Special Needs Policy

If you have a child with Special Needs who is joining Girlguiding, these are the steps we follow prior to the child's enrollment in a unit: 

• We will hold a confidential meeting with parents and where possible, with the child, in order to discuss and record additional needs including any personal care plan. 
• If the child is at school, this care plan may well be in place and we will ask the parent if it can be shared with us. This plan is completed jointly with the parent/carer and young person (if appropriate) and is used in addition to the relevant Girlguiding forms such as Starting Rainbows/Brownies/Guides/The Senior Section, Information and Consent for Event/Activity and Health Information. It is designed to ensure that we have sufficient information to manage the young person’s health condition during meetings, on outings, residential events and so on. 

We also endeavour to ensure that the plan is reviewed regularly so that it is up-to-date. 

Leaders can also call on the County's Special Needs Advisor for additional information/training and advice.

If a Carer is to accompany the child to Rainbows/Brownies or Guides, then the Carer must undertake an induction programme before being allowed to “join” the unit. 

Carer Induction

Carers must:

• Be aware of our ethos and culture
  
• Be there to support and enable the child and not “do things for them”
  
• The Carer is not at liberty to instruct or undertake any lead role within the unit and therefore not at liberty to give direction to others
  
• Any concerns will discussed with Leaders and parents in a joint meeting.