Staff at a summer camp have been accused of beating, cursing and yelling at children.

The accusations were made by parents who alerted the Child and Family Services (CFS).

Acting director of CFS, Glenda Edwards, told : ?The case is still open and we are actively monitoring the situation.?

She added that the woman who runs Kids Next Door ? Kenwaundae Henry ? had been very co-operative and made some changes on her own initiative.

This week Ms Henry rejected claims of beating and cursing, although she admitted staff yell at children because ?they speak louder than us?.

She said she had suggested a social worker show up unexpectedly at her camp to see if the allegations were true.

When this happened, the CFS employee was surprised to find children dancing, baking and playing games.

Ms Henry started Kids Next Door at her home three years ago with only 20 children. She overcame a legion of doubters to turn the venture into a huge success.

With 90 children now on board, the camp has relocated to St. John Ambulance Brigade headquarters on Point Finger Road, Paget.

Ms Henry, who admits she has received positive and negative feedback about her camp, said yesterday that people told her it would never work at St. John, but she proved them wrong with children waking up at 5 a.m. to tell their parents: ?I got to go to camp!?

Staff ? including Ms Henry ? are St. John?s Brigade members and are first aid, CPR, and AED (artificial external defibrillation) certified.

The children ? aged three to 14 ? take part in a wide range of activities, including baking, art and crafts, and CPR. And the younger children do a course called Introduction to Emergency Management.

Ms Henry said the camp trekked down to Dolphin Quest to swim with the dolphins and recently went to the Fire station to watch a film on fire safety.

Camp member, Staphen Dill, 14, said that the movie taught him different ways to escape a house on fire and how to stop, drop and roll.

Of the camp, he said: ?It is quite fun.?

Next year he plans to return unless he finds a job, he said.

The camp, which started on June 28, will hold a graduation ceremony on September 4 where the children will receive certificates of participation. Staff will also hand out awards to the children for different characteristics, such as kindest and funniest.

Ms Henry said that the graduation would be filled with dancing and singing by the children.

The camp runs all day long and Ms Henry said she would love to do it again next year.