British Naturism takes the protection, well-being and safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults in Naturism very seriously and a copy of our policy is available below.
Our policy is put into practice though a Child Safeguarding committee which works closely with NSPCC and meets regularly that our policy is up to date and being properly implemented. We run workshops and seminars for groups - including some non-naturist groups - around the country and encourage member clubs to appoint their own child safeguarding officers and adopt our child safeguarding policy. Special status is given to clubs that have completed our training course.
Despite possible perceptions, problems in this area within naturism are rare. There is no evidence that naked children are at any greater risk than their clothed counterparts. In fact, children are safer in Naturism as children are never allowed to attend without their parents or guardians and entry procedures, members-only locations and/or dedicated sessions mean that the general public are excluded - unlike so many other places where children gather. The community spirit that pervades at Naturist places means that people keep an eye out for each other; anyone getting into Naturism for the wrong reasons soon would soon discover that they'd made a mistake.
Naturist children are happy, well-adjusted and safe. Children don't care if they are wearing clothes or not - it's adults who make them get dressed. They grow up with a better understanding of what will happen to their bodies and enjoy a relaxed, outdoor life. It's often hard work persuading them to get dressed at the end of a day to go home! Also, Naturism is an activity that all the family can do together - rare in the 21st Century. Hot afternoons will see families, sometimes into 3 generations, at Naturist places, swimming, playing sports, BBQing or picnicking, letting off steam with friends in children's play areas or youth clubhouses, or lazing about enjoying each other's company. Naturist families have more open relationships - it is often reported by children who grew up in Naturism how they felt they could talk to their parents about anything. Many adults who grew up as children in Naturism bring their own children up the same way, remembering what a great time they had.
As young children grow into adulthood, Naturism provides an advantage. Western Europe outperforms the UK, often by a factor of five or more, across a wide range of indicators, including teenage pregnancy and abortion rates. There are many reasons but a major contributor is lack of knowledge compounded by the nudge-nudge, wink-wink attitude of large parts of the media and society.
Please download the Child Safeguarding Policy here.