A new code of ethics for girl guide leaders tells them to avoid being alone with a girl and cautions against giving a lone child a lift home, however short the journey.
The code, just launched by the Irish Girl Guides, will help protect both the girls and the leaders, the association said yesterday.
Simple acts such as hugging a young Brownie (five- to seven-year-old members) to comfort her is cautioned against, as it could be misconstrued.
"As a general principle, leaders are advised not to make physical contact that may be misconstrued by a girl or an adult," the Code of Ethics and Good Practice states.
It tells leaders they should never believe they could not be accused of improper action. "Don't rely on your good name to protect you," it states.
"Don't be left alone with a girl, away from the others. Where this is not possible, leave a door open and inform another leader that the girl will be alone in the room with you."
Girl Guide leaders should never take a child to their own home. If giving a lone child a lift, or taking a child home is unavoidable, then leaders must get the consent of the child's parent or guardian in advance.
The code also advises girl guide leaders on the course of action to take if a child discloses abuse or if abuse is suspected.
The new guidelines were introduced because so much had changed since the last code was published in the mid-1990s, said Ms Jillian van Turnhout, chief commissioner of the Irish Girl Guides.
Guidelines from the Departments of Health and Education were incorporated into the code. "This is very practical advice, step by step, written in plain English," Ms van Turnhout said.
The guidelines were launched during the Irish Girl Guides bi-annual conference in Maynooth at the weekend. With more than 11,000 members, the association is the biggest voluntary organisation for girls and young women in this State.
A new recruitment and retention drive for both members and leaders was also launched during the conference.
Ms Jenny McKenna, public relations officer of the Irish Girl Guides, said it was getting more difficult to recruit girl guide leaders as so many women now worked outside the home.
The organisation was encouraging the girls' mothers to volunteer their services, even for just one meeting a month, she said.
The Irish Girl Guides caters for girls from five years old (the Ladybird branch) to 26 (the Senior Branch) .
While the State's two scouting organisations recently agreed to merge, there has been no similar demand for a merger between the Irish Girl Guides, the Catholic Guides of Ireland and Girlguiding Ulster, Ms Van Turnhout said. The Irish Girl Guides is a multi-denominational organisation.
