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In Girl Scouting, the safety and well-being of girls is a top priority. Here we highlight resources and forms you’ll need for keeping Girl Scouts safe, including health forms, Safety Activity Checkpoints, and incident and insurance forms.
Physical Health and Wellbeing
Health Forms 
It’s important to understand health needs as they pertain to Girl Scout activities, as well as basic health guidelines and practices, such as first aid, to ensure the well-being and safety of girls. These may include food allergies, medications, and abilities.
To collect this information from girls, have their parents/guardians fill out the appropriate forms below:
- GSCB Health History Form for Youth and Adults– Girl Scout volunteers should always a have up-to-date health card for each participant in any Girl Scout function. Download/print a hardcopy version here.
- GSCB Medical Form - This form is to be completed by a caregiver for Girl Scouts to attend overnight, national, and international trips if they are not accompanied by their parent or caregiver.
- GSCB International Travel Health History Form - This form is required to be completed for Girl Scouts and Adult participants for international travel. The Troop leader must retain a copy of the GSCB International Travel Health History Form for each troop member and keep ALL information CONFIDENTIAL. PARTICIPANTS WILL NOT BE ABLE TO ATTEND WITHOUT THIS COMPLETED FORM. Adults completing this form may sign for themselves on the Parent/Guardian signature line. This form will need to be notarized.
Permission Forms
- GSCB Permission Waiver Form for Activities and Trips – Best practice for any Girl Scout field trip or event outside of your meeting place is to have participants fill out a permission waiver form. The Girl Scout volunteer should keep these on file until after the trip.
- GSCB Travel Roster
- GSCB Permission to Travel Internationally for Minors - This form is required for international travel. Minors under the age of 18 traveling to a foreign country, when not accompanied on the trip by a legal guardian(s), must have a notarized affidavit from the legal guardian(s) not accompanying the child that:
- The child is traveling out of the United States with the permission of the legal guardian(s).
- That the non-traveling legal guardian(s) is aware that the child is leaving on the departure dates.
- The name(s) of the person(s) accompanying the child are provided on the affidavit.
- If the minor child is leaving the country without either of their legal guardian(s), both legal guardian(s) must sign and notarize the affidavit. If a single parent/guardian has custody, attach documentation stating that the minor is in the sole custody of the signer of the forms.
General Participant Safety Information
- Background Checks - Background checks are required for all Girl Scout volunteers. A background check, also called a CBC, is good for 3 years from time of completion. You will receive email reminders when your background check expiration is approaching. To find out when your background check expires, go to MyGS and navigate to the Troop page, then reference the column “CBC Expiration” found under Adults.
- GSCB Emergency Procedures - In the case of emergency, suspected injury or loss of property at a Girl Scout function, please follow these guidelines.
- Girl Scout Internet Safety Pledge – The internet can provide a number of exciting opportunities for Girl Scouts but can also present unique safety concerns. Before using the internet for a Girl Scout activity, girls are encouraged to complete the Girl Scout Internet Safety Pledge.
Safety Activity Checkpoints (SAC)
Safety is a top priority in Girl Scouting. As a Girl Scout volunteer, it is important to have an understanding of what is required of when it comes to safety practices, emergency procedures, and how to be prepared to lead activities safely. Be sure to familiarize yourself with Girl Scouts’ Safety Activity Checkpoint documents.
When you download Safety Activity Checkpoints, you will find detailed information on the following topics:
- Reporting abuse
- Traveling safely
- Ensuring safe overnight outings
- Role-modeling the right behavior
- Creating an emotionally safe space
- Ensuring that no Girl Scout is treated differently
- Promoting online safety
- Keeping Girl Scouts safe during money-earning activities
- Parent/guardian and Girl Scout responsibilities
- Knowing how many volunteers you need, which shows the minimum number of adults needed to supervise a specific number of Girl Scouts
- Transporting Girl Scouts safely, including bus and motor coach use, and a checklist for drivers
- Product sales program safety
- Computer and online safety
- Approaching activities (types of activities, health histories, Girl Scout insurance, and using activity experts)
- Accidents and emergencies (first aid, reporting abuse, chaperone guidelines, preparing for emergencies, what to do if there’s an emergency, procedures for accidents and incidents, protecting Girl Scouts' safety)
- Girl Scouts guidelines for chaperones
Additionally, Girl Scout Safety Activity Checkpoints are detailed procedures for ensuring safety while planning and participating in particular activities such as swimming, hiking, archery, horseback riding, parades, and more. You’ll find information on how to include girls of all abilities, gear you may need, having proper supervision, preparing for emergencies, and other safety topics specific to the activities you and your girls will be participating in.
Adult-to-Girl Ratio Requirements
Troop Meetings
| Minimum of 2 registered, approved, adult volunteers who are unrelated, including one female, must be present at troop meetings for up to: |
|
| One extra registered, approved, adult volunteer for every addtional: |
|
Outings, Activities, Camping, and Travel
| Minimum of 2 registered, approved, adult volunteers who are unrelated, including one female, must be present for outings, activities, camping, and travel for up to: |
|
| One extra registered, approved, adult volunteer for every addtional: |
|
Some high-adventure activities may require more adult-to-girl supervision than stated above. For those activities, the individual activity’s safety activity checkpoints will provide the specific adult-to-girl supervision ratios. Remember, some activities are less safe for younger members, particularly Daisies and Brownies. Younger Girl Scout members may not be permitted to participate based on their age, as appropriate, and this will be specified on the individual activity’s safety activity checkpoints. In cases where younger girl participation is an option, but only under certain conditions, this is indicated on the first page of the individual activity’s safety activity checkpoints.
Note: For mixed-grade level troops (Multi-Level Troops), always use the adult-to-girl ratio for the lowest grade level in the troop. For example, if the troop consists of Daisies and Brownies, the Daisy adult-to-girl ratio should be followed.
Crises, Accidents, Incidents, Claims, and Insurance
All current Girl Scout members are automatically covered under a basic activity accident insurance plan. This plan covers registered members for supervised Girl Scout activities. It allows members to recoup any out-of-pocket expenses from an accident that may have taken place during an approved Girl Scouts Activity or overnight trip.
As of Oct 1, 2023: If you are coordinating an event or activity in which non-members are invited, they are also covered under this insurance. This includes young children of troop volunteers at Girl Scout meetings. There is no need to request supplemental insurance.
If an organization or property owner that you are working with requests proof of insurance, what they are requesting is a Certificate of Insurance (COI). Use the Certificate of Insurance Request Form for those requests.
- Incident Report - If a girl's health or safety is jeapordized during an incident at a Girl Scout function, this incident report should be completed as soon as possible by a Girl Scout volunteer or health professional who was/is on the scene. Review Emergency Procedures related to completing an incident report.
- Mutual of Omaha Claim Form (PDF) - Fill out the insurance claim form from Mutual of Omaha for participants to recoup out-of-pocket medical expenses.
Suspected Abuse and Mandated Reporting
GSCB expects all volunteers to report abuse or suspected abuse involving Girl Scout members to the appropriate state agengy within 24 hours first, and then to subsequently report to GSCB as defined in the Procedure below.
Any form of abuse or suspected abuse - sexual, physical, emotional, or verbal - whether it happens at a Girl Scout activity or disclosed to you by a child or another adult, should be reported immediately to the appropriate authority.
- DE: DSCYF ISeeTheSigns.com
- MD: Child Protective Services
- VA: Virginia Department of Social Services
After the official report is made to the appropriate authority, report the incident to GSCB:
Report Concerns
There may be times when you worry about the health and well-being of girls in your group. Alcohol, drugs, sex, bullying, abuse, depression, and eating disorders are some of the issues girls may encounter. You are on the frontlines of girls’ lives, and you are in a unique position to identify a situation in which a girl may need help. If you believe a girl is at risk of hurting herself or others, your role is to promptly bring that information to her parent/caregiver or the council so she can get the expert assistance she needs. Your concern about a girl’s well-being and safety is taken seriously, and your council will guide you in addressing these concerns.
Here are a few signs that could indicate a girl needs expert help:
- Marked changes in behavior or personality (for example, unusual moodiness, aggressiveness, or sensitivity)
- Declining academic performance and/or inability to concentrate
- Withdrawal from school, family activities, or friendships
- Fatigue, apathy, or loss of interest in previously enjoyed activities
- Sleep disturbances
- Increased secretiveness
- Deterioration in appearance and personal hygiene
- Eating extremes, unexplained weight loss, distorted body image
- Tendency toward perfectionism
- Giving away prized possessions; preoccupation with the subject of death
- Unexplained injuries, such as bruises, burns, or fractures
- Avoidance of eye contact or physical contact
- Excessive fearfulness or distrust of adults
- Abusive behavior toward other children, especially younger ones
Creating a Safe Environment
Recognize and Support Each Girl Scout
You're a role model and a mentor to your Girl Scouts. Since you play an important role in their lives, they need to know that you consider each of them an important person, too. It’s likely they’ll weather an ill-equipped meeting place or an activity that flops—but being ignored or rejected by their troop leader is something they should never have to experience.
Remember to:
Give shout-outs when you see Girl Scouts trying their best, not just when they’ve had clear success.
Emphasize the positive qualities that make each Girl Scout worthy and unique.
Be generous with praise—but not with criticism.
Help Girl Scouts find ways to show acceptance of and support for one another.
Promote Fairness
In a Girl Scout troop, fairness is fostered by sharing responsibilities, addressing disagreements constructively, and responding consistently to accomplishments. When you model this commitment, it makes the inevitable mistakes easier to forgive. When possible, ask your group what they think is fair before decisions are made.
Remember to:
Try to ensure responsibilities as well as chances for feeling important are evenly divided among troop members.
Help Girl Scouts explore and decide for themselves fair ways of solving problems, carrying out activities, and responding to behaviors and accomplishments.
Explain your reasoning for making certain decisions.
Be willing to apologize as needed.
Build Trust
Girl Scouts need your support when they try new things, and you’ll need to demonstrate that you won’t betray their confidence. Show them you’re making an effort to understand them as individuals.
Inspire them to think for themselves and use their own judgment.
Encourage them to make important decisions in the group and assure them that all troop members have an equal say.
Offer them assistance in correcting/addressing their mistakes.
Support them in trusting one another—let them see firsthand how trust can be built, lost, regained, and strengthened.
Inspire Open Communication
Promote open communication by listening and responding positively to what your Girl Scouts think, feel, and want to do. They’ll appreciate having someone they can talk to about the important things happening in their lives.
Speak your mind when you’re happy or concerned about something, and encourage Girl Scouts to do the same.
Leave the door open for Girl Scouts to seek advice, share ideas, and propose plans or improvements.
Help them see how open communication can promote helpful action, discovery, a better understanding of self and others, and an atmosphere that fuels fun and accomplishment.
Manage Conflict
Conflicts and disagreements are an inevitable part of life, and if handled constructively they show Girl Scouts they can manage differences of opinion, exercise diplomacy, and improve their communication and relationships. Respecting others and being a sister to every Girl Scout means that shouting, verbal abuse, or physical confrontations are never warranted and cannot be tolerated in the Girl Scout environment.
When a conflict arises in your troop, try to get those involved to sit down together and talk calmly in a nonjudgmental manner, keeping in mind that each party may need some time—perhaps a few days or a week—to settle first. Explain to Girl Scouts that communicating in this way might feel uncomfortable and difficult in the moment, but it lays the groundwork for working well together in the future.
Whatever you do, don’t spread word of the conflict, as this won’t help the situation and may cause Girl Scouts embarrassment or anger.
If a conflict persists, be sure you explain the matter to your volunteer support team. If the supervisor can’t resolve the issue satisfactorily (or if the problem involves the supervisor), it can be taken to the next supervisory level and, ultimately, to your council if you need additional help.
Communicate Effectively with Girl Scouts of Any Age
Make sure your words and actions nurture connection among members. Keep in mind how important the following approaches are.
Listen. Listening to Girl Scouts, as opposed to telling them what to think, feel, or do (no “you should”) is the first step in building a trusting relationship and helping them take ownership of their Girl Scout experience.
Be honest. If you’re not comfortable with a topic or activity, it’s okay to say so. No one expects you to be an expert on every topic. Ask for alternatives or seek out volunteers with the required expertise. Also, owning up to mistakes—and apologizing for them—goes a long way.
Be open to real issues. Outside of Girl Scouts, members may be dealing with issues involving relationships, peer pressure, school, money, drugs, and other serious topics. When you don’t know, listen. And seek help from your council if you need assistance or more information than you currently have.
Show respect. Girl Scouts often say that their best experiences were the ones where adults treated them as equal partners. Speak to them respectfully to reinforce that their opinions matter and that they deserve respect.
Offer options. Members’ needs and interests change; being flexible shows them you respect them and their busy lives. Be ready with age-appropriate guidance and parameters no matter what Girl Scouts choose to do.
Stay current. Show members you’re interested in their world by asking them about the TV shows and movies they like; the books, magazines, or blogs they read; the social media influencers they follow; and the music they listen to.
Address the Needs of Older Girl Scouts
Let these simple tips guide you when working with teenage Girl Scouts:
- Think of yourself as a “guide on the side”—a partner, a coach, or a mentor, not a “leader.”
- Ask them what rules they need for safety and what group agreements they need to be a good team. When they take the lead in establishing group rules, they’re more likely to stick to them.
- Understand that they need time to talk, unwind, and have fun together.
- Ask what they think and what they want to do.
- Encourage them to speak their minds.
- Provide structure, but don’t micromanage.
- Give everyone a voice in the group—understanding that “speaking up” may look different for each person. For some, it might mean sharing their ideas in front of the entire group; for others it could mean submitting a written response or contributing as part of a group.
- Treat them like partners.
- Don’t repeat what’s said in the group to anyone outside of it (unless necessary for their safety). See “Report Concerns” below to understand the guard rails.
Be Prepared for Sensitive Topics
It’s an amazing feeling when your Girl Scouts put their trust in you. When they do, they may come to you with some of the issues they’re facing, such as bullying, peer pressure, dating, athletic and academic performance, understanding their own identity, and more. Some of these issues might be considered sensitive by families who may have opinions or input about how, and whether, Girl Scouts should cover these topics with their troop.
Girl Scouts welcomes and serves youth and families from a wide spectrum of faiths and cultures. When members make clear that they want to participate in discussions or activities that could be considered sensitive—even just for some—put the topic on hold until you’ve spoken with a parent/caregiver of the members and received guidance from your council.
When Girl Scout activities involve sensitive issues, your role is that of a caring adult volunteer who can help them acquire skills and knowledge in a supportive atmosphere, not someone who advocates a particular position.
Know that Girl Scouts of the USA does not take a position or develop materials on issues relating to human sexuality, birth control, or abortion. We feel our role is to help Girl Scouts develop self-confidence and good decision-making skills that will help them make wise choices in all areas of their lives. We believe parents and caregivers, along with schools and faith communities, are the primary sources of information on these topics.
Parents/caregivers make all decisions regarding their child’s participation in Girl Scout programming that may be of a sensitive nature. As a volunteer leader, you must get written parental permission for any locally planned program offering that could be considered sensitive. Included on the permission form should be the topic of the activity, any specific content that might create controversy, and any action steps the Girl Scouts will take when the activity is complete. Be sure to have a form for each troop member and keep the forms on hand in case a problem arises. For activities not sponsored by Girl Scouts, find out in advance (from organizers or other volunteers who may be familiar with the content) what will be presented, and follow your council’s guidelines for obtaining written permission.
Report Concerns
There may be times when you worry about the health and well-being of individuals in your group. Alcohol, drugs, sex, bullying, abuse, depression, and eating disorders are some of the issues they may encounter. You are on the frontlines of their lives which places you in a unique position to identify a situation in which Girl Scouts may need help. If you believe someone is at risk of hurting themself or others, your role is to promptly bring that information to the parent/caregiver or the council so the Girl Scout can get the expert assistance they need. Your concern about their well-being and safety is taken seriously and your council will guide you in addressing these concerns.
Here are a few signs that could indicate someone needs expert help:
- Marked changes in behavior or personality (for example, unusual moodiness, aggressiveness, or sensitivity).
- Declining academic performance and/or inability to concentrate.
- Withdrawal from school, family activities, or friendships.
- Fatigue, apathy, or loss of interest in previously enjoyed activities.
- Sleep disturbances.
- Increased secretiveness.
- Deterioration in appearance and personal hygiene.
- Eating extremes, unexplained weight loss, distorted body image/efforts to hide their body.
- Tendency toward perfectionism (i.e. mistakes are considered unacceptable, unwillingness to start or try something for fear of failure, belief there is only one way to do something).
- Giving away prized possessions; preoccupation with the subject of death.
- Unexplained injuries such as bruises, burns, or fractures.
- Avoidance of eye contact or physical contact.
- Excessive fearfulness or distrust of adults.
- Abusive behavior toward other children, especially younger ones, or animals.
