Safeguarding Essentials for February Half-Term Programmes

2025-12-08 16:23

February half-term brings a surge of activity providers offering camps, clubs, and programmes for children. Whether you're running sports camps, arts activities, or holiday clubs, the compressed timeframe and temporary nature of provision create unique safeguarding challenges.

How do you ensure robust child protection when scaling staff rapidly, using temporary venues, managing mixed-age groups, and operating short-term programmes?

The Half-Term Challenge

What Makes Holiday Provision Different?

Unique pressures include:

Rapid staff scaling:

Hiring temporary staff quickly
Limited time for thorough vetting
Staff unfamiliar with your organisation
Mix of experienced and inexperienced workers

Temporary venues:

Unfamiliar spaces with different risks
Shared facilities with other users
Limited control over environment
Varied safety standards

Mixed-age groups:

Wider age ranges than term-time provision requires greater staff experience
Different developmental needs and vulnerabilities with limited experience on how to manage them
Peer dynamics and safeguarding risks associated with different schools coming together
Supervision complexity less formal than school settings

Short-term operations:

Compressed planning timeframes
High-intensity delivery
Limited relationship-building time
Pressure to "just get through the week" which can lead to corner cutting

Parental expectations:

Childcare necessity during school holidays
Assumption of safety, especially by association with the school, without verification
Limited engagement and regulations with safeguarding procedures

Pre-Programme Safeguarding Essentials

Staff Vetting and Recruitment

Non-negotiable requirements:

Every staff member must have:

Enhanced DBS check with barring list check
Verified identity and right to work
At least two professional references
Safeguarding training completion
Clear understanding of reporting procedures

Timeline challenges:

DBS checks can take weeks. Plan ahead:

Recruit early (ideally 6-8 weeks before)
Use staff with existing, recent DBS certificates or use the DBS update service
Consider digital safeguarding platforms for faster verification
Never allow unvetted staff unsupervised access to children

Volunteers and parent helpers:

Even short-term volunteers need:

DBS checks if unsupervised
Safeguarding briefing
Clear supervision arrangements
Understanding of boundaries and conduct
Keep their records in the Single Central Register

Venue Risk Assessment

Before using any venue, assess:

Physical safety:

Emergency exits and evacuation routes
First aid facilities and equipment
Toilet and changing facilities
Secure boundaries preventing unauthorised access
Hazards specific to activities (pools, equipment, outdoor spaces)

Safeguarding considerations:

Supervision sight lines
Private spaces and blind spots
Changing room arrangements
Access control and visitor management
Proximity to other venue users

Emergency procedures:

Fire alarm and assembly points
Lockdown procedures if needed
Emergency contact systems
Nearest hospital and emergency services access

Document everything and brief all staff before day one.

Safeguarding Induction for Temporary Staff

What Staff Must Know Before They Start

Compressed induction must cover:

Day one essentials:

Who the designated safeguarding lead is
How to recognise abuse and neglect
Reporting procedures and timescales
Confidentiality and information sharing
Code of conduct and professional boundaries
Emergency procedures

Role-specific guidance:

Supervision responsibilities for different team members
Activity-specific risks that need to be mitigated
Behaviour management expectations
Communication with parents do's and don'ts
Record-keeping requirements of these individuals

Practical information:

Daily schedules and routines regarding security for example drop-off and pick-up rules.
Key contacts and escalation routes for all staff to follow
Venue layout and facilities such as first aid rooms
Equipment and resources available, especially safety equipment.
Child-specific needs and vulnerabilities of each child.

Delivering Effective Quick Inductions

Time-efficient approaches:

Pre-programme online training:

Send learning modules in advance
Require completion before day one
Test knowledge with quizzes
Provide certificates of completion so they can have these for future, speeding up on-boarding

Face-to-face briefing:

Focus on setting-specific information - be concise
Use scenarios and role-play - bring it to life, make it real
Clarify questions and concerns - respond later if you don't know there and then but do respond
Reinforce key messages - get pithy and to the point on key messages

Written materials:

One-page safeguarding summary for all staff and volunteers to keep on them at all times
Emergency contact card
Code of conduct agreement to show they're committed
Venue map with key locations

Managing Mixed-Age Groups Safely

Age-Appropriate Supervision

Different ages need different approaches:

Under 5s:

Higher staff ratios (1:4 or 1:8 depending on age)
Constant visual supervision
Toilet and changing support
Close proximity at all times

5-8 years:

Staff ratios around 1:8
Frequent visual checks
Supervised transitions
Age-appropriate independence

9-12 years:

Staff ratios around 1:10-12
Regular check-ins
Monitored free time
Developing responsibility

13+ years:

Staff ratios around 1:12-15
Appropriate autonomy with oversight
Peer relationship monitoring
Clear boundaries and expectations

Preventing Child-on-Child Harm

Mixed-age groups increase risks:

Older children exerting power over younger
Inappropriate behaviour or language
Physical or sexual harassment
Exclusion and bullying

Protective strategies:

Age-appropriate grouping for activities
Clear behaviour expectations
Active supervision during transitions
Safe reporting channels
Swift response to concerns

Parental Communication

Information Parents Must Receive

Before the programme:

Staff vetting and safeguarding procedures
Designated safeguarding lead contact
Code of conduct expectations
Behaviour management approach
Emergency contact procedures
Collection and late pick-up policies
Medical and dietary information requirements
SEND requirements relevant to the activities they'll be doing or care they require

During the programme:

Daily updates on activities
Incident communication (injuries, behaviour concerns)
Accessible contact for questions
Transparency about any safeguarding issues

After the programme:

Feedback opportunities
Incident summaries if relevant
Safeguarding concern follow-up

Collection and Handover Procedures

Safe collection protocols:

Verify identity of collecting adult
Pre-authorised collector list from parents
Photo ID check if unfamiliar
Never release children to unauthorised persons
Clear late collection procedures
Safeguarding response if child not collected

Emergency Procedures for Short-Term Provision

Preparing for Incidents

Every programme needs:

Medical emergencies:

Qualified first aiders on site, with qualifications captured and recorded
First aid kits and equipment
Emergency services contact procedures
Parent notification protocols
Accident recording systems

Safeguarding concerns:

Immediate DSL contact
Deputy DSL backup
External agency contact details
Disclosure response procedures
Secure record-keeping

Missing child procedures:

Immediate search protocols
Police notification thresholds
Parent communication approach
Staff roles and responsibilities

Venue emergencies:

Evacuation procedures or in some instances lockdown and invacuation procedures
Assembly points and roll calls
Communication systems
Alternative venue arrangements

Activity-Specific Safeguarding

Sports Camps

Particular considerations:

Changing room supervision and privacy
Physical contact during coaching and if medical treatment is required
Injury management and reporting
Hazing and initiation prevention
Appropriate use of photography and consent captured

Arts and Creative Activities

Safeguarding considerations:

One-to-one teaching arrangements
Online content and image sharing
Appropriate themes and materials

Outdoor Activities

Additional risks:

Remote location supervision and head count ratios
Weather and environmental hazards with alternative backup options
Transport safety, particularly if there are multiple sites
Activity-specific risks (water, heights, equipment)

Technology and Online Safety

Digital Safeguarding During Programmes

Policies must cover:

Staff use of technology:

No personal contact with children via digital channels
Appropriate use of photography and if parents consent.
Social media boundaries regarding children following coaches, staff etc
Device security and privacy for children

Children's device use:

Acceptable use policies, where, when, what for etc
Supervised internet access if part of activities
Gaming and social media monitoring
Cyberbullying prevention

Photography and consent:

Parental consent for images captured and stored
Secure storage and usage of content clearly stated
No tagging or identifying children publicly
Staff personal device restrictions - is there a designated photographer?

Record-Keeping for Temporary Provision

Essential Documentation

Maintain records of:

Staff vetting and training completion
Daily attendance registers
Incident and accident reports
Safeguarding concerns and actions
Parent communications
Risk assessments
Emergency drills and procedures

Records must be:

Accurate and contemporaneous
Securely stored
Accessible to authorised personnel only
Retained appropriately post-programme
GDPR compliant

Quality Assurance and Monitoring

Ensuring Standards During Delivery

Daily checks should include:

Staff supervision effectiveness
Child wellbeing and engagement
Incident patterns or concerns
Venue safety maintenance
Adherence to procedures

DSL responsibilities:

Visible presence and accessibility
Regular staff check-ins
Prompt response to concerns
Parent communication management

Post-Programme Review

Learning and Improvement

After each programme, review:

Safeguarding incidents and responses that occurred, what went well or could have been dealt with better
Staff performance and training needs, were their obvious gaps you can fix for next time?
Venue suitability and risks, did it meet your needs or have you out grown the venue?
Parental feedback is crucial as they're you're advocates to help you grow your programme or business
Child feedback (age-appropriate) to help you improve your programme
Improvements for future provision

Document lessons learned and update procedures accordingly.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

Don't:

Rush staff vetting due to time pressure
Assume temporary staff understand safeguarding
Overlook venue risks in unfamiliar spaces
Neglect parental communication
Fail to document incidents properly
Ignore concerning behaviour as "just for the week"

Do:

Plan and recruit early
Provide thorough induction
Conduct comprehensive risk assessments
Communicate clearly and transparently with parents
Maintain rigorous record-keeping
Respond to all concerns appropriately

Conclusion

February half-term programmes can be delivered safely with proper planning, robust vetting, thorough induction, appropriate supervision, and clear procedures. The temporary nature of provision doesn't reduce safeguarding responsibilities—it increases the need for meticulous preparation and vigilant oversight.

Children deserve the same protection during holiday clubs as they receive in term-time provision. Invest time in getting safeguarding right, and you'll create programmes that are not only fun and engaging but genuinely safe.

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