Health and safety policy
1. Policy Statement
Sunny Kids Shine is committed to providing a safe, healthy, and supportive environment for all children, young people, staff, volunteers, and visitors. We recognise our duty of care to safeguard the physical, emotional, and psychological well-being of everyone involved in our services.
2. Purpose
This policy outlines how Sunny Kids Shine will:
- Prevent accidents, injuries, and illness
- Promote mental and emotional well-being
- Ensure compliance with relevant health and safety legislation
- Provide clear procedures for managing risks and incidents
3. Scope
This policy applies to:
- All staff and volunteers
- Children and young people accessing services
- All service users, including parents, carers, and professionals
- All service delivery locations (in-person and online)
4. Responsibilities
4.1. Management
Management will:
- Ensure compliance with health and safety laws
- Conduct regular risk assessments
- Ensure all staff and volunteers undertake all relevant training and supervision
- Maintain safe premises and equipment
4.2. Staff and Volunteers
Staff and volunteers will:
- Take reasonable care of their own and others’ safety
- Follow all policies and procedures
- Report hazards, risks, and incidents promptly
- Support children’s emotional and physical safety
4.3. Children and Young People
Children will be supported to:
- Understand safe behaviour
- Express concerns about their well-being
- Engage in activities safely with guidance
5. Risk Assessment
- Regular risk assessments will be conducted for all activities and environments
- Specific consideration will be given to mental health triggers, safeguarding risks, and accessibility
- Risk assessments will be reviewed annually, after incidents and as frequently as is required on an individual basis.
6. Safeguarding and Wellbeing
- All staff must follow safeguarding procedures
- Concerns about abuse or neglect must be reported immediately
- Emotional safety is prioritised alongside physical safety
- Trauma-informed and neurodiversity affirming approaches will be used in all interactions
7. Staff Wellbeing
Sunny Kids Shine recognises that staff wellbeing is essential to providing safe and effective support to children and young people.
The organisation will:
- Promote a healthy work-life balance
- Encourage regular breaks and manageable workloads
- Provide access to and engage in supervision and emotional support
- Foster an open and supportive culture
- Offer and engage in wellbeing resources and signposting where needed
Staff are expected to:
- Take responsibility for their own well-being
- Seek support when feeling overwhelmed or stressed
- Maintain professional boundaries with service users
- Engage in reflective practice and supervision
Managers will:
- Monitor staff wellbeing and workload
- Respond appropriately to signs of stress or burnout
- Ensure staff feel safe to raise concerns without judgment
8. Safe Environment
- Premises will be clean, secure, and suitable for children
- Equipment will be regularly checked and maintained
- Safe ratios of staff to children will be maintained
- Online sessions will follow digital safeguarding guidelines
9. Health and Hygiene
- Good hygiene practices will be promoted
- Illness procedures will be followed to prevent the spread of infection
- First aid kits will be available and maintained
- At least one trained first aider will be present where required
10. Incident Reporting
- All accidents, incidents, and near misses must be recorded
- Serious incidents will be reported to the relevant authorities
- Parents/carers will be informed when appropriate
11. Emergency Procedures
- Clear procedures for fire, medical emergencies, and safeguarding incidents
- Emergency contact details must be accessible
- Staff will be trained in emergency response
12. Training
- Staff will receive regular health and safety training
- Training will include safeguarding, mental health awareness, and first aid
13. Monitoring and Review
- This policy will be reviewed annually
- Feedback from staff, children, families and professionals will inform improvements
Sunny Kids Shine is committed to creating a safe, nurturing environment where children can thrive.
Last reviewed on 1st April 2026