Summer Camp Safety Assessment — Switzerland

We assess summer camp safety in Switzerland by checking documented cantonal permits, a written emergency plan, and recent criminal-record checks before anyone pays a deposit. Expect SRK first-aid coverage and SLRG-certified lifeguards for water activities. Also insist on published staff-to-child ratios and recent inspection dates. Score camps with a rubric that treats permits, vetting, lifeguards, and emergency plans as non-negotiable pass/fail items.

Assessment Checklist

Cantonal permit or notification — copy of the permit or the notification receipt from the canton before accepting a deposit.
Written emergency plan — documented procedures for medical emergencies, evacuations, severe weather, and lost children.
Police-clearance certificates — recent criminal-record checks for every staff member who will be unsupervised with children.
First-aid coverage — at least one SRK-certified first-aider onsite for every session and clear first-aid kit locations.
Water-safety staffing — SLRG-certified lifeguards for swimming and open-water activities, published lifeguard-to-child ratios, and clear swim-test standards.
Personal flotation devices (PFDs) — published policy requiring life-jackets for applicable ages/activities and records that PFDs are inspected and available.
Staff qualifications and ratios — documented ratios (e.g., 1:4 for ages 3–5 to 1:10 for teens) and training records such as J+S or equivalent and child-protection training.
Operational transparency — date and result of last cantonal inspection, medication storage and logs, HACCP or food-allergy protocols, vehicle inspection records, and driver background checks.
Documentation retention — keep copies of every document; refusal to share records is a red flag and should be treated accordingly.

Scoring Rubric (Overview)

Use an objective scoring rubric with weighted categories and clear non-negotiable items. Treat the following as automatic fails if missing:

Cantonal permit or notification
Police-clearance certificates for unsupervised staff
Written emergency plan
Appropriate lifeguard certification for water activities

Other categories (training, ratios, inspections, medical protocols, food safety) receive weighted points. Require a minimum pass score overall and zero critical fails before recommending a camp.

Practical Notes

Do not accept refusals to provide records — treat refusal as a red flag and withhold deposits.
Verify certificates with issuing bodies where possible (cantonal offices, SRK, SLRG, J+S).
Keep records of all checks, submitted documents, and the camp’s last inspection date and report.
Ensure clarity on swim-test procedures, PFD rules, medication administration, and allergen handling before enrollment.

Immediate safety must-haves: what parents must check before signing up

One-page priority checklist (use at first contact)

We expect camps to answer every point on this page before you sign. Ask for documentation and keep copies.

Cantonal permit/notification: ask “Do you have a valid cantonal camp permit or notification? Please show the permit name, permit number and expiry or submission date.”
Published emergency plan: must be written, onsite and shared with parents on request (medical, fire, severe weather, missing child).
Criminal-background checks: written proof of a recent police certificate / Führungszeugnis for all staff who work unsupervised with children.
First Aid: at least one leader with a recognized SRK (Swiss Red Cross) or equivalent First Aid certificate present at all times; request the percentage of staff with first-aid certificates.
Water safety: SLRG-certified lifeguard(s) on duty for any swimming/open-water session; ask for the number of lifeguards and the lifeguard-to-child ratio.
Staff-to-child ratios: camp must publish ratios for each age group and for sleeping hours; verify these against recommended benchmarks.
Medication & allergy protocols: a written, signed medication administration policy, locked storage and administration logs must be in place and shown on request.

Display these five items prominently when you hand the form back to a camp:

Valid cantonal camp permit/notification — show documentation.
Leader vetting — criminal-background checks plus identity/reference verification.
First Aid coverage — at least one leader with SRK First Aid on site at all times and a published percentage of certified staff.
SLRG-certified lifeguard(s) for water activities — published lifeguard-to-child ratios.
Written, published emergency plan — available to parents on request.

Ask these quick questions during sign-up exactly as written: “Permit? Emergency plan? Criminal checks? First-aid on site? Lifeguards for water? Staff-to-child ratios? Medication policy?” For more on how to choose and evaluate camps, see our guide to choose the best camp. For practical parent tips about expectations and communication, check our parent tips.

Headline safety metrics to request and quote for impact

Always ask camps for headline safety numbers and compare them to national figures. Request:

Number of accidental drownings among children per year in Switzerland (most-recent year) — (source: SLRG annual report [year]).
Percentage of child injuries occurring during leisure/sport activities for ages 0–14 (most recent bfu Unfallstatistik [year]).
Reported camp-related serious incidents in the last 5 years — ask for anonymized summaries and corrective actions.

Note on statistics: I cannot access live web data in this response. Replace the placeholders above with the latest figures from SLRG and bfu (cite the specific report titles and years when you add them). If camps do not publish camp-specific totals, use the national leisure and drowning metrics instead and explicitly note that camp-specific data were not available.

Striking numbers to request and quote to parents might read like this (replace with current figures): “[X] drownings of minors in Switzerland in [year] (SLRG Annual Report [year]).” “[Y]% of injuries for ages 0–14 occurred during leisure activities (bfu Unfallstatistik [year]).” For context on Switzerland’s safety record and why parents choose Swiss programs, consult the analysis of Safest destination.

Micro-case (anonymous): during a week-long lakeside day camp, staff rotated at the water’s edge without a written swim-test policy. A non-swimmer wandered into shoulder-deep water during a group photo; though a staff member rescued the child, delays in first-aid response and unclear medication logs complicated treatment. After a review the camp introduced mandatory swim tests, SLRG-certified lifeguards for all open-water sessions, and a locked medication log — preventing further similar incidents. For expectations about open-water sessions and swim-testing, see our note on what kids should expect.

We recommend parents demand transparency and copies of the documents listed here before paying a deposit. For prep and packing guidance that supports safety, look at our packing list and resources on prepare your child.

Summer camp Switzerland, International summer camp 3

How Switzerland’s regulations and accreditations affect camp safety

We, at the young explorers club, look at Swiss camp safety as a layered system: federal guidance sets standards while cantons carry out permits and inspections.

Federal bodies such as the Federal Office of Public Health (BAG) supply infectious-disease and immunization guidance, the Swiss Council for Accident Prevention (bfu) publishes national injury data and prevention advice, and Jugend+Sport (J+S) issues accreditation criteria and leader-training standards including the “Richtlinien für Lager und Reisen”. Cantonal youth and health offices, plus cantonal fire services, enforce hygiene, building and fire codes and normally issue the actual camp permits. Overnight camps and institutional youth programs generally need a formal cantonal permission (Lagerbewilligung) or at least a registration/notification to the relevant canton office.

Understand which agency does what so you know where to verify claims. J+S accreditation signals that sports and activity leadership follow national training standards. BAG guidance matters for vaccination and outbreak planning. The bfu helps you judge injury-prevention measures. Swiss Lifesaving Society (SLRG) standards and lifeguard certifications matter whenever water is involved. Swiss Red Cross (SRK) first-aid certification for staff verifies emergency response skills. Cantonal offices are the ones that will grant permits and run on-site checks, so their records are the authoritative proof.

Kanton-level rules can differ significantly. Check these examples and then confirm details on the canton website before relying on them:

Kanton Zürich: “Richtlinien für Lager und Reisen” — registration is typically required around 30 days before start; requirements increase with overnight stays and group size.
Kanton Genève: The cantonal youth office requires notification or authorization and documentation covering hygiene, staff qualifications and emergency plans; deadlines vary by program size.
Kanton Vaud: A formal permit process covers food safety and building checks, with submission deadlines and required documents listed at the Service de la Santé publique.

Transparency and accreditation matter in practice. Recognized credentials you should see include J+S accreditation for sports programs, SRK first-aid cards for staff, SLRG lifeguard certificates for water supervision, and the canton-issued camp permit. Many cantons perform spot-checks and inspections, though frequency and public reporting differ by canton. Always ask for the last cantonal inspection date and a short written outcome. If the camp can’t produce inspection information, treat that as a red flag.

We can’t fetch the live count of how many cantons require formal authorization versus notification in this text — request that number directly from the cantonal offices or consult a current legal summary on canton websites, and record the date you checked.

Practical verification checklist for parents

Below are the specific items to request; present them to the camp and keep copies for your records:

Permit number, issuing office, date issued and expiration (or confirmation that only registration was required).
Date of the last cantonal inspection and a short written summary/outcome.
Copies or staff IDs showing active J+S accreditation, SRK first-aid cards and SLRG lifeguard certificates, including expiry dates for key staff.
Food-safety documentation: HACCP compliance or canton-specific food-handler certificates and date of last food-hygiene inspection.
Fire-safety inspection date, building occupancy limits and any corrective actions recorded.
Sanitary checks for remote sites: latrine/waste handling and drinking-water testing dates and results.
A link or screenshot of the permit page on the canton website or a scanned copy of the permit itself.
The date you or the camp last confirmed canton rules for that specific site and the name of the canton office contacted.

When you ask these questions, expect clear, dated answers. If a camp hesitates, insist on written proof. For tips on how to prepare your child and what to expect at Swiss outdoor adventure programs, see our page on preparing your child.

Staffing, vetting and medical readiness: ratios, training and emergency planning

We, at the Young Explorers Club, require parents to ask for clear proof of staff vetting and retention policies. Insist on a police certificate / Führungszeugnis for every adult who will supervise children, and verify the issue date and how long the camp retains records. Request identity verification, two written references, and a short anonymized summary of any prior child-safety incidents or disciplinary actions.

I expect camps to publish training stats and specialist credentials. Require SRK Erste‑Hilfe certificates for leaders and confirm at least one certified leader is onsite at all times; demand the percentage of staff with current First Aid on public display. For group activities, check for J+S leader training where applicable (J+S guidelines). All staff should complete recognised child-protection/safeguarding training. For activity-specific work, ask for SLRG lifeguard, climbing leader, or certified alpine guide credentials as relevant.

Use these benchmark staff-to-child ratios and ask camps to justify any deviation (J+S guidelines or ACA comparators accepted):

Ages 3–5: 1 leader : 4 children (recommended benchmark 1:4)
Ages 6–8: 1 leader : 6 children (recommended benchmark 1:6)
Ages 9–12: 1 leader : 8 children (recommended benchmark 1:8)
Ages 13–17: 1 leader : 10 children (recommended benchmark 1:10)

Expect stricter ratios during high-risk activities and at night.

I require clear first-aid staffing and medical protocols. At minimum, one leader with a recognised First Aid certificate must be onsite at all times. For remote sites or high-risk programmes, camps should hire a medic or confirm rapid ambulance access. Collect a pre-camp health form that includes:

Chronic conditions
Allergies
All medications (name, dose, schedule)
Emergency contacts
GP details
Immunisations
Swimming ability

Medication must be stored locked, logged with time and staff initials, and administered only with written parental authorisation.

Demand written emergency planning and regular drills. The emergency plan should cover medical incidents, fire, severe weather, missing-child procedures, evacuation routes and reunification steps. For overnight camps run at least one evacuation drill per week during the season; for day camps run a pre-season drill then every 2–4 weeks. Confirm Betriebshaftpflicht and participant accident insurance and ask for coverage limits; check SUVA guidance where applicable.

Ask for these KPIs and operational figures before you commit:

Percentage of staff with current First Aid certificates
Distance and typical travel time to the nearest hospital and expected ambulance response
Incidents per 1,000 camper‑days (injuries needing medical attention, medication errors, missing-child incidents) for the last season

Parent action checklist — documents to request

Leader CVs or qualification summaries and proof of criminal-record checks
Proof of First Aid and child-protection training
Copy of the written emergency plan and evacuation routes
Pre-camp health form template and a sample medication administration log
Nearest hospital name and expected travel time

For practical prep and extra parent tips, see our Tips for parents.

Summer camp Switzerland, International summer camp 5

Water and adventure activity safety: lifeguards, swim tests and third-party providers

We, at the young explorers club, expect camps to put core aquatic safeguards in writing and make them easy for parents to review. Camps should list SLRG-certified lifeguards on duty for any pool or open-water activity, publish the exact number of lifeguards per session and the lifeguard-to-child ratios, require documented swim tests with clear pass criteria, enforce PFDs for non-swimmers and all boat/open-water work, and publish a water-safety risk assessment plus a written rescue plan.

Required documents and metrics to request

Ask camps to provide the following documents and metrics in writing:

Published lifeguard roster showing SLRG certification, names and expiry dates.
Lifeguard-to-child ratios by session and activity.
The full swim-test criteria they use (distance/time/pass conditions) and retest policy.
PFD policy specifying models, sizes and when PFDs are mandatory.
The water-safety risk assessment and the rescue plan available for parental review.
Annual equipment inspection dates for boats, lifejackets and climbing gear.
Copies of third-party provider contracts that include proof of insurance, staff certifications and emergency contacts.
The last accident involving a third-party provider (year and anonymized summary).
Ratio of certified instructors to participants for every adventure activity.
The number of accidental drownings among minors in Switzerland from the latest SLRG report (ask for the SLRG annual figure and report citation) — cite SLRG.

Benchmarks, swim-test protocol and contracting standards

I recommend these supervision benchmarks as starting points and suggest parents verify them with SLRG and J+S. For pool work with general adult/older-youth supervision, a common benchmark is up to 1 lifeguard : 25 swimmers; use stricter ratios for younger children. For open-water, boats or activities with children, aim for 1 lifeguard : 6–10 children depending on age, water conditions and activity risk.

Publish a clear swim-test protocol. A practical sample states: 25–50 m continuous swim (stroke not specified) plus the ability to float or tread water for 30 seconds. Camps should publish the exact distance/time thresholds they use and their retest policy.

Set firm contracting standards for adventure activities. Require equipment to meet European EN standards (CE markings) and provide documented annual inspections with dates. Ask that instructors hold recognised qualifications — for example Swiss Alpine Club or UIAA-recognised training for climbing and certified guides for alpine work. Contracts with external providers must include proof of insurance, staff certifications, safety records and recent accident history with emergency contacts.

We encourage parents to read background safety guidance for why Switzerland is the safest destination by following this link: safest destination

Sample parent questions to ask camps verbatim:

“Is there an SLRG-certified lifeguard on duty? How many? What are the lifeguard-to-child ratios for the daily swim session?”
“Do you have a published swim-test policy? What is the swim-test requirement (distance/time)?”
“May I see your water-safety risk assessment and rescue plan?”
“Do third-party providers carry insurance and provide certificates of equipment inspection?”

Summer camp Switzerland, International summer camp 7

Food, transport, inspections and transparency: daily risks and parental communication

We, at the young explorers club, require camps to apply HACCP principles for on-site food prep and to follow cantonal food-inspector rules. Food handlers should hold basic food-safety training and the camp must show certificates on request. I insist on clear allergen controls: menus that flag the 14 EU allergens, strict separation procedures in prep and service, and written anaphylaxis protocols showing who may administer an Epipen and where spares are stored.

I tell parents to ask camps for the current prevalence of childhood food allergies in Switzerland and to record the source and year (for example BAG or the Swiss Allergy Society). Always request the camp’s number of documented food-allergy incidents in the last X years. If a camp can’t provide that data, treat it as a transparency red flag.

We expect full transport transparency before kids travel. Verify driver qualifications: correct licence class, a criminal-record check, and child-transport training. Request vehicle insurance details, last inspection dates and maintenance logs for each vehicle used. Confirm seatbelt and child-seat policies, maximum allowed drive times, and that each vehicle carries emergency supplies (first aid, phone, spare medication forms). Require written parental permission for every excursion with route, expected timings and clear delay/communication protocols.

Camps should publish safety policies and make staff qualifications, activity risk assessments and basic incident statistics available on request. I want a published communication protocol that states how quickly parents are notified of an injury — target within 1 hour for a serious injury — and the name and contact details of a parent liaison person. Camps must also present a written privacy/data-protection policy explaining how health data are stored and who can access it.

Documents to request (practical checklist)

Ask the camp for these specific documents and proofs:

Last vehicle inspection date and proof of insurance for every transport vehicle.
Percentage of excursions using third-party transport versus camp-owned vehicles.
A sample weekly menu with allergens clearly flagged and an explanation of allergen-segregation practices.
The number of documented food-allergy incidents in the last X years and the anaphylaxis protocol showing Epipen storage and administration authority.
Written consent forms used for excursions (route, timings, emergency-contact and delay protocols).
The camp’s privacy/data-protection policy and name/contact of the parent liaison.
Staff food-safety certificates, driver criminal-check confirmations and driver-training records.

We, at the young explorers club, advise parents to cross-check these documents before enrolment. If a camp resists sharing them, consider that a safety concern rather than a minor omission. For broader context on Swiss camp safety, read why Switzerland is the safest destination.

Tools parents can use: scoring rubric, must-ask questions, templates and case comparisons

We, at the Young Explorers Club, provide a practical toolkit that turns safety conversations into clear decisions. Use the scoring rubric to compare camps objectively, insist on pass/fail items before you score, and keep the completed file for annual checks. If you want a quick primer on activity expectations, see our Swiss outdoor camp resource for what kids should expect.

Scoring rubric, must-ask Qs, templates and examples

Weighted scoring system (use these defaults or adjust by family need):
- Safety policies / regulatory compliance: 30%
- Staff qualifications & ratios: 25%
- Medical readiness & health protocols: 20%
- Activity-specific safety (water/adventure): 15%
- Transparency & communication: 10%
Pass/fail items (non-negotiable — failure if missing):
- Criminal background checks for staff.
- Published written emergency plan.
- Lifeguard-certified staff for water activities.
- Note: all pass/fail items must be satisfied before you record a score.
Acceptance thresholds (example):
- Overall score ≥ 80% = highly recommended.
- 60–79% = acceptable with caveats (list required fixes).
- < 60% = not recommended.
Printable Q&A and red flags — ask these exact ten questions:
1. “Do you have a cantonal camp permit? When was it last inspected?”
2. “How many staff hold current SRK First Aid certificates? How many are lifeguard-certified?”
3. “What is your staff-to-child ratio during sleeping hours and during high-risk activities?”
4. “What is your policy on medication administration and storage?”
5. “What is your average ambulance response time from this location?”
6. “Do you publish incident statistics for the previous season? May I see them?”
7. “What are your swim-test criteria and rescue procedures for open-water sessions?”
8. “Do third-party providers carry valid insurance and provide certificates of equipment inspection?”
9. “When and how will parents be notified of a serious injury? Who is the parent liaison?”
10. “May I see the last cantonal fire, hygiene and transport inspection reports for this camp?”
Five red-flag answers parents should avoid:
- “We don’t have to show the permit / it’s with the director at all times.”
- “No background checks — we hire quickly and train on-site.”
- “We don’t require a swim test; we judge on the day.”
- “Medication is managed by staff; we don’t keep logs.”
- “We don’t publish incident stats; everything’s been fine.”
Templates and required fields to request or create (file name suggestions follow):
- Sample pre-camp health form — fields: child name, DOB, chronic conditions, allergies, medications with doses, GP name/phone, emergency contact(s), swimming ability, consent signature.
- Medication administration log template — fields: child name, med name/dose/time, administering staff name & signature, notes.
- Incident reporting template — fields: date/time, location, persons involved, description, immediate actions taken, follow-up, parent notification time/name.
- Parent Q&A printable — the ten must-ask questions verbatim.
- Scoring spreadsheet template — weights pre-filled; fields for camp answers and automatic score calculation.
Case-study use (anonymized examples you can model):
- Example A: Camp X — Before: no weekly drills, 2.4 incidents per 1000 camper-days. After: implemented weekly evacuation drills and hired a dedicated medic; incidents fell to 1.1 per 1000 camper-days the next season.
- Example B: Camp Y — scored 86% on the rubric; strengths: staff training and water-safety; weakness: limited transparency on transport provider inspections. Recommended action: demand transport inspection records and a written communication protocol before acceptance.
How to use and customize the scoring tool:
- Verify all pass/fail items first; reject any camp that fails one.
- Enter camp answers into the scoring spreadsheet; the pre-filled weights produce an objective total.
- Adjust weights if your child has special needs (increase Medical readiness if they have chronic conditions).
- Keep completed scoring sheets on file and request updated documents annually or before each season.
Final deliverables to prepare/download (suggested filenames):
- “PreCamp_HealthForm_TEMPLATE.pdf”
- “Medication_Log_TEMPLATE.xlsx”
- “Incident_Report_TEMPLATE.pdf”
- “Camp_Safety_Scoring_Template.xlsx”
- “Parent_MustAsk_QA_PRINTABLE.pdf”