Children's ministry & Sunday school Risk Assessment Template

Typical hazards & measures

• Registration and collection procedures — Operate pre-registration and sign-in/out with photo ID checks, record attendance and contact details, and issue pickup tokens. Brief volunteers on authorised collectors, hold children in the room until verified, and escalate to the safeguarding lead if a mismatch occurs.
• Communicable illness in groups — Ask parents to keep unwell children at home; follow exclusion timings for vomiting/diarrhoea. Provide handwashing on arrival, clean high-touch points, and ventilate rooms. Offer alternatives for shared items, and inform parents of exposures while protecting confidentiality.
• Supervision ratios and line-of-sight — Set age-appropriate ratios (e.g., 1:6 primary, 1:3 under-fives), keep rooms glass-panelled or doors ajar, and position leaders to maintain clear sightlines. Use a headcount at transitions, buddy leaders for breaks, and never leave a group unattended, even briefly.
• Unauthorized access to children’s areas — Control entry with staffed check-point, visible badges for team, and closed doors during sessions. Challenge unknown adults politely, and restrict sight-lines into rooms using blinds where needed. Keep a visitors log and ensure external doors are secured without blocking egress.
• Photography and image sharing — Collect image consent at enrolment and clearly mark no-photo children on the register. Limit photography to designated team devices, disable location data, and store images securely with retention periods. Do not post names with images; obtain extra consent for public use.