Frequently Asked Questions

There is a wealth of information available on the web about scouting and we have provided links to key sites both in the side bar navigation and within our answers to the frequently asked questions. The emphasis for the questions we have raised and answered below are those that are most commonly asked by prospective Scouts, Cubs and Beavers parents. If there is a question missing or an answer you would like more clarity or information on please email us directly at F AQS@sarrattscoutgroup.org

Do people who run and help with Scouts require a CRB?

Everyone who is involved at 1st Sarratt Scout Group whether a warranted leader, member of the Executive or an occasional adult helper is required to have a CRB check and be registered with the Scout Association. There is a standard procedure and forms for this which we ask each parent to complete. These are then initially processed by the Group Scout Leader who then submits them via the District to the Scout Association for a full CRB check. Once the CRB check is completed and we are notified the individual is then considered screened for working with children within the context of a Scout Group.

In addition to this screening each person is asked to undertake study of the child protection policy and where regular engagement is envisaged there is first aid training courses and other courses that may be deemed appropriate.

What is your approach to Safeguarding and Child protection?

Safeguarding and Child protection is our number 1 concern at all times. click here to see the Scout Association Child Protection Policy which is what we follow. All leaders are required to go through safeguarding training initially and maintain that training as part of ongoing skills maintenance.

Who runs the Scout Group?

The whole team today is made up of parents of children who are Beavers, Cubs or Scouts. We are all working on a volunteer basis and are keen to secure support from parents throughout the year.

Group Scout Leaders - We operate a joint Group Scout Leadership and this is shared by Sarah Dobson Kate Soothill Daniel Haynes gsl@sarrattscoutgroup.org

Beaver Leader - Gavin Daly gavin@sarrattscoutgroup.org

Cub Leader - Gary Kenny - gary@sarrattscoutgroup.org

Scout Leader - Daniel Haynes - daniel@sarrattscoutgroup.org

Additionally we have an excellent group of parent helpers on board who work on a regular or occasional rota basis. We are always seeking additional support and assistance. If you want to know the types of skills and resources we need please look at our dedicated section on the website

We are supported by an Executive Group as follows, which manage our finances, fund raising, subscriptions, administration and overall policy. The scout group is a registered charity as well which provides some advantages for us along with additional regulation.

Chairman - Vacant

Treasurer - Helen Smith -helen@sarrattscoutgroup.org

Secretary - secretary@sarrattscoutgroup.org

Admissions - Jenny Gilmour admissions@sarrattscoutgroup.org

We are also fortunate to have Roy Eteen as our honorary president. Roy himself was a Group Scout Leader for the 1st Sarratt for many years and is an invaluable source of wisdom and practical experience for our team.

We are part of the Rickmansworth and Chorleywood District which provides a wealth of facilities and support. There is a vibrant network of local events and we have been supported incredibly during our set up phase by the District and other Scout Groups in the District.

https://www.racscouts.org.uk/ - Rickmansworth and Chorleywood Scout District

We are part of the the Hertfordshire County scouting team and have access to a wide range of resources from the Scouting Association. There is a wealth of information available from a variety of websites which we have provided links to below

http://www.hertfordshirescouts.org.uk/ - Herts District website

http://scouts.org.uk/ - Main scouting website

http://www.scoutbase.org.uk/ - Our support resources

Is there an application form we can complete?

Yes when you send your initial enquiry to admissions@sarrattscoutgroup.org we will send you a link to our online system called Online Scout Manager which you register for and this means you will be able to register your child and yourself. The main benefits are that you only have to give us information once.

We have to collect a range information including diversity information for our annual census to the Scout Association along with any medical information we need to know about.

Throughout your child's journey through Scouting the Parent access to Online Scout Manager means you can see what badges they have earned, provide any consents required for camps and gather Gift Aid information.

How do you confirm offers of places?

We aim to offer as many children who wish to join the Beaver colony, Cub pack or Scout Troop a place. Some parents have asked what the criteria for acceptance is. It is pretty straightforward really and is summarised below. We will write and confirm formally an offer of place after the following have been determined and / or completed:-

Your child genuinely wants to join the Scouting movement and take a full and active part in the programme we have planned
That you have completed their application form in full
That your child is at least 5 years and 9 months old as a minimum from when they attend meetings.
That your subscriptions are paid in line with our policy previously laid out in previous notes.
That as parents or carers you acknowledge that you will need to volunteer to assist in the running of the Scout Group in one form or another at least once a term, we simply cannot run the Scout Group without volunteers

A critical part is that parents are able to support us in some form or another at meetings from time to or in other ways - We are all volunteers with children at Beavers, Cubs or Scouts and it just won't work if we cannot call upon parents to provide support. The more parents who complete the Occasional Helper registration process which includes CRB and go on the rota of support the less time each parent needs to invest in support. We obviously recognise that some people have younger children to look after and life can be complex but in the end we are not asking for a weekly commitment just some support.

What is the uniform requirement?

The Scout shop has an extensive overview of Beaver, Cub, Scout and Leader uniforms and accessories. Currently our plan is to ask for Beavers, Cubs and Scouts to have at least the sweat / shirt (the one badges go on, but there are also polo shirts and hooded sweatshirt) plus a scarf. We would recommend jeans and trainers normally or school trousers if we are doing something formal. Please see http://shop.scouts.org.uk/. The uniform creates a real sense of team.

We do not expect a child to have their uniform on their first meeting. We would ideally like them to have one as soon as is practical but definitely by the time they are invested and get their Scarf which is about 4 weeks after starting.

You may want to send them along with a waterproof in case we go outside on some events.

What happens about first aid and medicines?

We have trained first aiders within the Group at each meeting. If your child has any specific medical conditions or medication / allergies please ensure that you give one of the Leadership team their medication in a box of some form, clearly marked so we can identify it quickly if need be.

How do you complete registration Check in and Check out?

We have a formal registration process in place, simply speaking we tick your child into meetings and ask you to sign them out. If someone else is dropping them off or collecting them we will need to know in advance. This is all designed to ensure safety of the children and is good practice.

What activities will they do?

We do a mixture of games and exercises that offer fun and education and get them thinking and working as a team. We are very lucky as the Scouting Association has a storehouse of games and exercises used over many years that deliver an exceptional experience. It is called the programme and all Scout Groups draw from this. They will have the opportunity to earn badges on a wide range of subjects and gain a sense of achievement, they will be meeting other beaver colonies as they get together for badge festivals where they work together to earn their badges. There will be a range of outdoor activities and visits to places like fire stations and other areas of interests.

The Beavers, Cubs and Scouts pages provide a good overview of the types of things we do and what they need to be able to do to achieve and earn badges.

How do I find out more information and make contact?

We are focusing on providing as much information as possible on the website. You can contact us all via email as listed above. Alternatively you can email us at Info@sarrattscoutgroup.org this goes to everyone.

We operate parent email groups for each section and we also use Whats App Groups for some sections as well as Facebook groups which are invitation only. We share to these groups pictures and updates on events.

How many Parent Helpers do you need?

We have been delighted by the level of support offered for running the Beaver Colony, Cub Pack and Scout Troop. Parent Helpers and Assistant Section leaders are a vital component of creating a fantastic environment. We ideally would like 4 Parent helpers a week if possible for the Beaver and Cub sections. If we do not get enough Parent helpers it will be impractical to run such a large Beaver colony and Cub pack.

If you as a parent wish to stay and watch the Beaver colony Cub pack or Scout Troop meeting we would delighted if you are prepared to provide some assistance as well. We are insured for children who may be with you who are not part of the Scout Group which we felt may make it easier for parents with younger children who want to help.

Equally if you are attending as a parent and not helping you yourself are not insured.

How can we as parents get involved?

We truly welcome support from any parents wishing to assist either as an assistant leader or as an adult helper, the more we have the more fun it will be and the easier to ensure we have the right level of support. There will be activities outside of running the formal meetings that we could do with assistance with either raising money or preparing for and supporting special events. Above anything, you can really help by showing an active interest in what they are doing and help them prepare and work towards their badges. Please see our Adult / Parent Helper Section of the site and also our Resources and Skills needed section

What happens if my child doesn't like Scouting and decides not to continue?

This would obviously be a disappointment but we are realistic that it may not be to everyone's tastes. Our policy is that if this occurs in the first four weeks ahead of investiture as a Beaver we will only seek pro-rata subscriptions from you for that period. If it occurs post investiture we are not able to refund subscriptions as we are carrying costs with the Scout Association and we have planned ahead to include people and activities some of which carry costs.