Home Contact Form - Factsheet - Shurdington

1 SHome ContactItem Code FS120078 Jan 01 Edition no. 60845 300 1818 The Scout AssociationGilwell Park Chingford London E4 7QW Tel + 44 (0)20 8433 7100 Fax + 44 (0)20 8433 7103 email is the sixth edition of this Factsheet - whichupdates that coded FS120078 and dated Dec provides guidance to those organising outings,camps and activities and assistance to the personappointed the home Contact (as required byPolicy, Organisation and Rules of The ScoutAssociation).Future editions will be published, as necessary, inthe light of experience. The issue of replacementfactsheets will be notified in SCOUTINGM agazine, Talking Points and the STEP GUIDE WHENINFORMED OF AN INCIDENT SEEPAGE 9 Why do we need a home Contact ?When an activity takes Members of the Movementaway from their home area, usually as defined bythe District Commissioner, it is possible that theParty Leader may need to Contact theparents/guardians or the home Scoutorganisation.

2 Such occasions could include traveldelays (perhaps the coach breaks down or isstuck in a motorway traffic jam) or a change ofplans (a camp is washed out and the party plansto return home early). There may have been aserious accident or emergency andparents/guardians must be required method is to use the home Contactas the focus for communications between theparty and those at home ContactThe home Contact must be someone who is notrelated to - or emotionally involved with - anymember of the party - so there is less risk of theperson s feelings becoming involved. If related,and there is a serious injury, the home Contactmay become emotionally involved and ineffectivein carrying out an important job which could affectthe whole party. The person appointed can beanyone, ideally with some knowledge of Group Scout Leader or the Group Secretaryare appropriate people to consider. Moreimportantly the home Contact needs the maturityand emotional stability to deal with a majorincident should it home Contact must be in possession of thenames and addresses of the next of kin of eachmember of the party including the Leaders/adultsand know how to Contact the next of kin, the partyand the home (local) Scout organisation.

3 Formsto record this information are given at the end ofthis Factsheet . A separate sheet will be needed ifthe form does not have enough space for thewhole party. It is important that the details arechecked just prior to departure, as there are oftenlast minute changes, and that the home Contacthas all the information needed if there is anincident or accident. Each parent/guardian alsoneeds to know how to Contact the home effective home Contact can take a lot ofpressure off the leader in the field. They will nothave to Contact a myriad of parents, guardiansetc, nor will they have to repeat the messageseveral times when they should be looking afterthe party on the 2 of 10 The Party Leader should brief the home Contactfully on the details of the activity. A copy of thisfactsheet should be handed over, together withany other papers. The Party Leader should checkthat the home Contact understands the detailsgiven in this paper.

4 It is helpful if the Party Leaderkeeps a copy of all this information, especially thedetails of the members of the party, given to theHome is recommended that the home Contact keepsthis Factsheet beside the telephone together witha pen or to have a home ContactThe following are examples of when there mustbe a home Contact : Beaver Scout Sleepovers Cub Scout Pack Holidays and Camps Patrol Camps Troop Camps and Expeditions Venture Scout Unit Camps and Expeditions International Expeditions Adventures Activities away from the HomeDistrict Residential Experiences away from the HomeDistrictThe following are examples of when a HomeContact is strongly recommended: Beaver Scout Colony Outings Cub Scout Pack Day Trips Family Camps Any Adventurous Activities of a prolongednature which does not take the participantsaway from the home most occasions there will be no need forcontact between the Party Leader and the HomeContact.

5 It is, however, very important to ensurethat the system does not fail, on that one occasionwhen it is is important that if the party has only onetelephone number for the home Contact , this isnot left unattended during the activity. Thismeans both day and night! Alternatively the PartyLeader may need several telephone numbers(with timings for their use) to cover time at workand at home . A home Contact can be tied downtoo much if there is not some careful planningbeforehand. With modern communications thereare various possibilities to ease the situation. It isalso acceptable to have a shift system (day/nightor specific periods of the activity) but both theParty Leader and parents/guardians need to knowwho to Contact and when!Despite advances in modern technology it isrecommended that the home Contact uses alandline telephone rather than a mobile Emergency ProcedureIn the event of a non-emergency, such as abreakdown of a coach, the Party Leader may askfor parents/guardians to be told about the Party Leader does this by telephoning theHome Contact who can then spread the word.

6 Itwill probably not be necessary to Contact thehome (local) Scout ProcedureIn the event of an incident, accident oremergency, to an individual or the party, amember of the party must alert the appropriateEmergency Service(s) and the home such a message has been given the Stepby Step Guide should be followed, together withthe use of the attached form (page 10), to recordthe necessary details. It would also be helpful ifthe home Contact held, for reference by others,details of travel insurance if the party is to of Contact with the GroupIf the activity is self-contained, for example, across county expedition with no base camp, Contact with the party will be difficult unless somepre-determined system of reporting in is used. Ifthis is arranged, the home Contact has to bebriefed by the Party Leader on what actionsshould be taken if an anticipated telephone call isnot received. This is particularly important if theHome Contact has little knowledge of the activitypage 3 of 10and therefore cannot make judgements based onpersonal experience.

7 Remember that precisetimings for many activities, such asmountaineering, are very difficult to keep andmany factors may delay a party, without therebeing an emergency. When a party is known tobe carrying camping equipment, it is unlikely tocome to any harm if its members have to spend anight out unexpectedly. If the home Contact hasany doubts or worries one of those from the home (local) Scout organisation should be contacted foradvice without declaring an the GroupThere may be situations, such as an emergencyat home , when Contact with the party isnecessary. Once again, the home Contact is thelink between the parents/guardians and the of how to Contact the party should beprovided by the Party Leader. Contact with theparty, when on the move, may be difficult unlesssome pre-determined reporting-in system is help is needed, for example to help one of theparty to return home , Contact with the host Scoutorganisation may be helpful.

8 This should be donethrough the identified home (local) RolesIt is possible that there may be other issues, orevents, relevant to the area your party is could be a weather forecast or a news itemwhich could directly or indirectly affect the may have seen the same information andthus the home Contact should prepare for suchenquiries by making Contact the with Party Leaderto see if all is well!Overseas TravelIn normal circumstances the home Contact willnot be directly involved with the details of theOverseas Insurance Cover and any claimsrelating to the cover. In the case of difficulty theHome Contact should have details of the issuingcompany, the Policy number and a contacttelephone number. This should only be used atthe express request of the Party Leader or - a Step-by-Step Guide for theHome ContactWhen informed of an incident, the home Contactshould carry out the following:1. Stay calm! Remember the person contactingyou may be suffering from shock.

9 Do notpanic yourself, listen carefully and Record all the relevant information (seeattached forms).3. Maintain a log of actions, telephone callsmade or received, together with Contact your home (local) Scout organisation(see the first and second choices on page 8).If you cannot speak with either of thesechoices do not delay if matters are urgent: Contact the relevant National ScoutHeadquarters (see the next section).5. If any member of the party has been killed orinjured agree with your home (local) Scoutauthorities who will Contact the next of kin (inperson is best). Also arrange any practicalhelp which can be offered; at some stage nextof kin may wish to visit casualties in that the Police may offer to do this; if so, Remain available to liaise with all thoseinvolved, both in the area of the incident andthe next of kin, until you are relieved or thesituation is National Scout HeadquartersIf you cannot make local Contact with the localScout organisation (either the first or secondchoices listed on page 8) then: The Contact telephone numbers for the PublicRelations Officer, at Headquarters are:-During office hours:0845 300 1818-Outside office hours:020 7584 7031and ask for the number of the Duty 4 of 10 In Scotland, the Scottish Headquarters shouldbe informed; the numbers are:-During office hours:01383 419073-Outside office hours:01383 412704 In Northern Ireland, the Northern IrelandHeadquarters should be informed.

10 Thenumbers are:-During office hours:028 9049 2829-Outside office hours:028 9336 7302 The appropriate person will also indicate those inyour local area you could telephone, if your firstand second choices were still not contactable andyou do not have the details of others locally whocould the case of a serious accident (loss of life, theprospect of loss of life or paralysis) the HomeContact must advise the Public Relations Officerat Scout with the news media should not beinitiated by the home Contact . All such contactsshould be referred to the Public Relations Officerat Scout Headquarters or the home (local) Scoutorganisation. In many cases the news media willarrive at the scene of the incident or get in touchwith the home Contact before any communicationwith Headquarters has been established. Whenthis does happen care must be taken when talkingwith members of the news media; limit informationto straightforward confirmation of the basic Public Relations Officer can offer advice andassistance in dealing with the news media whenemergencies and accidents to individuals with the Incident AreaIf any member of the party has been killed orinjured the home (local) Scout organisation willensure that the next of kin are contacted (inperson is best).