We have amended 7r Overseas Visits to include advice about visits to countries where there is a risk of crime or terrorism.
Alongside this, we have created a new document 4.4e Terrorism to replace 6k FAQs: Visits and the Threat from Terrorism, which had developed into a guidance document rather than a FAQ.
6k FAQs: Visits and the Threat from Terrorism is now a straightforward FAQ, referring you to other sources of information.
We have amended 7f Exchanges and Homestays in response to requests for more clarity about monitoring and supervision on homestays. The amendments have reflected our thinking in recent updates of 4.4h Using External Providers and Facilities (seeing homestay hosts as providers) and 4.2a Group management and Supervision (more clarity about roles and responsibilities).
Do you take young people on visits to farms? We have just updated the document 7g Farm Visits to cover a wider range of farm visits and to provide more comprehensive information about how to prepare for your visit and what to do when you are there. You can download the document here.
The Department for Education (DfE) has revised its guidance “Health & Safety on Educational Visits“. You can view the guidance here.
The guidance provides a summary of eight key points for organising educational visits, and refers the reader to OEAP’s National Guidance, which provides greater detail on each of these points. To read the more detailed guidance, follow the links below:
We have updated our guidance about exchange visits and homestays to provide greater clarity about when a DBS check may be required. This has involved amending documents 3.2a Underpinning Legal Framework, 3.2g Vetting and DBS checks, 7f Exchanges and Homestays and creating a new FAQ 6r Hosting a Homestay.
We have also revised 8a English Homestay form (Word version) and 8b English Homestay Form (PDF version) so that they can be used to collect more of the information needed to make vetting decisions for homestays in the UK.
Recent research has called into question the commonly-accepted treatment for lion’s mane jellyfish stings. Medical authorities have yet to have a chance to consider this research, so it is not yet included in NHS advice. With many people heading for the sea this summer, we have updated 7e Jellyfish and Portuguese Man-of-War Stings to refer to the new research.
You can download the revised guidance here.
The Government has recently updated its guidance on Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSiE). As a result, and after discussions with DfE, we have made minor amendments to National Guidance document 3.2g Vetting and Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS), specifically about DBS checks for adults involved in homestays. We have similarly updated the document 7f Exchanges and Homestays.
You can download the revised document 3.2g here, and you can download the revised 7f here.
We have decided it was time to replace the 2001 DfES/CCPR document Group Safety at Water Margins, which we had added to National Guidance in 2014. Although the content of the original document remains current, many of its links are out of date.
We have therefore created a revised document 7i Group safety at water margins, which updates the previous document. It covers activities that might take place near or in water – such as a walk along a river bank or seashore, collecting samples from ponds and streams, or paddling or walking in gentle, shallow water.
It does not cover swimming and other activities that require water safety or rescue qualifications and equipment or water-going craft. Leaders planning for young people to enter the water should also read document 7o Natural water bathing elsewhere in this guidance.
You can download the new document here.
Do any of the young people that you work with smoke, drink alcohol regularly or misuse drugs? If they do, this could manifest itself on an off-site visit, especially a residential one. Also some young people may be tempted, either through curiosity or peer influence, to use opportunities presented on a residential visit to experiment with these substances.
Managing the potential use/misuse of alcohol, drugs and smoking also applies to adult participants, leaders and helpers. Some of the adults may be regular smokers, drinkers or recreational drug users and their habits and expectations may need to be managed.
We have created a new National Guidance document: 7p Drinking, drugs and smoking, which provides guidance on some of the questions to consider when planning a visit and some strategies for management. You can download the new document here.
The Government has provided an update on the future of the AALA in England.
It has announced that licensing will continue, but that the licensing authority in England will be reformed to make its focus the active encouragement of greater levels of outdoor activity.
You can read the update here.
