Health and safety

All of our staff have an enhanced level DBS check. Specialist instructors also have specific qualifications for activities such as archery, fencing, inflatables, motorsports, swimming and the waterpark. Every staff member needs to attend a Barracudas assessment day, complete extensive online training and attend our on-site training day before they’re able to work at camp.

Every camp will have at least 2 first aiders on site, of which 1 we aim to be a member of the Senior Team.

Barracudas’ ratio of staff to children exceeds all statutory requirements. Our standards are:

• 4 ½ - 6 years: 1:8. Maximum of 24 children in a group
• 7- 10 years: 1:12. Up to 24 children in a group (on some busy camps they can go over 24, but always with a third member of staff)
• 11+ years: 1:14. These groups normally have up to 28 children

The Camp Manager has overall responsibility for Health & Safety on camp, although all staff have a responsibility to ensure our procedures are followed.

Find out more here.

We carry out thorough risk assessments in all areas of camp including activity areas, registration areas and base rooms. Risk assessments are ongoing and are an important part of the ‘checking’ process. We regularly carry out a careful examinations on camp and implement any precautions to be taken to prevent anyone coming to harm.

Our Area Management team regularly visit each of their allocated camps to carry out full assessments and double check our rigorous protocols are being followed. In the rare case that any areas are identified as needing improvement these are immediately acted upon and checked again.

Every Barracudas camp is Ofsted registered. Our activity day camps have an excellent Ofsted record, being rated Outstanding more than any comparable provider!

All our Lifeguards hold valid Lifeguard qualifications and must also perform a competency test with us before working on camp. The staff to child ratios during swimming sessions is 1:5 for under 7 years and 1:10 for 8 years and above. There will be a member of staff in the water at all times for under 7's. All children under 8 years old will remain in the shallow end of the pool.

There’s a swimming section in the Essential Information form. We ask if your child can swim 25 metres. If you say ‘No’ your child will be given buoyancy aids in line with their age, height and the depth of the pool and only be able to swim in the shallow end. You can find full details on our swimming policy in our FAQ’s.

Qualified or trained instructors have specialist expertise in their activity areas and Camp Managers involve them in the risk assessment process to produce the safest set of rules. They carry out risk assessments of the activity areas for which they’re responsible.

All our vehicles are serviced prior to camp and again by our trained instructors on camp. Staff then carry out daily and weekly checks throughout the season. Vehicles are restricted in speed to suit the age and ability of the children. We provide protective clothing and require children to wear closed toed shoes. The maximum group size for general sessions is 8 children and for Skills Builder sessions is 5 children.

Sessions are led by instructors who’ve attended a nationally recognised 2 day training course. Fencing equipment is checked by our in-house expert before being sent to camp and trained instructors recheck the equipment on site. Our staff to children ratios are 1:8 for under 7’s and 1:12 for over 7’s. Children must wear closed toed shoes and ankle length trousers and are supplied with safety wear (jacket, plastron, helmets, gloves and foils for the over 7s and mini fencing equipment for the under 7s).

All of our archery equipment is checked by our equipment team who hold a current GNAS certificate prior to camp. This is checked again by our trained instructors on camp with daily checks during the season. The maximum group size is 12 children with 1 trained instructor. We provide all the safety equipment required. We just ask you to send children in with long sleeve tops.

All of the inflatables sent to camp are inspected by an external inspector who is registered on the Register of Play Inspectors International. Each inflatable item receives a PIPA tag confirming it’s safe to use and meets all current legislation. All inflatables have a daily inspection prior to use by our trained staff. The maximum number of children allowed on the equipment will depend on the size and type of inflatable, but don’t worry, all of them are designed with limited waiting time and maximum fun.

On their first day of camp we require a printed and signed Essential Information form for each child to be handed in at registration. This contains key information about your child, including contact information, medical details and swimming information. We may also need additional forms such as anaphylaxis/auto injector (epi-pen) forms if relevant. We only need the Essential Information form once each season they attend.

We’ll check through this information and you’ll be given a collection card and a daily password during registration. After this your child will be taken to their base room by one of our runners.

The person collecting your child will need to provide the collection key and daily password. If the person collecting is different from the person who dropped your child off they will need to be listed on the Essential Information form and have accepted identification such as a drivers license.

After their first day at camp in the season you’ll be able to use our express check in desk as we’ll have checked all the information on their forms. There is no additional cost for this.

Barracudas is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children who attend camp. We create an environment in which children feel safe. Any concerns for a child’s welfare will be taken seriously and responded to swiftly and appropriately.

On camp, the Designated Safeguarding Lead is the Early Years Manager should you wish to speak to them. We also have a company Designated Safeguarding Lead available at our Head Office.

Children deserve to be kept safe from all abuse, whether online or in real life. Although Barracudas do not provide any activity sessions that include IT, we have a duty of care for the children who come to camp. If staff are concerned about a child’s online use, this will be reported internally in the same way as other safeguarding concern.

Barracudas’ staff have a duty to respond if they suspect a child may be suffering from or makes a disclosure about abuse. In this event staff will contact the relevant local authority and act on their advice.

As a children’s activity provider, we are conscientious in our role to keep everyone who visits us safe. We are following all of the official guidance issued by government departments and medical authorities, and will continue to do so as the situation develops and more information becomes available.  We will update you with any additions to our policies prior to your attendance at our camps.