When camping, children are usually exposed to a lot of risks as they interact with nature and undertake physically straining activities. So, obtaining the parent or guardian’s permission to chaperone their children is a must-do on your checklist when planning a camp outing. To do so, you must present the parents with permission slips to prove consent.
Written consent legally protects you as the chaperone and organizer from liability in case of unexpected harm, injury, or illness. Other than helping you get the authorization to accompany and look after the children, a camp permission slip informs the parents of camping activities and camp details like date, location, and mode of transportation. You can also use the slip to get authorization for camp-specific requirements such as the use of the child’s photographs and videos. To access all these functionalities, you can download the camp permission slip template we have provided.
This template is designed to accommodate the authorization needs of all types of camps, including school, religious, summer, travel/expedition, sports, and both non-profit and for-profit camps. It uses a simple design that is suitable for official and legal documentation. The template is designed such that there are sections you should fill out and leave the rest for the parent/guardian to complete, as discussed below.
Sections That You Should Fill
You should fill out sections that the parent ought to be aware of before consenting to release their child under your care.
- Correspondence details – At the top part of the template, write the date of issuing the permission slip and the institution’s official email, address, and phone. This information is needed for correspondence purposes should the parent wish to contact you.
- Camp activities – Then, go to the ‘camp activities’ section and itemize all the activities the child will engage in. This information is necessary as it gives a clear picture of the camp activities and helps them contextualize the nature of risks associated with each undertaking.
- Scheduling information – Under the ‘camp details’ section, specify when and where the camp will take place. Also, indicate the means of transport to be used to the campsite. Camp details are important for scheduling and planning purposes.
Sections the Parent Should Fill
The parent should fill out details that you ought to know as the chaperone, such as medical information, the participant’s and parent’s identification information, and the authorization part.
- Identity of the child – The participant must be identified to ensure you have a complete and accurate register of everyone attending the camp. In this section, you should make sure that the parent will fill in the child’s name, grade, age, gender, and any allergies they may have. The last thing you want is to be out in the outdoors with a child who is allergic to dust, and you are not aware or well prepared to handle such an allergic reaction.
- Parent or guardian identification details – In this section, you need to confirm that when filling this slip, the parent/guardian indicated their name, relationship with the participant, and phone number. Also, the name and phone number of the emergency contact must be present in the appropriate entries.
- Medical information – Medical information should be collected to make sure the child’s health is safeguarded during the camp. You should confirm that the parent has given health insurance details like the doctor’s name and phone number, availability of insurance, and the policy number. This information makes it easy to admit the child to a hospital in case of an emergency. In the ‘medications’ section, the parent should fill in the type of medication the child takes, dosage instructions, and applicable administration details.
- Issuance of consent – The parent’s or guardian’s consent should be expressed so that there is no ambiguity on whether it was given. Remember, this section is needed to make sure the permission slip is legally enforceable. The different items the parent should consent to should be outlined and left for the parent to mark. By marking all the items, the parent consents to waiving you of any liability for injuries that may occur during camping. The parent should sign the document at the bottom of the slip and date it accordingly.
This is a blanket or general type of permission slip meant to cover all the extracurricular activities the child will be involved in during the camp. While the template is comprehensive as it is, you can add or remove items to make the camp permission slip suitable for specific cases.
Key Takeaways
- A camp permission slip serves as written proof of consent for you to take care of their child during the entire camping period.
- The template has sections that you, as the chaperone, should fill out, including camp activities and details like date, time, location, and mode of transportation. The parent should complete other sections, including participant and parent/guardian information, medical details, and consent details.
- The permission slip becomes effective once the parent signs as an attestation that they have read and agreed to the document’s content.
- This template is designed to help you obtain written consent for different types of camps, from summer, religious, educative, sports, or any other camp.
