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Home | Resources | Practical advice | Children, young people and families resources | Will my child be safe?

When there is a school trip, a residential or other organised event how do you know that everything is in place to ensure your child will be safe? Susan Wright, Head of Children, Young People and Families Development at Action for Blind People explains

Action for Blind People runs a wide range of clubs, one-day events and residential activities. What is always fed back to us is how much the children or young people get out of them. They grow in confidence and independence, as well as making new friends and learning new skills.

“I feel that I have grown more in this week then the rest of the year.  I have grown in confidence” Callum, aged 10

But what needs to be put in place to make the experience a success?

Below is an outline of the work that any organisation or school is required by law to have in place to ensure that the needs of your child and their visual difficulties are taken into consideration.

All staff have the responsibility to act in ‘loco parentis’ to the children or young people attending – to take on the responsibility for your child as if they were the parent. The person in charge of the event also has a responsibility to ensure that all the staff have sufficient information and understanding of the activities to keep themselves and the children safe.

A well run event will have in place a number of important policies and procedures – all designed to ensure a safe and enjoyable event. These should be available for anyone to review and you have the right to ask to see them.

Safeguarding

Organisations running events or activities for children must have a safeguarding policy. This puts the responsibility on all staff to report any concerns about the safety of children or young people to a named person with responsibility for safeguarding. That person must be trained to know how to deal with any child protection or safeguarding issues that arise, involving social services and/or the police if appropriate.

The current law is that all staff (including any volunteers) working with children should have a current satisfactory Criminal Records Bureau check. Government has announced a review of the requirements of people who work occasionally with children to have a CRB check, and it is likely that these rules may be relaxed for adults who help occasionally.

Children and young people’s code of conduct

The group should discuss some basic rules about respect and behaviour and the children should know who to go to if they have any concerns. Parents are often asked to sign to say they accept these ‘rules’ and that they agree to pick their child up if not adhering to the requirements of the activity or trip. 

Risk assessment

Organisations including schools carry out risk assessments to try and minimise any hazards and put in place extra precautions if necessary. This will include the venue, any transport, activities and trips off site. This does not mean that challenging activities such as skiing, abseiling, scuba diving, canoeing cannot happen – it just means that all the safety procedures that are available are in place to minimise the risk. This may mean for example that a child who has asthma must have a-fully charged inhaler; or that older children must stay in groups of say three or more at all times when visiting a theme park or historic city; that all the harnesses and equipment at an activity centre are regularly checked and serviced; and that staff are fully trained in safety standards.

First aid

The group must have a trained first aider who has the responsibility for any minor injuries or accidents. Staff should always err on the side of caution and take a child to a doctor or hospital if appropriate.

Can the school refuse to take my child on a school trip because of their visual difficulty?

No – under the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) a person with a disability should not be treated less favourably and the school or organisation should make reasonable adjustments where possible. This might mean for example having a slightly higher staff ratio for the group, or providing a one-to-one teaching assistant to support your child.

What can I do to help?

Be positive about new opportunities and encourage your child to sign up! Blind and partially sighted children every year take part in a whole range of challenging activities, gaining socially, physically and growing in confidence.

Make sure you have completed the application form and given all the necessary information that will support staff to respond appropriately to your child’s needs. You may be asked to provide details of your family doctor and any medical conditions your child has so that this information is at hand. In addition it is helpful to explain how your child's visual impairment affects them for particular activities. It is also helpful to include information about when glasses or lenses should be worn, and any cleansing routine required for lenses or a prosthetic eye. For example, if you know your child’s visual condition is worse when the level of light is low (dull days or evenings) let the leader know so they can arrange the right level of awareness and support.

Let staff know if there are any activities or social situations that your child has difficulty with. This will enable staff to support your son or daughter in a way that will address their anxieties and may encourage them to "have a go".

What if my child needs medication?

Make sure you discuss with the staff member who is responsible for medication what you have sent for your child. All medication, except for an inhaler carried by older children, should be handed over for safekeeping.

Make sure that all medicines are clearly labelled with your child's name (in original packaging), and that there is sufficient for the duration of the stay. If there is a lot of medication you can go to your local chemist and get a ‘dosset’ box made up with the tablets ready for each day.

If your child has high medical or care needs then a "care plan" needs to be put in place. This needs to be discussed prior to the event. This will then be written up and you will need to agree and sign that it is correct. Do let staff know if anything changes prior to the event.

What if my child is homesick during a residential trip?

If you know that your child is going on a residential trip it can be helpful to arrange a sleepover at a friend or relative's house in preparation. However it is not unusual for any child to experience some initial homesickness. This is often forgotten after the first night once they have had an exciting day trying out new activities. Staff should always keep you informed and discuss with you the best way to support your child.

“It was an amazing experience and if there is another residential next year, that is half as good as this one, it will be worth going to” Katy age 10.

What is certain is that your child will come home with a bag of dirty clothes for washing and hopefully a big smile on their face while telling you of all the exciting things that they have been up to all week.

“The whole thing was such a challenge for him. He really didn’t think that he could do it – even just staying away from home. He is so proud of himself for all that he has achieved and we are so grateful that you have given him this experience!” Parent of child, aged 12.

Quick support checklist

If you are not sure that a club or event has everything in place to support your child, don’t be afraid to ask for more information:

• Find out who will be the person helping with medication.
• Check that all staff (including volunteers) know about your child’s visual difficulties and what impact these have.
• If you feel uncertain about how things are being run ask to look at the risk assessments.
• You have the right to ask the organisation if staff have up to date CRB checks.
• Check the organisation’s website. Key policies and procedures should be available for you to view in advance. If not you are entitled to ask to see them.

This article first appeared in Insight magazine, the leading magazine about children with sight problems. Contact insightmagazine@rnib.org.uk or visit the Insight pages on the RNIB website.