The Boys’ Brigade provides children and young people with opportunities to learn, grow and discover in a safe, fun and caring environment which is rooted in the Christian faith.
It is not realistic to expect that a totally accident free environment can be achieved, but by increasing the awareness of safety issues we can create the safest possible experiences for children and young people.
Keeping everyone safe is everyone’s responsibility, creating a culture of managing risk within The Boys’ Brigade will help us to do this. It is important that we consider safety and managing risk as part of everything we do and not just when we think something is high risk.
Although the Company Captain and Leaders-in-Charge of Age Groups have specific roles to play in ensuring the safety of everyone, every leader has a part to play in building and maintaining a safe space.
So, how do we achieve this?
Assessing Risk
Leaders are required at a local level to carry out risk assessments for all activities being undertaken. This is a key part of the planning process, and includes:
- Identifying & locating hazards
- Considering who might be harmed and how
- Identifying how risks are eliminated or controlled
- Recording & communicating risks & control measures to everyone
- Reviewing & updating as necessary
As well as assessing the risk for activities being undertaken there MUST also be a risk assessment for the meeting space or venue you are using and this should be reviewed and updated annually by the Company. All leaders should have access to the latest risk assessments and understand the risks/hazards identified and the control measures in place.
To support you in carrying out risk assessments you can download a Template Risk Assessment (PDF / Word). An example risk assessment for a ‘Trip to the Park’ activity can also be downloaded.
Keeping our records up to Date
To help keep children and young people safe it is important that we hold relevant, accurate and up-to-date information about them. We do this by collecting and managing data through the Joining and Information Forms and also through Online Brigade Manager (OBM). These provide essential information which will be required in the event of an accident, but also provide useful information with regards to allergies, disabilities/impairments and medication being taken.
When leading activities outside of your normal programme or for ALL residential activities, leaders MUST ensure they have up to date records for all those attending. This can be achieved through the Special Activity Consent Form or through OBM.
Joining/Information/Consent Forms can be found at boys-brigade.org.uk/forms/
First Aid
Whilst it is not a requirement that leaders hold a first aid certificate it is recommended that a leader present at ALL BB activities has a working knowledge of first aid, which would enable them to assess, administer treatment where necessary and/or access external medical assistance (999, 111, GP or local Minor Injuries/A&E). If you would be interested in completing a first aid course/qualification to support you in your role please speak to your Company Captain.
Insurance
As an organisation we have Public Liability Insurance and Personal Accident cover in place for all registered leaders and children & young people. This cover operates based on activities being organised and delivered by registered BB leaders following our policies, procedures, and guidance. There are some exemptions and/or limitations to these policies for specific activities and also where activities are being run by third parties.
More information can be found on our website at boys-brigade.org.uk/insurance/.
What to do in an emergency
All leaders should be aware of the actions to take in the event of an emergency, to deal with the immediate situation, and this should include:
- Administering basic First Aid – it is important to know the location of the nearest first aid kit and have one with you when on outdoor activities
- Evacuating the venue via emergency exits, using designated routes and gathering at the agreed assembly point.
- Ensuring all children, young people, leaders and any other persons are accounted for.
- Immediately alerting the appropriate emergency services as required.
Your Company Captain and/or Leader-in-Charge will then be responsible for taking further action to report based on our procedures.
More information can be found at boys-brigade.org.uk/dealing-with-emergencies/
Recording & Reporting
Each Company is responsible for keeping a record of any accidents/incidents which occur during BB activities. Therefore, depending on the situation and who is present you may be required to make a record of the incident including who was involved, what has happened, where, when and any action taken. This must then be passed on to your Company Captain.
If someone (young person/leader/other person) requires professional medical attention at the time or as a result of an accident sustained whilst participating in a BB activity the Accident Notification Form must be completed and forwarded to BB Headquarters.
For more guidance on recording & reporting visit boys-brigade.org.uk/dealing-with-emergencies/