Big Sibs
Welcome to the Big Sibs scheme!
Before you commence with your volunteering, please spend some time getting familiar with the documentation below.
As much as we would love to just let you get on with it, it is our legal responsibility to make you aware of the policies and guidelines.
Big Sibs Handbook
Big Sibs Project Guidelines
Big Sibs Home Visit Policy
Safeguarding Children Guide
Volunteering safely
Finance guidelines (things to do for free or cheap)
Health and Safety brief
| HAZARD | RISK | ACTION TO BE TAKEN |
| Trips / falls inside the family home | medium | Volunteer to supervise the child and participate in low risk activities |
| Trips / falls when outside the family home | medium | Volunteer to supervise the child and participate in low risk activities |
| Crossing roads | high | Volunteer to only cross road in a safe area – preferably official pedestrian crossings and remain within reach of the child at all times. |
| Accidents in playgrounds | medium | Volunteer to supervise the child and participate in low risk activities |
| Volunteer not suitable to be working with children | low | CRBs and references taken for every volunteer |
Additional measures in place
- The project leader/ SCA representative or manager will do a home visit before a volunteer starts volunteering in a private home to ensure the project guidelines are understood and the environment deemed safe for the volunteer.
- Volunteers must be aware that Health & Safety policy protection only covers them for the time that they meet their sibling during the agreed SCA time and then only in public areas. Private areas (including the sibling’s home) do not come under the auspices of the SCA Health & Safety policy.
- Parents and volunteers must be given a copy of the project guidelines – a copy signed by both parties must be filed with the family registration form.
- Volunteers must as far as possible stay in public places where there are other people around.
- Volunteers must not be left alone with the child in the family home. A parent / guardian should always be present at the house as well.
- Volunteers should always carry emergency contact numbers with them. We recommend that they have the parent / guardian number if they are leaving the house, the SCA office and the Managers emergency contact number.
- Volunteers should only go to places / visit people agreed in advance with the parent and contact the parent immediately if the plans change.
