Low Risk Offsite Trips and Adventurous or Hazardous Activities Policy and Procedures
Definition
There are two categories of visit:
1. Low risk activities are day trips which don’t involve any hazardous activities, for example, theatre trips, ten pin bowling, parks etc.
2. High risk adventurous or hazardous activities are day trips which involves any type of hazardous activity such as climbing, water sports, caving, quad bikes, skiing etc.
Planning
Hipp!!Bones Charity (the “charity”) strives to make all outings accessible to our members. We aim to achieve this through:
- Thoroughly researching each venue for wheelchair access, disabled toilets and nearby ‘changing places’ facilities, if applicable.
- Accurately calculating the cost of the outing to include transport and entrance fees, food and/or refreshments where applicable.
Pre-Event Visit
Where practicable, Hipp!!Bones staff should have prior experience of the outing to be arranged orundertake a preliminary visit.
Initial Approval
The Youth Support Worker in Charge will seek initial approval for the outing from the Hipp!!Bones Chair using Form 1a: Planned Visit to Low Risk Attraction or 1b. Planned Visit to Higher Risk Adventurous Activities. Once approved, details can be sent to parents/carers.
Activity Details
Form 2: Activity details will be given to parents/carers, a minimum of one calendar month before the outing. A deposit will be required to secure a place, which is non-refundable.
Any changes to the plans, particularly where the risks involved might be greater than those described on the Activity Details, must be relayed to parents prior to departure.
Risk Assessment
The Youth Support Worker in Charge is responsible for undertaking a thorough risk assessment using Form 4: Hipp!!Bones Risk Assessment for Offsite Visits, which will highlight any potential causes of harm or injury and put measures in place to reduce these to the lowest level possible. The nature of the risks will vary considerably according to the specific needs of the members that will be attending. This must be approved by the Chair.
When commercial organisations are used, we will obtain the organisation’s risk assessment and/or request the completion of ‘The Association of Advisers for Outdoor Learning and Educational Visits’ (OEAP) Provider Statement to ensure they meet the required standards.
Insurance
All commercial providers should have their own Public Liability Insurance cover. The Youth Support Worker in Charge/Hipp!!Bones Chair must be satisfied (where appropriate) that any venue has current and sufficient Public Liability Insurance. Regular off-site activities are listed in our Hipp!!Bones CIO Charity and Community (Advantage) Policy schedule and give adequate cover for the outing planned.
Transport
The majority of trips will require the hiring of minibus(es), depending on numbers taking part. Hipp!!Bones uses Dorset Community Transport ‘DCT’ which operates a minibus hiring scheme for ‘not for profit’ organisations at a subsidised rate. DCT have a fleet of approximately 50 vehicles, over half of which are wheelchair accessible. The drivers are trained to the nationally recognised and accredited MiDAS (Minibus Driver Awareness Scheme) standard, which is administered by the Community Transport Association.
Supervision
When using minibuses we make sure the following safety procedures are followed:
- A copy of Form 3: Confirmed Details of Participants on Activity, lists all participants, with emergency contact name and contact details for each, will be held by each nominated bus leader.
- Parents/carers are asked to provide a car seat formembers under 135cm / 4ft 5 inches tall or until they’re 12 years old, whichever comes first. If there isn’t a car seat available, they must use an adult seat belt.
- Seatbelts must be worn at all times when travelling in the bus – the bus leader will ensure that all members’ seatbelts are fastened before the driver drives away.
- When travelling with young people there should be at least one member of staff/volunteer for every four young people on the bus, in addition to the driver. One member of staff must sit near the back, preferably by the rear exit doors.
- A first aider will be on each bus for the duration of the journey.
- The nominated bus leader will be responsible for carrying out a head count when members are boarding and disembarking the vehicle, on arrival at, or departure from, leisure facilities and at regular opportunities in between. All young people wear a wristband with the emergency contact number on, in the event they get separated from the group.
- The young people will be grouped with staff who know them well, according to medical need, behaviour, peer groups, autistic traits etc and travel on the same minibus as their group leader (where possible).
Route
- The nominated drivers will be provided with clear route instructions and have a satellite navigation device on board.
- The buses will travel in convoy wherever possible and remain in contact throughout the journey by mobile phone in case of emergency.
First Aid
The adult responsible for first aid should carry a well-stocked portable First Aid Kit, have a current First Aid at Work certificate and carry contact information for the nearest doctor, hospital and emergency services should this be required.
The following are the main tasks for the person nominated as responsible for first aid:
- To keep a log of injuries and illnesses occurring during the visit and the treatment administered
- To ensure that parents/carers are informed of any treatment administered during the visit. This may require discussion with the Youth Support Worker in Charge / Hipp!!Bones Chair and, in the case of more serious issues, informing parents immediately rather than waiting until the group returns home
- Where there is serious illness/incident/injury, prepare a report in conjunction with the Youth Support Worker in Charge / Hipp!!Bones Chair with a witness statement, where possible, about the events leading up to the incident and the action taken. These notes should be kept with the accident/incident records.
Base Contact
The Base Contact is a nominated Charity Trustee who is able to be contacted at any time during the outing and who is preferably not related to any member of the group. The Base Contact will be responsible for implementing that part of the emergency procedure to be applied at local level and hold the following information:
- Full details of the visit including location, travel plans, duration, activities
- Names of all participants with emergency contact names and numbers for each
Incidents/Accidents
Depending on the nature and severity of the incident/accident, some or all the following will be appropriate:
- Ensure everyone is safe from further danger and provide reassurance.
- Take notes to be able to make a detailed report about the incident/accident and any subsequent developments
- Request that mobile phones are not used until after the Base Contact has been informed and permission is given by the Youth Support Worker in Charge.
- If a serious incident, Base Contact will seek further advice from the appropriate support services. Base Contact will implement emergency procedure at local level as appropriate, including contacting parents/carers of the young people involved and/or emergency contacts of staff/volunteers.
In situations involving severe injury, possible criminal offences or media interest, the group leader should:
- Listen as impartially as possible to all parties involved
- Avoid admitting liability or expressing personal opinions
Leadership and Staff Ratios
Any outing must be led by the Youth Support Worker in Charge and at least one other member of staff, plus at least three adult volunteers.
The roles and responsibilities of all members of staff and volunteers accompanying the outing must be made clear to them.
The minimum ratio of adults to young people or vulnerable adults is 1:4 when accompanying members on outings. This ratio maybe reduced to 1:1 for members with complex medical needs, behaviour difficulties or mobility difficulties.