Break-Away Minimum Service Standards
Organisations that do not have current Child, Youth and Family or OSCAR approval and wish to deliver Break-Away School Holiday Programmes need to show evidence of the following:
- A safe and positive environment with children/young persons focused activities, including adequate and appropriate space for active indoor and outdoor recreation.
- Written policies and procedures are in place in relation to enrolment, attendance records, collection of and access to children/young persons, transporting children/young persons and children/ young persons with special needs and/or disabilities.
- Compliance with all relevant Health and Safety legislation to ensure that children/ young persons, staff, volunteers and visitors are protected from risk.
- All children/young persons are adequately supervised with a minimum of two staff, and are within sight and sound of a staff member at all times. Supervising staff are 20 years or older and have to be present at all times.
- All staff and volunteers are trained in fire, earthquake drills and other emergencies procedure.
- A sufficient body of qualified, competent staff both to deliver and support the program who are clearly informed about the expected standard of conduct.
- A clear, transparent and open process for recruiting and vetting of all staff. Vetting of staff is to include a police check for offences. No person is or will be employed, neither in a paid or voluntary capacity, including governance and management committees, who has a conviction for sexual crimes or for any offence involving the harm or exploitation of children.
- Ensure that supervising and adult senior staff (20 years or older) are required to have a minimum of 5 years' relevant experience and/ or relevant qualification.
- Safe premises which comply with all relevant legislation and in which all potential hazards to the safety of children/young persons are repaired, removed or made inaccessible.
- Risk assessments are carried out for all water based activities. These assessments cover the water competence of both participants and staff, and the swimming environment in order to determine the required staff ratio eg 1 staff for 10 children/young persons.
- Planned activities are carried out in accordance with industry standards as applicable to the relevant activity, and as outlined in the ‘Outdoor Activities – Guidelines for Leaders’ published by Sport and Recreation New Zealand and available on their website under http://www.sparc.org.nz/education/outdoor-activities-guidelines-for-leaders.
