I thought he was a control freak for not allowing me on school camp

We now know that sleepovers can be problematic... but what about overnight school camps? Please note: sensitive topics

3 min read

July 1, 2024 - 2:33PM

School Camp Safety from an ex-child abuse detective

Parenting

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An ex-child sexual abuse detective has shared what all parents should know before sending their kids on a school camp trip.

Kristi McVee took to TikTok to reveal exactly what she'll do before her daughter goes to camp this week.

"I have a conversation with the camp organisers to ensure that I'm happy with all the preparations and precautions taken and I know what some of the processes are if anything happens," she begins.

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Image: TikTok

Having a plan is essential

Most importantly, she makes sure that she has 'difficult' conversations with her daughter about consent and her body.

"If you've never had a conversation around body safety rights and that it's not okay for anyone to touch your child's body or to ask for consent before they do something, then you should really make sure you kids have those lessons down pat before they go anywhere without you," she explained.

"My [16-year-old] daughter has been having those conversations with me since she was three so I'm pretty confident, but it never hurts to touch up on that."

These are conversations Sydney mum, Nama, says she never had with her parents - because there was a blanket ban on sleepovers and camps (in the younger classes).

"Overnight school camp was such a foreign concept to my immigrant parents," Nama shared.

"The school had to speak to my dad a few times to reassure him and convince him it was a positive experience.

"He eventually relented... I thought he was such a control freak at the time, but as a parent, of course I can now see his concerns.

"At my son's former boys-only school, the camps in the older years were a nightmare for everyone, with extreme bullying/hazing and even some sexual assault."

Nama says that she thinks it's important for parents to educate their children as McVee suggests.

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The child safety expert adds in her clip that she will ensure she has chats with her teen about hypothetical scenarios in order to keep her safe.

McVee says she asks: "What could you do if someone approached you that you felt uncomfortable with?" and "What could you do if someone was taking photos or videos of you that you didn't want them to take?"

"What if someone touches you without your consent?" and "What can you do if you don't feel safe?" were other scenarios.

"This is giving them a scenario that they can then find ways they can get help from."

If the worst-case scenario happens, she says her teen has a 'safe' word she can text her mum so she can intervene.

Parents loved McVee's advice in the comments and praised her for the tips.

"You should do talks at primary schools!" one suggested.

"Thank you! My daughter is off to winter school for three months with her school so this is so helpful," another mum wrote.

The Kidspot team weighs in

Speaking to the Kidspot office, some shared that they weren't allowed to go on camp as a kid due to safety concerns, and others trust their school to protect their kids.

"I wasn't allowed to go to camp until high school which I was very upset about as a kid. It hasn't affected me allowing my kids to go as I know they're in safe hands - just like at school," Leah said.

And Jordanna explained: "If it’s a camp that is for school I don’t worry, as much as an external organisation. If I send them to school then I have to trust my kids would be safe at camp as they would be at school during the day."

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