Checklist of things to ask about when choosing a club, activity
or service.
The questions below may help you decide if a club, activity or
service is likely to be well run and safe. The person named
as the contact for each club, activity or service should be able to
give you the answers.
1. Do you have a leaflet or web site that gives basic
information about your club, activity or service, such as its aims,
staff, what you do, costs, days and times, and contact
details?
2. Who runs the club, activity or service? Is it part of
a larger organisation such as Scouts or locally organised. If
you are locally organised who funds and monitors your
organisation?
3. How do you employ and train your staff? For example, do
leaders, staff and volunteers have Criminal Record Bureau checks to
make sure they can work safely with children or vulnerable
adults? Do you check references?
4. How many leaders or adult helpers and volunteers do you
have at each activity? There should be at least two adults
present for any activity or meeting to operate safely.
5. How do you expect your staff and volunteers to behave
towards children and young people and vulnerable adults?
(This may be a written Code of Conduct for staff and volunteers so
that everyone knows what standards of behaviour to expect. This
might cover things such as physical contact with children,
comforting children or vulnerable adults, addressing bullying,
etc.)
6. How does your organisation keep everyone safe while taking
part in your activities? Do you have a health and safety
policy, a First Aid kit, a qualified First Aider and procedures for
recording and notifying accidents? If there is an accident
what happens? Are you insured?
7. Do you get parents’ or carers' written permission
before taking children and young people or vulnerable
adults on outside visits, adventure activities and
trips?
8. Do you have a management committee that meets
regularly? Are any local parents, carers or young people
on the management committee?
9. Are you happy for parents, children and young people and
vulnerable adults to visit, meet those in charge and see
activities?
10. How does your organisation deal with complaints? Is
there a complaints procedure and how do you make people who attend
aware of it?
Finally, try to speak to other people who have been to the club,
activity or service you are thinking about going to. They can give
you an idea about what it is really like.