Safety on Outings Policy

(including lost or missing child)

We all love going on outings.  During the mornings and during school holidays we often go to toddler groups, local parks, the library or shops, to our residential home, for walks along the canal, to Bockets Farm, The Lookout Discovery Centre and various other places of interest.  My priority is to keep children safe on outings and I always supervise children when I go out.  I undertake risk assessments, which can be visual or written, for each venue or trip I go on. I teach the children about safety when we are out and about and tell them what to do if they become lost according to their age and stage of development. E.g. stay where they are, meet up at a certain place or ask someone in authority for help (I can point these individuals out when we arrive at the venue – they would be members of staff).

Procedure

1. The ratio of adults to children on any outing will never be less than 4:1 (under 5’s) and 6:1 (including over 5’s).
2. I carry out a trial run (wherever possible) and full risk assessment of the proposed outing.
3. I obtain parental permission for children to take part in regular, local outings whilst in my care and talk to parents about proposed upcoming outings.
4. Non walkers are always kept in the buggy on the way there and the way back and are always kept close to me.
5. Children under five use wrist straps attached to the buggy or myself to keep them close to me for arrival and departure on outings where we are walking
6. I take essential records and equipment for each child on outings as necessary, including emergency telephone numbers, first-aid kit, changes of clothes, medication, water and snacks, nappies and my mobile phone.
7. I keep records for parental inspection of any vehicles in which children are transported, including insurance details and MOT certificates.

If a child goes missing, I will: -

1.     Look for the child in the immediate vicinity whilst reassuring the other children.

2.     Tell the police, provide a description and search the area.

3.     If a child goes missing in a public place e.g. a library, park, shop or shopping centre I will also alert staff and/or security.

4.    Contact the parents/carers to explain the situation and to put them in contact with the relevant police contact.

5.     When the child is found, comfort them and check for injuries, contact the parents to let them know and give relevant details.

6.    Advise Ofsted in writing including all the relevant details of the situation and its outcome.

7.      The other children in our care will be kept with me and reassured.

8.   Document the incident in my accident/incident folder and ask parents to sign sending home a copy with them.

9.      Undertake a risk assessment of the situation to prevent this from happening again.

Policy Written by:    Ilana Hill        Date:  17 January 2011    

Last updated and reviewed: 5 December 2024