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ACA accreditation is a voluntary process.
Camps allow an outside team of trained professionals
to verify compliance at least once every
three years with nearly 300 standards relating
to health and safety, management, personnel,
programming and facilities. The American
Camp Association, as the only national accrediting
body for all types of camps, has a 50-year
history of administering the accreditation
program. ACA standards are recognized by
courts of law and government regulators
as the standards for camp regardless of
a camp’s accreditation status.
The American Camp Association is the advocate
for the accredited-camp experience. ACA
Standards are continually revised and updated
to reflect the needs of camps, the public,
and the changing body of laws and regulations.
The main purpose of ACA accreditation is
to educate camp owners and directors in
the administration of key aspects of camp
operation, particularly those related to
program quality and the health and safety
of campers and staff. The second purpose
of ACA accreditation is to assist the public
in selecting camps that meet industry-accepted
and government-recognized standards.
| Licensing requirements
vary significantly from state to state.
Accreditation standards and processes
are nationally developed, tested, and
accepted, both by camp professionals
and legal/regulatory authorities. |
| ACA accreditation
is voluntary. Camps that are accredited
have demonstrated their commitment to
safety and best practices. |
| Licensing, with surprise
inspections, usually focuses on enforcement
of minimum regulations. Accreditation,
with scheduled visits, focuses on education—supporting
best practices in all aspects of camp
operation. |
ACA accreditation
assures the best kind of quality control
in the areas of camp most important
to the welfare of children. While no
accreditation process, no licensing
program, no set of regulations or laws
can guarantee safety, accreditation
is the best evidence for parents that
a camp is committed to providing a safe
and nurturing
environment for their children. |
| Parents can (and
should) verify the accreditation status
of any camp. |
| Additional information
about ACA accreditation is available
at www.CampParents.org. |
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Why
Choose an ACA Accredited Camp?