowded where children of the opposite sex over the age of 10 have to share a room'

"Do you think its sensible to have Mixed Sex sleeping accommodation"

Mist leaders (with their risk assessments, training etc) would say...
If it was the best option.

However... Changing facilities need to be single sex.

NHS tries to avoid it:

'all providers of NHS funded care are expected to eliminate mixed-sex accommodation, except where it is in the overall best interest of the patient.'

https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/mixed-sex-accommodation/

'Changing facilities need to be single sex.'

They aren't.

''Trans people should use the facilities they feel most comfortable with using.
You may want to talk to trans young people about which facilities they would like to use at regular meeting places and on residential trips.''

WTF - Scouts are 10 - 14 year olds!

IIRC Whittle was discussing it (like it was nothing special) like they were 14-15 at the time.

'Trans people should use the facilities they feel most comfortable using' -

er, no, trans people are not a higher class of human who matter more than everyone else. EVERYONE should use facilities they feel comfortable using and for many of us that is single sex. And while if adult women consent to get their kit off with random men and take that risk that's their body, their choice and their risk to take, this should not involve children. It is absolutely possible to meet the needs of a child on an overnight trip who does not want to sleep in sex based provision without tearing up your safeguarding policy and removing privacy, dignity and basic safety from all the other children.

This will just end in the TQ movement effectively murdering overnight events for children along with many other things it's wrecked by wanting it all their way without the faintest consideration alongside the never ending demands.