Special Needs and Disabilities – Serving Scouts With Disabilities

The basic premise of Scouting for youth with disabilities is that all youth want to participate fully and be respected like every other member of the unit. While there are, by necessity, units exclusively composed of Scouts with disabilities, experience has shown that Scouting usually succeeds best when every Scout is part of a regular unit.

The following resources provide additional information about Scouts with disabilities.

General Resources

• Special Needs and Disabilities Inclusion Toolbox | PDF version
• Able Scouts Articles on Scouting with special needs and disabilities
• Abilities Digest Newsletter Archive
  • Winter 2022 Issue 3/3/2022
  • Spring Summer 2022 Issue 6/23/2022
  • Fall 2022 Issue 11/15/2022
  • Winter 2023 Issue 3/22/2023
  • Summer 2024 Issue
  • Winter /Spring 2024 Issue
• Torch of Gold Award, No. 512-945
• Woods Services Award, No. 512-258
• Special Needs Scouting Service Award
• Introduction to Working with Scouts with Special Needs and Disabilities, No. 510-071
• Special Needs Scouting Promotion Trifold Brochure, No. 510-072
• Zia Family Experience- Philmont Training Center June 22-28, 2025
• Special Needs Zia Trek- Philmont Scout Ranch June 21-28 & July 12-19 2025, June 20-27 & July 11-18, 2026
• Adaptive Outdoor Conference- Philmont Training Center June 22-28, 2025

Advancement

• Guide to Advancement, No. 33088, Section 10.0.0.0, “Advancement for Members With Special Needs”
• Individual Scout Advancement Plan, No. 512-936
• Request for Registration Beyond the Age of Eligibility, No. 512-935
• Eagle Rank Requirements 
• Application for Alternative Eagle Scout Rank Merit Badges, No. 512-730
• Tenderfoot, Second Class, and First Class Ranks Alternative Requirements

Webinars

• Special needs and Disabilities Roundtable- How the older youth program can support Scouts and Scouters with Special Needs – December 5, 2024 View Recording
• Special Needs and Disabilities Roundtable- Promoting National Disabilities Awareness Month within the Unit – Mar 6, 2024 View Recording
• National Scouting America Special Needs Accessible Camps Certification Process – January 25, 2024 View Recording
• Special Needs and Disabilities Roundtable- Resources and how to become a Special Needs and Disabilities Champion – November 21, 2023 View Recording
• Special Needs and Disabilities Roundtable- Questions about Cub Scouts, Scouts BSA and Advancement – August 23, 2023 View Recording
• Special Needs and Disabilities Roundtable – Mental, Emotional, and Social Health in Scouting – May 22, 2023 View Recording | View PowerPoint
• Special Needs and Disabilities Roundtable –  November 15, 2022 View Recording
• Special Needs and Disabilities Roundtable – Recruiting – August 22, 2022 View Recording
• Special Needs and Disabilities Roundtable – Getting Ready for Camp – April 12, 2022 View Recording
• Special Needs and Disabilities Roundtable: Advancement for Scouts with Special Needs:  December 14, 2021 View Recording
• Special Needs and Disabilities Roundtable: February 21, 2023 View Recording
• Inclusion of Special Needs in the Scouts BSA Program –  April 29, 2023 View Recording

In-Person Training Opportunities

Training Modules

• SND 100 – Essentials in Serving Scouts with Disabilities
• SND 101 – Serving Scouts with Special Needs
• SND 110 – Inclusion, The Key to Disabilities Awareness
• SND 120 – Special Needs Scouting, ADHD
• SND 130 – Special Needs Scouting, Autism
• SND 140 – Allergies
• SND 200 – Advancement for Scouts with Disabilities
• SND 210 – Program & Planning Strategies for Working with Scouts with Disabilities
• SND 220 – Camping Considerations for Scouts with Disabilities
• SND 230 – Advanced Special Needs Scouting
• SND 300 – Council Special Needs & Disabilities Committee

Safety Highlight

• Safety Moment – Special Needs and Transportation Safety Article
• Elopement Safety Moment