The following information is a brief introduction to managing health and safety during residential experiences. View the health and safety section and read our concise guides for further advice on the outdoor learning issues explored below.
Residential visits allow the experience to extend for a longer period and can be terrific fun for most children and young people. For younger children it may be their first night away from home and support arrangements must reflect this. It is normal to have a staff to learner ratio of 1:10 or better but ratios should be part of the overall risk assessment process.
Anyone who has been on residential experiences with young people will know that, particularly in the early stages, broken nights are not uncommon for learners and supervisory staff alike. The quality of day and night pastoral care is very important so it is necessary for leaders to anticipate the possible effects of fatigue.
Residential experiences give learners the chance to see teachers and adult helpers in a new light, but the flip side of this is that child protection issues should be particularly prominent in the thinking of leaders.
Risk management
Risk assessments should not be confined to the planned outdoor experience but must also include the residential facilities, whether this is a shelter improvised from a polythene sheet, or a three star hotel. Fire precautions and exits are of great importance. After arrival at any accommodation it is advisable to carry out a fire drill as soon as possible.
Camping trips need particular care. The potential for burns from stoves or scalds from boiling water needs careful management and wild campsites are often in proximity to natural hazards such as lakes or crags.
Safety issues prominent in the leader's view would normally include:
- adjoining rooms for the group and leaders
- both a male and a female leader for mixed groups
- accommodation area should be exclusively for the group’s use
- safe heating and ventilation
- provision for learners with additional support needs
- briefing the whole group on:
- fire arrangements
- emergency contact with staff
- security arrangements.
Getting approval
Most residential visits need approval from both the head of establishment and the relevant local authority. Seek advice locally.
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