The CAA Code of Practice 

CAA Mission Statement

The CAA exists to:

• give parents a bench mark for all organised children's activities by establishing and improving consistent standards & accreditation.

• give more children the opportunity to experience a wider range of organised activities.

Member Agreement

As a member of the CAA, your organisation is expected to meet and continue to meet the CAA Code of Practice.  It is important that you have read and fully understood all sections of this document.

This Code of Practice describes in brief all the elements the CAA consider mandatory to provide high standards of children’s activities and these are therefore mandatory to be considered a member of the CAA. This Code of Practice is compatible with but not a substitute for the CAA Accreditation modules.

The CAA member is solely responsible for compliance with the Code of Practice and you agree to notify the CAA if you are unable to meet any aspect of this Code of Practice.  If the CAA is notified of a breach of the Code of Practice then membership may be suspended without notice until the organisation can demonstrate that it fully meets all parts of the Code of Practice.  

The CAA does not make any inspection of members to verify that they are complying with the Code of Practice and therefore the CAA does not accept any responsibility for any member’s conduct, procedures or operation. However, during the process of accreditation site visits will be carried out and you will be required to provide evidence to demonstrate that you are compliant with all aspects of the Code of Practice

‘You’ and ‘your’ are used as collective terms to mean all persons that represent your organisation including employees, franchisees, licensees and other authorised 3^rd parties.

The CAA will update the Code of Practice and will notify all members of the changes via email and display the current Code of Practice on the CAA website www.childrensactivitiesassociation.org.

If you are unsure of any aspect of the Member Agreement or Code of Practice please contact us at www.childrensactivitiesassociation.org and we will be happy to assist you further.

This document or any part of it may not be reproduced electronically or printed without prior permission of the Children’s Activities Association CIC.

In General

You are expected to ensure that you have the required skills and experience to provide the children’s activities you advertise and that you have complied with all legal requirements for your particular activity.  This may involve the support of specialist professionals.

Safe Guarding/Child Protection

It is important to have procedures in place to ensure that the safety of both the children and parents/carers attending an activity is maintained. Within an activity environment parents/carers want reassurance that the team who are actively involved with the children have no previous convictions or criminal history which could endanger their child.

You must ensure that you:

• plan and conduct responsible recruitment
• obtain Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks for all appropriate representatives working directly with children
• have appropriate policies in place to ensure the safety and security of children attending your activity
• ensure that all members of staff are working in a accordance with your child protection and safeguarding policies
• fulfil your obligation to alert the relevant authorities to concerns about a child’s safety

Data Protection

Parents/cares need reassurance that their personal details are protected. It must be transparent to a parent the way in which you intend to use any data collected and whether the data will be made accessible to any third parties.

You must ensure that you:

• only gather information that is relevant to your business model/activity
• make Parent/Carers aware that you, as and when applicable, will pass the data onto relevant third parties
• carry our appropriate checks on any third party involved in the activity you provide
• do not misuse any personal data that is collected
•  communicate clearly methods by which of parents/carers can opt out of sharing their personal data

Parent/Carer Relationship

Parents/carers want to feel that you are approachable and accessible to discuss their child’s needs within the activity.

There must be transparent information available to a parent/carer in regards to the activity you are providing.

You must ensure that you:

• act in a professional manner at all times
• provide an accurate description of what a parent/carer can expect from your activity
• keep parents/carers informed of any changes to the planned activity
• develop a respectful relationship with the parents/carers and take on board the individual needs of their children
• have the experience and knowledge to be able to meet the needs of children attending your activity

Health and Safety

Parents/carers need to know that all activities are suitable and do not pose any undue risks.

It is important that all members of the CAA work to a framework that ensures your team, children and parents/carers are at limited risk whilst working or participating in a given activity.

You must ensure that you:

• operate within Health and Safety legislation, including that which corresponds to your specific activity
• carry out regular revisions and updates to appropriate policies to comply with any new legislation
• keep and maintain official records including appropriate risk assessments
• employ appropriate reporting procedures for accidents and incidents
• conduct regular equipment, kit, apparatus assessments

Care of Your Team

Your employees need reassurance that they will not be required to take unnecessary risks or be placed in danger during their work.

All members of your team must be aware of the procedures in place to ensure that they work in a safe environment.

You must ensure that you:

• conduct appropriate risk assessments to provide a safe place for our team to work
• provide appropriate training and/or access to qualifications
• have disciplinary and grievance procedures in place and make these available to all employees
• develop a respectful relationship with your team

Insurance

Parents need to know that you have appropriate insurance cover for your activity and all of the people involved.

All members must hold an appropriate level of insurance relative to their activity including Employers and Public Liability Insurance.

You must ensure that you:

• hold and maintain adequate levels of insurance according to your type of business or operation
• display, as appropriate, proof of insurance and produce such proof on request
• conduct an annual review of the needs of the business and update your insurance appropriately

Financial Propriety

Parents/carers and staff need reassurance that members are operating a financially stable business.

Parents/carers also need clear information on pricing, payment options and any support for low income families.

You must ensure that you:

• operate a solvent business
• provide clear pricing information for parents/carers
• fulfil all legal obligations for your type of business or operation
• use transparent accounting practices provided by a qualified accountant
• have appropriate financial support and advice in place

Inclusivity and Ethics

Every child should have the opportunity to take part in any activity regardless of their ethnic background or personal/physical capability.

You must ensure that you:

• document and follow an equal opportunities policy which should state that no person will be discriminated against due to their age, gender, religious beliefs, cultural background
• ensure that every child is able to learn and participate at their own level
• ensure that every child has the opportunity to achieve their full potential within the activity

Training & Development

All staff must have ongoing training and development to ensure they are able to deliver the activity at a professional level.

You must ensure that you:

• provide a competent induction training
• provide regular ongoing support for employees
• conduct regular reviews of and updates to your training programme
• encourage employees to gain relevant formal qualifications
• provide and encourage access to continued learning development opportunities

Complaint Procedure

Parents/carers want to know that complaints or concerns will be listened to and dealt with appropriately.

A user-friendly procedure must be in place and communicated clearly to parents/carers.

You must ensure that you:

• have a complaints procedure in place
• clearly display your complaints procedure
• train all staff in the application of the complaints procedure

In the event of an unresolved dispute with a parent/carer, you must refer the matter to the CAA’s Complaint Committee and agree to accept their decision.

Revision History

Version	Date	Revisions
V0.1	23/02/15	Internal project review
V0.2	25/02/15	CAA Founding Members Review
V1.0	27/03/15	Launch version for Founding Member Approval
V2.0	22/10/15	Major review to incorporate CAA accreditation
V2.1	31/05/16	Timeframe to achieve Bronze Accreditation is included
V2.2	02/07/18	Working Towards CAA Accreditation section removed