I believe it is important to take children on outings to support their development and to learn about the world around them. It is essential that proper planning is done to ensure the safety and welfare of all children involved.
I have the following procedures in place:
- I will ask for written parental permission for all routine and special outings. I inform parents of any planned special trips for example to the beach, museums or a local attraction.
- I will do a risk assessment for each place that I choose to take the children and where possible visit myself before-hand to ensure that the setting is safe and suitable for the children. This will allow me to assess what facilities are there (nappy changing, toilets etc), how I am going to get the children to and from the location safely and how I will manage them when I am there.
- I will ensure that I take everything with me that I need, for example, emergency contact cards / wrist bands for the children, a first aid kit, nappies and changing bag, spare clothes, mobile phone, drinks and a snack.
- I will ensure that I have the necessary equipment and resources to keep them safe including pushchairs and harnesses.
- If travelling in the car I will ensure each child is securely strapped into their car seat and that the maximum number of passengers for the car is never exceeded. I will also do a quick safety check before departing, checking door locks, loose objects in the car etc. I will also ensure the car has sufficient fuel for the journey. I service my car regularly and it has a current MOT certificate. My car is also insured for childminding purposes.
- I will never leave your child unattended when on an outing.
- In the event of an emergency I will carry contact cards for each child that provides information about the child (their name and an emergency contact name and number) I will also carry a card that explains I am a registered Childminder.
I endeavour to organise outings to fit in with the needs of the children and try to take full advantage of any suitable community events. I will also try to plan outings suitably around weather forecasts and seasonal changes.