For parents of youth with additional needs for support, weighing the costs, nature of programs, typical camper groups, staffing, location, and much more play a part in selecting a program. These are things that you will also have to look at in examining whether Summit is a good match (or any other program).
In general cost is often one thing families immediately must consider as they start looking at summer camp programs for their child. One of the most common questions I receive as a camp director relates to the cost of camp- the tuition. I wanted to offer, as a camp director, a break down the price of camp from our perspective so that you as a parent can evaluate that when considering our- or any- camp program.
Regardless of your child’s camp program (day or resident camp) there are two main factors that are involved;
-Supervision and physical care of children
-Engagement- beneficial programs for children to participate in
The camp must be able to fund all the aspects under each of those headings, for example:
- Hiring temporary staff, such as counselors, lifeguards, specialists, nurses, admins, food service workers, cleaners; and, in our case, therapeutic staff- that are properly vetted and background checked by the camp.
- Providing a physical space for camp, meals, housing, bedding, laundry services, for the campers and staff (particularly in a resident program), that are substantial, safe, and meet the needs of the community.
- Supplies for programs, trips, updated facilities, and space for activities that are alluring and beneficial to young people.
This list could go on for a very long time, so for the sake of timeliness we will move on.
Basically no matter what camp your child attends, STAFFING is your camp’s most significant expense. The majority of your tuition is likely going to counselor, specialists, and support staff – paying their salaries, yes; but also things you might not consider- for their housing and meals, their related expenses at the camp (such as tickets for the theme parks they accompany the kids to), fees to the visa sponsor and insurance programs, training, and so on. It’s a bit like having a live-in caretaker such as a nanny, only multiplied by hundreds of people. In a program like Summit that operates a system of 6 various programming areas (Adventure, Athletics, Waterfront, Arts, STEM, and Social Learning) which require specific and trained staff as facilitators, and then a separate body of general counselors, the staffing of the camp becomes an even more significant expense. Summit has a staffing ratio more than 3x higher than that of most of our neighboring ‘neurotypical’ resident camps. This would be the same in the school setting where our child may receive support such as individualized teaching, OT, SLP, and so on. This also might be the same in any camp that offers very specific skill training, where staff that are teachers in that area need to provide the lessons.
Still- are the benefits of camp worth the high cost?
Well one thing to consider is how much the camp really costs (compared to other options, I suppose.) To start I think it is important to break this down to the hourly rate of camp. I will use our upcoming season of 2021 for the full season.
17,140.00/7 weeks= 2375
2448.57/7 days= 349.79
349.79/24 hours= 14.57 Per hour
At its highest, the cost of our camp is just over $14.50 per hour.
(Ok I know what some of you are thinking – some of those hours are spent sleeping- but the camp continues to provide payment to their counselors to supervise them when they sleep; and to maintain the bunks that they live in, so when this is considered, it is easy to understand how those hours must be counted. That would equate to not paying a hotel anything for the hours you spent sleeping there- that would be nice but not very sustainable.)
Most parents would not balk at paying $14.50 an hour for child care in their own home- with their own beds, meals, and activities! Using the same formula, you could certainly compare the costs of other camps- even ones whose sessions or programs differ- to determine the real hourly or daily cost you are investing in the program.
What are you getting for your money?
I can’t speak for every camp but overall I think the offerings of a sleep-away camp are somewhat universal:
- A place for your child to safely stay away from home and have an independent life experience
- A place where your child will meet peers he/she would not have otherwise met and establish long term connections (many camp people stay friends for life!)
- A place where staff can be coaches, role models, friends, and listening ears- something that, no matter how much we might desire to be this for our children, parents cannot always offer
- A place where, for many children, they can take on a new role socially than they have at school- improving self esteem and feelings of self worth
- A place where kids can safely take risks and overcome challenges with a massive safety net of staff, friends, and physical safety
And, most importantly;
A place where your child will, on a daily basis, engage in a wide range of structured (and sometimes unstructured!) activities designed to ensure your child is physically, socially, and mentally active – the meaning of which cannot be understated these days.
Again, this is a list that could go on for a long while. I think the most beneficial aspect of camp is that it gives our kids a chance to be successful in many ways simply by being in an environment that supports them and gives them new opportunities to do so. As a parent I know that is easily worth it. Yet that isn’t the same thing as being able to pay for camp.
What if I still can’t afford it?
Yes- being worth the funds doesn’t equal having the funds to pay the bill. Although times have changed in the USA when it comes to our work as adults, we have yet to really delve into the conversation of whether having the ‘summer break’ from public education is continuing to work for many families.
Each summer, as parents, we are thrown back to the pre-school years- the time in which there was no public or supported programs for our kids to participate in. Back to the time when, out of necessity, we paid heavily out of pocket for our children’s care; whether it was by paying the tuition fees for child care programs, hiring a personal carer, or by having one parent remain in the home. True, your child does not require the supervision that he or she required as a toddler. Yet, we know our kids also cannot (or at least for the older ones, should not) be left to their own devices (ON their own devices!) for nearly three months.
That being said, personally I am (obviously!) not a fan of removing summer camp programs to continue school all year round. Summer camp offers many, many things that are unique and wonderful to children. Rather than being seen as summer vacation, summer camp might be seen as a critical part of their learning and development. On the other hand I am a fan of helping parents make decisions that would help them plan and care for their children’s growth and development in a diverse variety of ways throughout their childhood and adolescence. I don’t know what the future holds, but I hope that it holds the opportunity for more children and teens to participate in summer programs like ours that can be a critical component to their personal and social success.
In the meantime, we will continue to try to help make our programs accessible to as many people as possible- by offering a variety of session lengths, providing tuition assistance, and arranging workable arrangements for families.
Okay, I think camp is worth it and I want to make it happen for my kid. What should do next?
If you haven’t yet decided which camp is right for your child, there are many ways to decide which one is the right program for you. If you are on our site, read about our camper groups and give us a call to discuss your child’s fit within those groups. Cost should be a factor but seeing as many camps fall into the same price range, other things may become much more significant. Session offerings, program offerings, staff on site, location to your home- all these will obviously be part of the review.
- Look at the camp’s programs and opportunities. Some camps are general and others are very focused in nature. Camp is not a place for your kid to become an expert at something they have no interest in or have never tried, BUT, it may be a wonderful place to expose them to things they might become more interested in. If your kid is already heavily interested in a certain topic, like animal care or soccer, there are certainly camps that have more of that than others- but choosing a camp solely because of a single program offering doesn’t mean your child is going to get the other benefits such as friendship or staff support. Make sure that all aspects of the camp can support- and also challenge and stimulate- your child’s development. Just doing more of something they already like isn’t going to be enough to create the real camp “magic”.
- Contact the camps you are interested in directly. Don’t be afraid to ask a lot of questions or have a director come out to visit your home. We do that all the time! Plus many camps now have detailed websites, too.
- Go to an in person or virtual camp fair (hit or miss, but you will pick up TONS of information for comparison!)
- Contact the American Camp Association. The ACA provides its own- FREE to both camp and parents- referral service for families. Plus you can assure you are receiving a non-biased and well informed referral of a camp that is certified and inspected by ACA.
- If finance is a concern, tell the camp up front and ask if any scholarship or other consideration can be made. Most camps are very used to having these discussions. Camps also often have seasonal discounts or other opportunities to save – If you have more than one child, see if there are discounts for multi sibling enrollments. If you can refer other families to the camp, maybe there are referral discounts offered as well.
- Ask for parent referrals of kids that enjoy the program. Kids who enjoy the camp and are successful there should share similarities to your child if your child is going to be successful at making friends there and enjoying the program him/herself!
- Take a look at the application process. Depending on the type of camp you are looking at, the application process can be relatively one-step or can be layered. Our camp requires forms and an intake process due to the nature of our populations. Still, the more thorough the application process, the more importance the camp is placing on getting to know your camper and your family and what their goals for this program are.
Things that really aren’t that helpful:
- Reading too much into online reviews. I feel people certainly have become more savvy at deciphering online reviews, but nonetheless. There are a few issues with online reviews. Positive ones certainly may have been done at the request at the camp director or other staff, even though most people advise against asking people to write reviews- it’s a toss up. Negative ones may be disgruntled staff who were terminated for good reason and/or their friends or family; parents of campers who were asked to leave the camp for good reason and/or their friends or family. Reviews are also not “time stamped”; a person can review a camp they have not attended or had any contact with for years or even decades. Sure, not all positive reviews are forced. Not all negative reviews are ‘payback’. Yet in my long experience working in this industry, parents word-of-mouth is more honest than a positive or negative online review, and parents that have real concerns with the camp don’t risk their position by taking to social media. Employees aren’t meant to leave consumer reviews- positive or negative- on google and yelp as per the policy of the sites, but there’s no specific recourse that can be taken if they chose to do so, either. See if you can connect with real, current or recent camp parents- perhaps some attend your school or perhaps you can find some on the camp’s social media. Even staff! Then you know the information you are getting is more likely to be unbiased.
- Signing up for a camp at a camp fair in the moment. Many programs will offer and allow this – some even providing a discount if you sign up “on the spot”. Unless you came specifically to sign up for that camp or a camp exactly like it, I would say wait and do a follow up call or more investigation. If they offered a discount for sign up on the spot you can inquire if there’s a way to maintain that promo as long as you confirm that you have chosen that camp when you met them at the fair (this is what we do automatically!).
- Basing your decision entirely on one factor. This goes back to before in discussing whether to send your child to a “soccer” camp for the main reason that they are into playing that sport. It should be a multifaceted experience and thus getting to know the camp and all the components are significant.
- Waiting too long. Camp programs can fill up quite quickly and the best deals are for those families who sign up earlier in the season (think October/November). Returning campers will have signed up for the next season starting the summer before- for example we left camp this season with half our our first session for 2021 already enrolled with returning campers. Plus, the earlier on you start looking at camps the longer you have to make an actual decision which will be the best fit.
If you can, I encourage you to take up the cost of camp- as I broke down above, you are getting a great deal, even if you pay a pretty big bill! If you need help, reach out to the camp (our camp included). Most camps have, at their heart, a group of dedicated people whose interests – and reason for getting into the camp community- surround helping children and teens develop into successful, happy adults.