All of the activities offered are risk benefit assessed beforehand and we will only provide activities where we feel the benefits outweigh the risks. Please contact me for more details of this approach; we will happily supply you with examples of how this approach works. In the meantime, this High Level Statement from the HSE sets out the current guidance on risky play and will give you a sense of how (and why) we are advocating this approach.
In line with Ofsted guidance for care of children aged under 8, a minimum 1:8 adult child ratio will be observed at all times, within reason (e.g. this may be affected by toilet breaks, first aid requirements etc.). There are no statutory requirements for ratios for over 8s. However, the nature of a Hampshire Bushcraft activity camp means we choose to maintain at least this ratio for all ages so that children themselves benefit from our close attention, whether they are engaging in a woodworking project with real tools or chilling out with their friends in a shelter they’ve built in woods.
If your child feels unwell during the day, or suffers a minor injury (e.g. nettle sting, small cut or graze), we will administer first aid and assess the situation to establish whether you should be notified immediately or whether it can wait until the end of the day. If your child is more seriously injured or taken ill, we will call you straight away on the number you have provided on the sign-up form. If there is an emergency, we will first call an ambulance, and then call you, so please ensure your child’s emergency health and contact information is up to date.
Please be very clear that by its very nature, a Hampshire Bushcraft activity camp is a risky, adventurous experience.
Whilst we make every effort to minimise the risk of serious injury of any kind, it is possible that your child will come home with a few cuts and bruises. Activities such as tree climbing, slacklining, cooking on an open fire and whittling are not without risk – but by supporting children to try these at their own pace, we hope they this will help them be better equipped to deal with risk and adversity in future.
Children have been shown to be very competent risk assessors and our own experience tells us that at Hampshire Bushcraft activity camps, children are keen to try new things but are ready and able to consider the risks first, before leaping into something new. Feedback from previous activity camps suggests that many parents were astonished and delighted to hear how their children rose to the challenge of being outdoors all day, participating in problematic and difficult activities – not to mention playing and working alongside children of different ages and abilities. A Hampshire Bushcraft activity camp is not like school, and it’s not like normal play schemes. Children have opportunities to show competencies and leadership qualities they may never have even considered they had, and that may surprise you. We love seeing how our older participants support and enjoy playing with our youngest children. The sense of pride in their achievements is palpable, whether children are building a den, leaping from a high branch, lighting a fire with a fire steel or whittling a Hampshire Bushcraft fox!