3.2 Keeping Children Safe on Early Years Outings

Learn how to plan and manage safe off-site outings for young children in an early years setting. This lesson introduces four core principles: plan ahead, supervise closely, travel safely and prepare for emergencies. It explains how to complete a risk assessment, consider hazards and choose suitable adult-to-child ratios based on children’s ages, developmental needs, SEND requirements, medical needs and the level of risk. You’ll also explore staff briefings, volunteer roles, headcounts, walking arrangements, road safety and protecting children’s personal information. The lesson compares safety considerations for minibuses, coaches, public transport and private cars, including seatbelts, restraints, insurance and supervision. Finally, it covers essential emergency preparations such as attendance lists, emergency contacts, medication details, first aid equipment, missing-child procedures and communication with the setting. Use these principles to support well-organised, confident and safer outings. Read the related CMS Vocational Training guide: https://cmsvoc.co.uk/blog/safeguardin... Chapters 00:00 The four principles of safe outings 00:26 Planning, risk assessment and supervision ratios 01:40 Safe walking arrangements and road safety 02:31 Choosing safe travel arrangements 03:36 Emergency information and procedures 04:32 Recap: preparing for safer outings 05:04 The golden rules for every outing