Things to do for families

There are a wide range of activities for children and young people to do in and around Redbridge. 

You will see the different activities on the right of this screen, but please take some time to read the advice below first, especially where you will not be supervising your child during the activity. 

    What is an Out of School Setting?

    Many children and young people attend a variety of Out of Schools Setting​s and activities in Redbridge, often, without their parents’ or carers supervision. These settings provide an important service to children in our community with opportunities to gain useful skills, make new friendships and improve their physical, social and emotional wellbeing. Activities are varied and range from sport, arts, language, learning a musical instrument, joining a youth organisation, such as Scouts, doing extra studies in a tuition centres and education in their own faith.

    An Out of School Setting does not include schools or colleges registered by the Department for Education or any organisation registered by Ofsted and are not required to be registered by any statutory organisation. There are no regulations governing many out of school activities, therefore, the Local Authority does not currently endorse any setting in the borough other than those with an official and up to date registration.

    Safety first/protecting children and young people

    We recognise the many exemplary providers who create positive and safe environments for children to flourish, and we want to ensure that all Out of School Settings are a safe place for children to be, regardless of what activity they are participating in. Coaches, tutors, religious leaders and all other providers involved in Out of School Settings have an over-riding responsibility to protect and safeguard children and young people from the risk of harmful practices.

    Please read the 'Have fun and be safe' guide that you will find in each section.

    Consideration for parents and carers

    As a parent or carer, it is important when choosing an Out of School Settings that certain questions are asked of a provider, such as whether staff have undertaken DBS checks, how safe is the environment. A provider should be able to reassure you that your child/ren will be safe in their setting and demonstrate the steps they are taking to ensure their safety and wellbeing.

    Here are some further questions to consider asking:

    • do all the staff/volunteers have a valid Disclosure Baring Service check (DBS)?
    • who has overall responsibility for safeguarding and may I/we have a copy of your safeguarding policy?
    • are the premises safe, for example, are fire notices displayed?
    • who is responsible for first aid?
    • is there a parental consent and emergency contact form that I/we need to complete?
    • are the necessary building insurances in place, in date and available on request?

    You may wish to sit in on a session, to satisfy yourself that it is a safe environment before determining to send your child to a particular OOSS.

    Activities during COVID-19

    Are you thinking of sending your child(ren) to an activity this summer?

    The Department for Education has issued further safety measures for Out of School Settings for the autumn term. The Guidance for providers of before or after school clubs, and other out-of-school settings has now been updated to extend its applicability to the autumn term. It has been updated to include specific content on what measures as providers you should put in place to minimise mixing between different groups of children when schools reopen, and to reduce the risk of infection and transmission of the virus for children, staff and parents who attend their settings. The Parent guidance has also been updated to reflect these points. Parents and carers should limit the number of settings their children attend as far as possible, and ideally to ensure their children attend the same setting consistently. For further information please contact the Out of School Settings Team on: OOSS@redbridge.gov.uk.

    Responsibilities for out of school providers

    All Out of School Setting providers have an obligation to ensure that children and young people in their care are offered a safe and comfortable environment in which to learn or have fun. They also have a responsibility towards the people who work for them whether they are employed or voluntary.

    The Children’s Act 2004 places a duty on organisations to safeguard and promote the wellbeing of children as well as ensuring that all adults who work with children and young people are safe to do so.  As Out of School Settings include a wide range of activities and ages the arrangements for keeping children and young people safe will vary.

    Do you own or manage an Out of School activity in Redbridge?

    Such as a youth club, uniformed groups, art, drama, sport, tuition or a supplementary school? Do you offer volunteering, social action, skills and enterprise, peer support groups where activities take place in community buildings, in parks, outward bound and online activities. All of these settings provide a space for young people to come together with friends, explore their identity, learn new skills and have fun. The Out of Schools Settings sector has faced significant challenges in response to COVID. The National Youth Agency (NYA) has published guidance to support local providers, youth leaders, volunteers and young people to remain safe when engaging in youth sector activities. It is intended to guide the youth sector in opening up services for young people at the right pace and time.

     

    The Out of School Settings team can be contacted on OOSS@redbridge.gov.uk

    Reporting a concern

    If you have a concern about a child and would like to seek advice, please contact the Child Protection Assessment Team (CPAT).

    Referrals can be sent to cpat.referrals@redbridge.gov.uk or more information can be found here

    Whether you are a parent, carer, provider, or volunteer working with children and young people in an activity and would like further help and advice on any aspect of SAFETY IN SETTINGS please contact the Out of School Settings Team on: OOSS@redbridge.gov.uk or: 07808 861646

    Redbridge - Activities Out of School Membership Scheme

    To help ensure that all activities are safe and enjoyable for everyone, the Out of School Settings Team will be launching a new Membership scheme this year. To register your interest please contact us and Sign up to our newsletter here  to receive important updates.

    Looking for places to go and days out?

    Looking for places to go for the family? Visit the Places To Go section to find details of farms, leisiure centres, parks, cinemas and much more.

    Other activities in Redbridge

    In addition to the categories listed on this page, residents and visitors will find even more ideas, activities and places to go on the Redbridge website. Click on the links below for more information:

    Quick Links

    1. Days out for families
    2. Volunteering opportunities

    Related advice and information

    1. Summer 2022 - Activities and clubs in Redbridge
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