Find My Role

What Every Family Does (Regardless of Role)

Required by all councils:

Complete a background check. Every adult participating in troop activities needs to register with Girl Scouts and submit a Criminal Background Check. This is non-negotiable and applies to all councils. Your troop leader will tell you which registration option to select (Troop Leader, Friends & Family, etc.).

Submit a Health History Form for your girl. Every council requires a current health history form on file for each girl in the troop. Here’s a tip that will save you time: contact your child’s school nurse and ask for a copy of the physical that was submitted when you registered your child for school. Most of the information you need is already on that form.

Lead one badge. Each family leads one badge per girl they have in the troop. This might sound scary, but the badge booklets walk you through it — and this is actually one of the most rewarding parts of Girl Scouting. It gives every girl the experience of being the “leader’s daughter” for a meeting or two, and it gives you a behind-the-scenes look at how troop meetings work. Don't worry -- we'll cover how to lead a badge in our Girl Progression section.

Required by most councils (check yours): 

Youth Protection Training. Most councils require this annual online course for all adults participating in troop activities, not just leaders. It focuses on keeping our girls safe and takes about 30 minutes. Check with your troop leader or council website to confirm whether this is required in your council.

Volunteer Driver Form. Many councils require this form for any adult who may drive girls to a field trip or event. If your council uses one, fill it out early so it’s ready when you need it. Your troop leader will let you know if this applies and provide the link.