Information for parents
School’s out and that means it’s time for holidays, hopefully sunny weather, and summer activity camps.
These camps are a great way for children to stay active, learn new skills and make friends. There are lots of things to think about when choosing your child’s activities this summer and how to keep them safe is top of the list. The Child Protection in Sport Unit (CPSU) have put together five handy tips to help you choose holiday camps that are not only fun, but safe for your children too.
1. Have staff been checked out?
Staff should be proud to show their qualifications for teaching specific sports or leading multi-sports camps, and also proud to advertise that they have the appropriate DBS check. The DBS check would show if an individual wasn’t allowed to work with children in regulated activity. An activity provider should also be proud to let you know about other steps they take to make sure their staff are suitable to work with children as part of their safer recruitment process.
2. Is there a safeguarding policy?
The safeguarding policy should be available for all to see. This outlines the activity providers’ commitments to keeping everyone safe and the process that will be followed if there was a concern over a child’s safety. The safeguarding policy is usually displayed on the organisation’s website.
3. What happens if there’s an accident?
The activity provider should be able to tell you about the arrangements for first aid in case of an accident. This should include who is trained in first aid and what the first aid provision is.
4. Who can you talk to?
The activity provider should also be able to tell you who the welfare officer or safeguarding lead is in case you have a concern. It’s important that your child knows who they can speak to if there is anything that is worrying them too.
5. What training has been undertaken?
Safeguarding is everybody’s responsibility and all staff or volunteers at the holiday camp should know what to look out for and what to do if they have a concern that something isn’t right. They should also know they have a legal duty to do something about this. It’s great practice if all staff and volunteers have received safeguarding training, but as a minimum the welfare officer or safeguarding lead should have completed additional safeguarding training.
Support for activity providers
As an activity provider keeping children safe at your holiday camps is your priority. The CPSU provides helpful information and resources, including a poster with a checklist to guide you in creating safe environments for your participants. Some tips to consider include:
1. Make sure that activities are age appropriate for the children on your camp
2. Ensure you have the right people to run the camp
Whether these are paid staff or volunteers. Follow safer recruitment practices and provide proper training. Your team should respect children’s rights and help create an inclusive environment for everyone.
3. How safe is the environment you’re creating?
Whether a child attends your holiday camp for a day or for the whole of the school holidays, they should feel comfortable to speak to your team about anything that is worrying them, and know that their worries will be taken seriously. Let children know who they can speak to if they have any worries and make time to allow children to have their voices heard.
4. Remember photo consent forms
Everyone loves a selfie and it’s great to post on socials about the great time that everyone’s having on your holiday camps – especially if the sun is shining. Before doing so, make sure you have consent for photos and videos from parents and carers. Minimise the use of any personal information in your captions, including children’s names and ages to protect them from being identified. For more information about safe photo and video use, see the CPSU’s guidance.
5. Ensure that your team know how to report any concerns they have.
If you are affiliated to a National Governing Body you must refer to their safeguarding procedures and how to report a concern. If you’re an activity provider that isn’t affiliated, you must report the concern to the local children’s services, and you can also contact the NSPCC helpline (0808 800 5000) for advice.
By working together, we can make sure that holiday camps are not only fun but safe for everyone this summer too.
Find out more
Take a look at our safeguarding and sport welfare pages to meet our team and see how they can support you.
You can also check out the CPSU’s parents’ hub and information for activity providers.
Get involved
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