Thank you for continuing to support scouting in Suffolk. Your ongoing support at this time is more important than ever as we enter the next phase in our return to scouting activities.

As you will now know, headquarters have created a blueprint to help support our planning for this event. You can follow our news and ideas at https://www.suffolkscouts.org.uk/coronovirus.  All content we post will be based on UK Government and The Scout Association guidelines.

Keeping Everyone Safe

The primary aim of the framework is to keep all our leaders, supporters and young people safe. Whilst you might find the idea of creating new written risk assessments challenging, I’d like to reassure you that through a County/District working party which has been set up, there is support to help you. The Risk Assessment Framework is the key system that will create confidence for our young people and their parents and enable us all to enjoy the activities safely.

Framework Principles

·  Guidance documents from The Scout Association will set out the operating procedures for activities. These may be amended from time to time particularly if government or National Youth Agency advice changes

·  Normal insurance will be in force providing that leaders and groups follow the guidelines and meet all the required steps and safety requirements

·  COVID safe risk assessments will need to be completed for activities. Maximum numbers will be determined by scouts.org.uk

·  Completed risk assessments will have to be signed off at a district level

·  Parental consultation and written consent to activities will be required

Timeline

·  Group Scout Leaders have been sent a copy of the Suffolk Scouts plan for enabling the framework.

·  The documentation and plan is currently under construction.

·  The earliest date that risk assessments will be considered will be 7th August

·  This is not a race. It is worth spending time to ensure risk assessments are robust and COVID secure

Three Important Documents For Returning To Face to Face Scouting

1.      The Scout Association Covid-19 Risk Assessment Template

2.      Consultation Capture Form – What you need to do when you are consulting with parents, young people and volunteers (see the Return to Scouting link on the Coronavirus page)

3.      Explicit Consent Form – these are specific for each District and can be found by clicking on the Return To Scouting menu option on the Coronavirus page.

Further Information

If you would like to start looking further at risk assessments and the process for returning to scouting you can read more here. Suffolk Scouts will send out further information as the process is further developed.

Important Reminder

Please remember that until your group has received an approved risk assessment from the District, you cannot do any form of face to face scouting in any section even if you socially distance. This includes investitures and awarding of badges.  

Well done!

If you took part in the Great Indoors Weekender I hope you enjoyed it! I’d like to say thank you to Karen Trickey and Harriet Samuel for the enthusiastic interview they did on BBC Suffolk on Sunday morning to promote Scouting.

Lockdown Heroes

If you know of any amazing feats from volunteers or young people during this Covid-19 pandemic, please drop me a line telling me what they have done – I’d love to hear and share.