COVID Readiness Levels

At Yellow Level:

• Leaders should ensure that meetings keep to safeguarding requirements (no 1-to-1 situations with young people)
• You can hold section meetings, subject to appropriate group and district approval.

What this means:

• Beavers, Cubs, Scouts and Explorers will be able to meet indoors and outdoors, with no legal limit on youth numbers, however you should keep it as one section meeting at a time with flexibility for smaller sections to join together if required. It’s important to remember that physical space will be limited and social distancing of two metres between everyone will be required. You should continue to take all measures to stop transmission and we would recommend most sections to continue meeting outdoors if they can.
• Scout Network may also meet but will be limited to maximum group sizes of 30. We continue to encourage outdoor meetings where you can.
• Adult activities should follow the current Government guidance.
• Residential activities: Nights away activities may take place with a maximum of 30 young people plus volunteers (adults and young leaders) and carers, limited to a maximum of 6 people per sleeping space (tent or room) and groups of 6 maximum for groups of over 18s. COVID measures such as social distancing and good hygiene remain in place (even overnight), groups must remain independent of others and lateral flow testing must take place immediately prior to departure and every 48-72hrs throughout the trip and on return for those age 12 and over.

Face Coverings:

• Adults must wear face coverings indoors (or if they are within 2 metres of another person), unless they are leading an activity.
• Scouts and Explorers must wear face coverings indoors, including when using toilet facilities.

Guidance on COVID Risk Assessments:

If when moving from one level to another if the COVID-safe controls and the way you do things do not change this does not require re-submission. Equally if you have already had your risk assessment approved, then suspended your activities when you resume you do not have to have this resubmitted for approval if nothing has changed.

Nights Away Approval Process:

We are changing the COVID-safe approval process for nights away. Camps or Residentials taking place whilst areas are in Yellow must have covid hazards and controls included within the event risk assessment which is submitted along with the Nights Away Notification Form. This will be checked by someone within the District and like any overnight event requires DC approval but does not need to go through the restart risk assessment smartsheet process. Those organising camps or residentials MUST show how they comply with current government guidance on numbers, social distancing and safe use of accommodation and sleeping areas.