Safeguarding Kit for Camps and Holiday Programmes

Overview

Camps and holiday programmes offer exciting experiences for children, from outdoor adventures to creative workshops. These settings often involve overnight stays, unfamiliar environments, mixed age groups, and high staff-to-child ratios during intense periods. Safeguarding must be built into every aspect of planning and delivery. This kit helps organisers create safe, well-managed programmes that parents can trust.

Key Risks

• •Overnight accommodation creating unsupervised access to children, particularly in shared sleeping areas.
• •Activities in remote or outdoor settings where supervision is harder to maintain.
• •Children being away from their usual support networks and less likely to disclose concerns immediately.
• •Temporary or seasonal staff who may not have received adequate safeguarding training or vetting.
• •Medical emergencies or allergic reactions in settings far from immediate medical help.

Policies

• •A comprehensive safeguarding policy covering day and residential elements, reviewed before each programme.
• •A safer recruitment policy for all staff and volunteers, including temporary and seasonal workers, requiring enhanced DBS checks and references.
• •A health and safety policy covering activity risk assessments, medical information, medication management, and emergency procedures.
• •A missing child procedure with clear search protocols, communication plans, and escalation to emergency services.

Adult Conduct Boundaries

• •Adults must never share sleeping accommodation with children unless in a clearly defined, open dormitory setting with multiple staff present.
• •Night-time supervision rotas should ensure at least two vetted adults are awake and on duty at all times during residential stays.
• •Staff should not take children away from the group individually unless for a specific, documented reason with another adult's knowledge.
• •Physical activities should be risk-assessed and led by qualified instructors with appropriate first aid training.

Communication Boundaries

• •Camp staff should not exchange personal contact details or social media connections with attendees.
• •Daily updates to parents should go through official camp communication channels, such as a secure app or email.
• •Children should be supported to contact their parents at agreed times using camp-provided means, not staff personal devices.
• •Any concerns about a child's welfare should be recorded and reported through the camp's internal safeguarding process.

Image Guidance

• •Parental consent for photography and filming must be obtained during registration, with options to opt out.
• •Images should be taken by designated staff using camp-owned devices only, and should not include children in states of undress.
• •Any images shared with parents or used for promotional purposes must comply with the consent given at registration.

Emergency Escalation

Safeguarding Checklist

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