A Free Local Guide to Youth Program Regulations

As many of you have read about by now, in July 2022, an 8-year-old boy was sexually assaulted by a 13-year-old fellow camper in a bathroom at First Ascent in Peoria, Illinois during a camp program. On June 29, 2026, a Cook County jury awarded the family $50 million, $49 million in compensatory damages and $1 million in punitive damages.

Our thoughts are with the families and the gym, everyone in this story is suffering. The verdict has also put a question back in front of every operator who runs youth programming: what does the law require of my camp, my classes and my team, and am I doing it?

That question isn't new to us, we created our first survey of camp law during the pandemic to help climbing walls navigate operating during and after closures. Our committees also work through regulations year-round as we develop our certification programs and standards, and our staff talk with and advise operators about youth programs almost every week. Today we're sharing all of that work as a free resource for CWA members to reassess their youth programs.

Download the Workbook - Members Only

Download the Compliance Checklist

What the Workbook Covers

The Youth Operations Regulations workbook covers all 50 states, the District of Columbia, every Canadian province and territory, and the US and Canadian federal layers. For each jurisdiction it answers six questions that every climbing gym faces:

• Childcare licensing: Do your classes, team practices or camps count as childcare?
• Day camp licensing: Does your camp need a license or health permit, and at what threshold?
• Mandatory reporting: Is every adult a reporter, or only listed professions, and are your coaches on the list?
• Staff screening: Does any law require background checks for your staff?
• Youth athlete safety: What applies to your competition team?
• Concussion law: Does your state or province’s law reach private youth sports, or only schools?

Each answer cites and links the statute or regulation, and an At a Glance tab shows every verdict in one view.

Where the Rules Get Tricky

In Illinois, a youth camp license from the Department of Public Health is needed once you host five or more children for three consecutive days. In Colorado, a multi-activity day camp is licensed as a childcare facility. In New York, a camp with climbing plus one other activity needs a children's camp permit. A few states limit their exemptions to nonprofits or government programs, so a for-profit gym can't use them at all.

Reporting duties vary just as much. If you haven’t heard of a mandatory reporter it is someone that the law requires to report suspected child abuse or neglect to child protective services or law enforcement, usually immediately or within 24 to 48 hours. If your coaches are covered, passing a concern to a manager usually doesn't satisfy the duty, and failing to report is a crime in many states. Some states make every adult a mandated reporter, while others list professions with some leaving coaches out.

Some questions can't be answered by reading the law, because they are based on how a regulator applies it to your program. The workbook's Ask the Regulator tab gives you a ready-to-send request for a written determination in 20 of those jurisdictions. A written answer from the regulator is something you can rely on. A phone call is not.

Compliance Is the Floor, Check With Your Insurance Company

A license or an exemption doesn't make a program safe. The Peoria verdict turned on supervision, communication and training, things that happen in programs every day. Use the workbook to find your legal obligations, then build your practices to sit on top of them: supervision ratios, bathroom and transition protocols, intake information that reaches the staff who need it, and training. It is also critical to make sure that your insurance reflects your operations. If you add a new program make sure that your insurer know what you are doing and can review practices to prevent under-insurance or coverage exemptions. The CWA’s Industry Practices, webinars, articles, and other resources can help you learn how to answer these questions and what is common in our industry.

Get the Right Lawyer to Review Your Program

This workbook is a research tool, not legal advice. Every gym running youth programs should have its policies and compliance reviewed by an attorney who works in this area.

That last part matters. A general business attorney who handles your lease and contracts may never have worked through childcare licensing exemptions, camp permitting, mandated reporter duties or abuse prevention policies. Look for counsel with experience representing youth-serving organizations, camps or child care providers in your state. Ask which youth programming clients they've represented and which regulators they've worked with, and bring the workbook to your first meeting.

We're Here to Help

This resource will answer many of your questions, but not all of them. Laws change, and your programs have their own details. Our committees continue to track these regulations, and our team is here to talk through your situation and point you to the right resources.

Download the Workbook - Members Only

Download the Compliance Checklist

For questions about youth program regulations, membership, or other CWA programs and services, contact hello@cwapro.org.