Appendix 13
The following provides good practice guidance for taking teams on an away fixture for a day (not overnight)
- appoint a team manager with clear roles and responsibilities
- appoint a designated safeguarding lead contact (not the team manager) who is appropriately trained and competent for the role and responsibilities
- establish well in advance where the fixture is
- ensure you have sufficient staff to manage and look after the young people
- obtain written permission from the parents/carers or carers for participation, transporting and supervising. An up to date photograph of each child must be attached to the child’s consent form (for use in the event of any child going missing)
- ensure that a welfare plan has been written and communicated to staff, participants and carers
- ensure all staff responsible for the young people have been DBS checked to the appropriate level and staff have had appropriate safeguarding training
- ensure that a risk assessment has been conducted
- ensure that there is a contact available e.g a staff member who is not travelling away, who will act as the key contact point if required.
Accommodation
Whatever the accommodation, the team manager should ensure that the children are safe. Discuss your code of conduct and discipline policy with the staff at the accommodation. All children must know which rooms staff are in and how to contact them if required.
If rooms are equipped with satellite TV, inappropriate programmes may be available. It may be possible to have these programmes disconnected.
If rooms have fridges, all alcohol must be removed.
Check the accommodation policy for extras on bills, breakages and lost keys. All accommodation must be clean and with access to sufficient toilet and bathing facilities.
It is not acceptable:
- For children to share a bed
- For male and female children to share a room
- For staff to share a room with children
Checks must be made to ensure that the needs of children with disabilities are met. For wheelchair users, it is important to check access to the building, room and bathroom facilities
Overnight Stays
Those responsible for organising overnight stays should establish the purpose of the trip, confirm the dates, location, and duration. You should also conduct a risk assessment, identify suitable venues and facilities for both fixtures and accommodation and consider the following:
- Purpose of the trip.
- Who will be going, children? Staff?
- How much will it cost? How much spending money is required?
- What insurance cover is required?
- Supervision of children, both playing and non-playing time.
- Catering for all food requirements.
- Communication with parents (see above)
- Ensure a list of the team and staff is left, with contact number and address of the accommodation
- Ensure that there are emergency contact numbers for all the team and staff.
- An itinerary giving as much detail as possible.
- Emergency procedures and telephone contacts.
- Codes of contact for both staff and children.
- Welfare and child protection procedures.
