Visit Leaders will consult with and seek advice and guidance from their Local Authority and Head of Establishment with regard to up-to-date agreements about practice and procedure in off-site visits.
Those in charge of participants have a common law duty to act as any reasonably prudent parent would and to do their best to ensure the health and safety of everyone in the group.
The Visit Leader has responsibility for:
- Having overall management responsibility during the visit – even if they are not physically supervising a part of the visit
- Preparing a Visit Plan (see Section 4.2)
- Obtaining approval of the Visit Plan from the Head of Establishment
- Following Employer policies and guidelines
- Ensuring adequate insurance cover is in place
- Ensuring good communication with parents, participants and accompanying staff
- Matching the off-site visit to the needs and abilities of all participants being mindful of equality and inclusion
- Obtaining sufficient information about participants to deal with any medical or behavioural needs
- Adequate first aid provision will be available
- Ensuring that any outside provider has relevant information about participants
- Appointing and briefing Visit Assistants, deputies and other adult supervisors where appropriate
- Being able to control, lead and instruct participants of the relevant age range
- Being trained in child protection issues
