Safeguard-Me Blog 2026

Safeguarding During Bank Holiday Events and Festivals

2025-12-17 14:46

Running a festival?

Bank holiday weekends bring bigger crowds, unfamiliar venues, and faster-moving incidentswhich means safeguarding needs to be planned like an operation, not a policy document. This article covers:
  • How to run robust public event risk assessments;
  • Crowd management and supervision ratios;
  • Practical lost child procedures;
  • Working safely with external venues and contractors; and
  • Emergency response planning (including communications, first aid, and escalation routes).

You'll also find a Q&A section answering common questions activity providers ask during peak events, plus notes on how safeguarding software, clear DBS status visibility, and consistent digital safeguarding records help you evidence compliance and respond faster.

Why bank holidays are higher-risk for safeguarding

Bank holiday events and festivals change the environment:
  • Higher footfall and noise makes supervision harder
  • Temporary staff and volunteers increase inconsistency
  • Mixed-age groups and open access spaces increase vulnerability
  • External vendors (security, catering, venue staff) create handover gaps
Safeguarding doesn't need to be complicatedbut it does need to be deliberate.

1) Public event risk assessments: what to include (beyond the obvious)

A generic risk assessment won't protect children in a public event setting. Your event risk assessment should cover:
  • Site layout: entry/exit points, fencing, blind spots, toilets, first aid location
  • Crowd flow: pinch points, queues, stage areas, high-energy zones
  • Supervision model: who is watching what, and how you maintain ratios
  • Lost child scenarios: prevention, response, reunification
  • External partners: venue responsibilities, security roles, contractor boundaries
  • Weather and environment: heat, rain, wind, water hazards, uneven ground
  • Communications: radios, phone signal blackspots, escalation chain
Practical tip: do a walk-through on the day and update controls based on what you actually see.

2) Crowd management and supervision that works in real life

Crowd management is safeguarding. If you can't see children, you can't protect them.

Practical controls

  • Use clear zoning (quiet zone, activity zone, high-energy zone)
  • Position staff at hot spots (toilets, entrances, queue lines)
  • Use wristbands or sign-in/out for controlled activities
  • Set clear collection points and times
  • Brief staff on what good looks like (active scanning, not passive standing)

Staffing and checks

Bank holidays often rely on casual staff. Keep it simple:
  • Confirm role suitability and supervision level
  • Maintain clear DBS status visibility for anyone working with children
  • Record training completion and briefings
Use our safeguarding software to centralise checks and reduce last-minute uncertainty.

3) Lost child procedures: prevention first, then a calm response

Lost child incidents are common at busy events. The goal is fast reunification with minimal distress.

Prevention controls

  • Clear signage and meeting points
  • Staff in high-visibility clothing
  • Wristbands with guardian contact details (where appropriate)
  • Regular headcounts for structured groups

Response procedure (simple and repeatable)

  1. Alert: notify event lead and safeguarding lead immediately
  2. Contain: secure exits if possible (in line with venue plan)
  3. Search: assign zones, keep comms open
  4. Support: keep the child with a trained adult, reassure, don't interrogate
  5. Reunify safely: verify identity before handover
  6. Record: log the incident and outcomes in digital safeguarding records

4) Working with external venues and contractors (where gaps happen)

External venues can be brilliantbut assumptions create risk.

Clarify responsibilities in writing

  • Who controls entry/exit points?
  • Who is responsible for security?
  • Who leads on first aid and emergency response?
  • What are the reporting routes for concerns?
  • What are the boundaries for photographers, vendors, and volunteers?
Practical tip: run a 10-minute joint briefing with venue/security/catering leads before gates open.

5) Emergency response planning: the minimum you need

Emergency planning isn't about fearit's about readiness.

Minimum plan components

  • Named incident lead and safeguarding lead
  • Clear escalation chain and contact list
  • First aid provision and ambulance access routes
  • Missing child and evacuation procedures
  • Comms plan (radios, backup numbers, meeting points)
  • Post-incident recording and reporting

Q&A: common bank holiday safeguarding questions

Q1: What's the best way to manage safeguarding at a public festival?

Use zoning, active supervision at hot spots, a clear lost child procedure, and a single incident lead. Keep reporting routes simple and visible.

Q2: Do all staff at a bank holiday event need a DBS check?

Not alwaysit depends on the role and whether they're in regulated activity. What matters operationally is that you can see their DBS status (where required) and have clear supervision arrangements for anyone without checks.

Q3: How do we evidence compliance if the local authority asks for it?

Have your risk assessment, staff briefing record, incident logs, and training/checks in one place. Safeguarding software and digital safeguarding records make this faster and cleaner.

Q4: What should we record after a lost child incident?

Time, location, who raised it, actions taken, who was involved, reunification checks, and any follow-up. Record it the same day.

Q5: How do we keep children safe when were using an external venue?

Agree responsibilities in writing, run a joint briefing, and confirm reporting routes and emergency procedures before the event opens.

How safeguarding software supports bank holiday delivery

Bank holiday events create lots of moving parts. Safeguarding software helps by:
  • Centralising staff checks and DBS check status visibility
  • Standardising briefings and compliance evidence
  • Keeping incident logs consistent through digital safeguarding records
  • Supporting faster reporting and post-event review

Quick checklist: bank holiday safeguarding essentials

  • Public event risk assessment completed and reviewed on-site
  • Clear crowd management plan and supervision zones
  • Lost child procedure briefed and rehearsed
  • External venue responsibilities agreed and documented
  • Emergency response plan and comms tested
  • Incidents recorded promptly in digital safeguarding records