CYRMS – High Risk Activities and Special Events - SLSQ Administration Operations Manual

What is a high risk activity?

While the Act sets out that each organisation can determine a high risk activity or special event, SLS clubs should take responsibility for conducting risk assessments for all activities and events that involve children and young people. These activities or special events due to their nature will require extra planning and supervision.

Risk management involves identifying potential risks and taking steps to mitigate (that is remove or minimise) them.

Risk management plans for high risk activities and special events are written documents and should be developed in conjunction with your stakeholders. At a minimum, these plans must be reviewed annually or when a new event or activity is incorporated into club services.

Why do I need to manage a high risk activity and special events?

It is important to identify risks in order to plan effective management strategies.

How do I manage risk?

Refer to the sample risk management plan to assist you and your organisation to develop and implement an effective risk management plan for activities and special events.

Risk Management Process

There are six steps to consider in the development of an effective risk management plan:

describe the activity
identify the risk
analyse the risk
mitigate the risk
analyse the risk after mitigation
review, as required.

Step 1 – Describe the activity:

what is the activity and what are your objectives;
where is the activity going to take place – what environmental factors need to be considered;
identify the stakeholders, staff, parents, and children and young people involved in the activity; and
identify all elements of the event from beginning to end.

Step 2 – Identify the risks

Consider involving a wide range of stakeholders, including children and young people to identify the risks associated with the activity or special event. Risk Management Plans may identify general risks that should always be considered, however, it is important to brainstorm with your stakeholders to ensure all potential risks that might result in harm to a child or young person are identified.

Workplace health and safety processes consider environment and equipment risks. Once you have fulfilled the workplace health and safety requirements you must assess the risks associated with the child and youth risk management strategy, which consider risks that are physical, emotional, sexual and cultural in nature including the risks from:

other children or young people;
someone outside the organisation;
an employee or volunteer; and
themselves.

In relation to potential risks of harm associated with the activities and special events your club / branch provides to children and young people, ask yourself questions such as:

How might harm occur?

Running an activity where children and young people are required to change clothes, where the change rooms are unsupervised and open to the public.
Paid employees or volunteers spending long periods alone with a child or young person.
A coach offering special private sessions to a child or young person.

Why might harm occur?

Inadequate recruitment and selection practices of paid employees and volunteers.
Incorrect instructions given to employees/volunteers working with children or young people.
Not providing training to employees and volunteers.
Inadequate attention to cultural considerations.

When might harm occur?

Inadequate adult supervision
A staff member/volunteer giving a child a lift home

Step 3 – Analyse the risk

Risk analysis is about quantifying and identifying the level of risk. You should consider the likelihood and consequences associated with the activity or special event.

Refer to the table in the Risk Management Plan below for an outline of how to rate the identified risks as per the ADM01 Risk Management Policy.

ADM01 – Risk Management Policy
ADM01 Risk Management
The purpose of this Principle is to provide the structure to effectively manage the risks involved in all SLSQ activities, to maximise opportunities and minimise adversity and to achieve improved SLSQ outcomes and outputs based on informed decision making and organisational resilience.

Checklist for Overnight Stays Template

Special Events