Scotland's Play Ranger Toolkit

4. Policies

Sample Equal Opportunities Policy

1. Introduction

1.1. (Organisation) is striving to be an Equal Opportunities employer. Its policy is to take every reasonable step to ensure that no one connected to (organisation) receives less favourable treatment than others, on grounds of gender, marital status, disability, medical problems, race, colour, religious belief, political belief, sexual orientation, nationality, ethnic origin, social class, age, trade union activity, past crimes, responsibility for dependants or employment status. Such equality of opportunity will also apply to services delivered by (Organisation).

1.2. (Organisation) declared, therefore, that it will introduce measures that will combat all direct or indirect discrimination in its employment practices and its provision of services.

1.3. In addition, (Organisation) will co-operate with those groups in (location) who are seeking to achieve these ends and will take positive action to encourage others to undertake similar initiatives based on declaration of intent.

2. Aims of the Policy

2.1. To promote equality of employment opportunities and eliminate discrimination in employment.

2.2. To apply relevant supportive employment procedures and practices and develop appropriate training programmes.

2.3. To provide a means of monitoring equality of opportunity in the provision of services.

2.4. To follow all current legislation relating to Equal Opportunities.

3. Application of the Policy

3.1. This policy will be distributed and explained to all employees and members of the (Organisation) along with subsequent amendments.

3.2. (Organisation) will keep up to date with information about discrimination, the problems it can cause, how it affects us and the implications for our work.

3.3. (Organisation) will pursue employment procedures and practices designed to promote equal employment opportunities and eliminate discrimination and regularly review effectiveness.

3.4. (Organisation) will reserve the right to not use services from companies who do not agree with an equal opportunities policy.

3.5. Any instances of discrimination contrary to this policy will be taken seriously and involve the implementation of Disciplinary Procedures.

3.6. An employee who feels they are being unfairly discriminated against should raise this with their line manager using the grievance policy.

4. Application for Posts

4.1. Applicants will be given as much clear and accurate information about the post through advertisements, job descriptions and the interviews so that they can assess their own suitability for the post.

4.2. Recruitment procedures will not indicate a preference for a certain group of applicants unless there is a genuine occupational qualification or requirement which applies to the post. Recruitment materials and processes should be designed to only collect the information necessary for the post.

4.3. All applicants should be informed that (Organisation) operates an Equal Opportunities policy.

4.4. This policy will be distributed to prospective employees as part of the application pack.

4.5. All interviews should be objective and the decision must be based on the applicant's suitability for the job and ability to fulfil the job requirements.

5. Staff Training

5.1. (Organisation) will not discriminate against any employee in the provision of training and training courses.

5.2. Appropriate training should be provided to all new employees to enable them to do their job properly, this is also required for employees returning from work after a break. Where training is not available at the time the employee should be informed and all efforts should be made to get essential training in the future.

5.3. All employees who are of an interview panel should receive appropriate training.

5.4. When allocating places on training courses employees will not be discriminated against and priority should be given to the employees who are most in need of it to carry out their job.

5.5. All employees are entitled to any support they feel they need.

6. Services Provided

6.1. (Organisation) will ensure that its services can be accessible to all members of the public regardless of disabilities and personal circumstances.

6.2. Positive steps will be taken to ensure that groups that often are excluded get to comment on the services provided. All services should be flexible and respond to any changes in the community.

6.3. All information is provided in accessible formats on request and targeted where necessary.

6.4. Systems shall be provided to monitor the progress of service delivered and customer satisfaction.

6.5. All information provided in accessible complaints procedure will be in place to ensure that discrimination does not happen or is dealt with in the proper manner if it is discovered.

6.6. Positive Action groups shall be set up to target the needs of individual groups that are likely to face discrimination.

6.7. All advertising and publicity should emphasise the Equal Opportunities provided by (Organisation).

Sample Inclusion policy

• [Organisation name] is committed to striving for the inclusion of all children in our setting.
• We believe that all children have the right to play, have fun, and feel safe and secure in their play. We believe in valuing each individual child whole-heartedly without discrimination of any kind.
• All children will be respected and their individuality and potential recognised, valued and nurtured.
• Every child has the right to access quality play opportunities, which enhance their development and understanding of the world around them. Each individual child has the right to access these opportunities in an environment that is free from prejudice and discrimination.
• We will do our utmost to be pro-active in meeting the needs of all who are involved in our service. This will involve consulting with service users, staff and professionals in the field.
• We strive to include positive image resources that represent the differences and similarities in people that make up our richly diverse society and give children a balanced view of the world around them.
• We understand that each individual child has different needs that need to be met to enable that child to be included in our setting.
• We recognise that in order to include all people successfully in our setting, we need to look at the attitudes of people involved in our club. Therefore, we promise to challenge any form of discrimination in our setting form any person, child or adult, on our premises and to explain why a person's opinion or attitude is being challenged.
• We aim to ensure that all staff have received relevant inclusive play training and endeavour to keep up to date with local and national developments in inclusive play practice.
• And finally…we promise to make our setting a happy and secure place for children and young people to play and feel included.

Sample Health and Safety Policy

1. Introduction

• It is the aim of (Organisation) to provide employees with safe and healthy working conditions, equipment and systems through training and supervision as needed.
• We also accept responsibility for the health and safety of non-employees taking part in (Organisation) activities. We shall work with outside organisations working within our premises to ensure general safety throughout the offices.
• We shall keep our policies up to date and comply with all current legislation in particular:
• The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974
• The Management of Health and Safety issues.
• Subsequent legislation relating to Health and Safety issues.
• A copy of this policy will be provided for each member of staff. They are required to read and understand it, and be aware of the procedures laid out below. They will also be provided with updates when policies are amended.
• Specific arrangements and duties are set out in the policy below.

All employees shall be provided with a copy of this policy and updates as they become available.

2. Aims of the Policy

• To provide a safe and healthy environment for employees to work in.
• To comply with all currrent legislation on Health and Safety.
• To provide procedures for when incidents happen that cannot be prevented.
• To learn from incidents to prevent them from happening again.

3. Responsibilities

• The Board of Trustees (if a Charity):

• The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and the Employers Liability (Compulsory Insurance) Regulations 1969 put a statutory duty on all employers to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare of its employees and other people who may be affected by their work.
• The Chair, supported by the Board, has overall and final responsibility for the health, safety and welfare of all employees and must ensure that all legislation is followed.
• The Chair, supported by all the Board, shall review the policy annually and take account of any comments made by employees and the Health and Safety Officer.
• The Chair, supported by the Board, is also responsible for doing a thorough risk assessment for the office and all employee activities outside the office. This should also be reviewed annually with feedback from employees.

• Health and Safety Officer:

• The Chair of the Management Board/Chief Executive should elect a Health and Safety Officer who is a "competent person" as defined in the Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 (amended 2002).
• The Health and Safety Officer should be there to provide a link between the employees and the Management. Their main responsibilty is to assist the Management with updating the Health and Safety Policy and Risk Assessment.
• The Health and Safety Officer should be provided with any training they require to complete their job competently.
• The Health and Safety Officer should also be responsible for ensuring that fire drills are held regularly and that the First Aid Kit is fully stocked and that accident records are kept up to date and accident prevention is taking place.
• All employees should know who the Health and Safety Officer is so they can report any problems to them.

• All Employees:

• The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 also puts a duty on all employees to ensure that all problems with Health and Safety found whilst working are reported to the Office Administrator or the Health and Safety Officer to be dealt with.
• They are also required to be aware of the contents of the Health and Safety Policy and report breaches in it, as well as suggesting improvements to make the office a safer environment to work in. Any breaches of the policy could result in disciplinary action.

• First Aid Officer:

• There should be at least one First Aid appointed person to deal with all First Aid needed by employees and visitors to the Office, as well as people working in the office from other organisations. (Depending on the size of your organisation)
• This person should be provided with the relevent First Aid training to at least the level of a "competent person" which should be kept current. This training needs to be recognised by the Health and Safety Executive.
• The First Aid appointed person should liaise with the Health and Safety Officer to inform them of the types of accidents happening within the office and put steps in place to try and prevent them happening again. They should also make sure that the First Aid Kit is stocked as recommended by the Health and Safety Executive.
• Basic First Aid is recommended training for every Play Ranger.

4. Accidents and First Aid

• All accidents, no matter how small, must be recorded in the Accident Book, which can be found in XXXX location.
• Reportable incidents covered by the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases, and Dangerous Occurrences ( RIDDOR) 1995 should be reported correctly using the correct form for the organisation
• The First Aid Box is located (where) and a small First Aid kit should be carried by Play Rangers on sessions.
• All employees must follow the rules set out in the Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981
• Anyone performing First Aid that is not trained in First Aid does so at their own risk and is not insured to do so.

5. Risk Assessment

• Refer to Risk Assessment Policy - which includes dynamic risk assessment

6. Fire Safety

• Every employee is responsible for knowing the fire procedure and the escape routes for the building. The training should be part of the induction process.
• Fire routes and emergency exits must be clearly marked.
• Fire doors and escape routes should be kept clear at all times and anyone finding them blocked has a duty to clear them.
• Fire drills should be carried out every TERM. These should be organised by the Fire Prevention Officer and Health and Safety Officer.
• If you discover a fire, raise the alarm immediately by pressing the white spot in the centre of the alarm to break glass and phone 999 for fire service.
• In the event of a fire, the nominated fire person collects the registers and counts the children/young people at assembly point. A member of staff or volunteer checks the building/area.
• The rest of the staff/volunteers are responsible for escorting the children to the assembly point.
• No personal belongings are collected on way out.
• When safely at the fire collection point, no member of staff, child/young person, parent/carer or any visitor will re-enter the building until permission is granted by the Fire and Rescue Officer in charge.
• When all safely back in the building another count is carried out to ensure everyone is returned safely.
• If any child/young person has been affected, they will be comforted by staff and parent informed.
• Date, time, number of children/young people, number of staff, evacuation time, arrival at assembly point, register checked and senior workers signature should be entered on the record of fire drills.
• All firefighting equipment, such as extinguishers, should be checked annually by the manufacturer. These should only be used by people trained to do so and only to ensure escape from a fire.
• By law, all employees and visitors must be signed into the building to ensure that everyone can be accounted for in case of fire. It is the responsibility of the Fire Prevention Officer to ensure that the record is removed in case of fire so that it can be checked.
• All visitors to the office should be made aware of the fire procedure and escape routes.
• All fire drills must be reviewed by the Fire Prevention Officer and Health and Safety Officer and improvements suggested to the organisation to improve subsequent drills.

7. House Keeping

• Building Issues (if applicable)

• The buildings landlord is responsible for ensuring that the building is in a good state of repair. All faults should be reported to them immediately.
• It is the (organisations) responsibility to ensure that all repairs are carried out promptly with the minimum disruption to work.
• It is the responsibility of all employees to notify the (organisation) of any such problems.

• Office Equipment (if applicable)

• The office equipment is the responsibility of the (organisation) to get repaired. All damaged equipment should be taken out of use immediately and reported to the (Organisation) who shall ensure that it is repaired quickly and safely.
• Consumable items, such as light bulbs, should be replaced safely. Electricity should be turned off and an appropriate stepladder should be used to prevent falls.
• Aisles and gangways should be kept clear at all times, and it is the responsibility of the employees to see that it is done.
• Items should be stacked and stored safely.
• Wires should not trail around the office. Any necessary wires must be taped down securely to avoid the risk of tripping.

• Electrical Equipment Safety

• (Organisation) shall comply with the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 and IEE 17 ^th edition manual.
• All maintenance on electrical equipment should be professionally inspected on an annual basis.
• All employees should check electrical equipment before using it and not use it if they suspect any problem. All problems should be reported to the management immediately who should deal with it promptly and safely.
• The Office Administrator should regularly perform visual inspections on electrical equipment.

• Hazardous Materials

• The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health ( COSHH) Regulations requires all substances to be assessed prior to use.

8. Training

• All employees must receive basic Health and Safety training as part of the induction procedure.
• Updates should be provided to all employees when policies are changed.
• Further training on any aspect of Health and Safety may be provided if staff request it of management.

Sample Volunteer Policy

Introduction

(Organisation) recognises the value of voluntary activity as an important expression of citizenship and an essential component of a free and democratic society. By engaging volunteers, (Organisation) will take responsibility for ensuring they are deployed appropriately, valued for their contribution and respected as colleagues.

In devising this policy, (Organisation) acknowledges Volunteer Development Scotland guidelines on good practice in engaging volunteers.

For the purpose of this policy volunteering is defined as:

"Volunteering is the commitment of time and energy for the benefit of society and community, the environment or individuals outside one's immediate family. It is undertaken freely and by choice, without concern for financial gain."

1. Aims of the Policy

• To recognise the importance and effectiveness of voluntary activity and acknowledge and support the role of volunteers in its work.
• Outline the principles upon which volunteers are engaged within the organisation.
• Set standards of good practice in the involvement of volunteers within the organisation.
• Encourage and enable rather than restrict the involvement of volunteers within the organisation.
• Improve the quality and effectiveness of volunteering in the work of (Organisation).
• Ensure effective systems of management and support are implemented for those managing volunteers.

Review and alterations of Volunteer Policy

Volunteers, staff and management committee members will be consulted prior to any alterations being made and formally adopted.

2. Volunteers Role

• Volunteers may be involved in a range of roles and tasks within (organisation) including management committee, administration and involvement in organising events. Volunteers may be involved on a regular basis or recruited for specific time limited pieces of work.
• Volunteers will not be put into any position, which may be seen as a cheap substitute for paid work or may be considered as a threat to a paid employees post.
• (Organisation) will ensure that all paid employees are aware of the role of any volunteer within the organisation and actively encourage and foster working relationships between both.
• With the exception of the management committee, volunteers engaged by (Organisation) will be supported and supervised by the designed committee member.
• (Organisation) recognises the need for training of individuals responsible for managing volunteers and is committed to this.

3. Recruitment and Selection

• Volunteers will be recruited in line with (organisation's) equal opportunities policy. Positive action steps will be taken in the recruitment of volunteers where appropriate.
• (Organisation) will keep informed of good practice in the recruitment and selection of volunteers and will seek assistance and advice where appropriate.
• All volunteering opportunities will be advertised widely, in ways that are accessible to all sections of the community.
• Volunteers will be offered appropriate volunteering opportunities to meet their individual needs and the needs of (organisation)

4. What volunteers engaged by (organisation) can expect

• Volunteers can expect to participate in an induction to (Organisation) covering its aims, values, ethos and background information.
• Each individual volunteer will be provided with the details relevant to their own particular task such as written task descriptions, time commitments, location and designated supervisor.
• Each volunteer will be made aware of their responsibilities in relation to existing policies and procedures, particularly in relation to the constitution, health and safety, equal opportunities, complaints, grievance and disciplinary.
• Each volunteer will be informed of how to claim out of pocket expenses.
• Each volunteer will have the opportunity of accessing appropriate training relevant to their voluntary work and their personal development.
• Each volunteer will be made aware of (Organisation)'s insurance policy covering him or her whilst undertaking voluntary activities on behalf of (Organisation).
• Volunteers will be made aware that (Organisation) can provide a reference on the basis of their voluntary work.

5. (Organisation)'s expectations of volunteers

• All volunteers engaged by (organisation) will be made aware of the organisations standard expectations of volunteers as outlined below:
• To be reliable and inform the organisation as soon as possible if unable to attend or unable to continue volunteering for any reason.
• To participate in regular support sessions and communicate ideas, issues of concern etc, to nominated supervisor.
• To participate in an induction session and any necessary training.
• To respect confidentiality.
• To keep appropriate records of all out of pocket expenses.

6. Monitoring and Evaluating

(Organisation) will continually monitor all aspects of involvement of volunteers within the organisation with reference to this policy. An evaluation will be undertaken annually and volunteers will be involved in this process.

Play Ranger - Open Access Guidelines

It is wise to ensure that families and communities understand that you are providing a Play Ranger service in their community, and understand within that where responsibilities lie.

A statement similar to the following should be considered when promoting your work and in any marketing or communication literature you may produce.

Open Access

We operate on an 'open access' principle meaning that children are free to come and go as they please. We are not a child care provider therefore we are not responsible for the children. We offer a level of supervision to the point that if a child was hurt or troubled we would take appropriate action but we are not registered to 'look after' children. Our Play Rangers will have a contact sheet for every child.