Covid-19

Covid-19 Statement

Step-Out Outdoor Learning, Training & Therapy CIC can’t wait to welcome you to our woodland programmes and we recognise that:

Outdoor learning, therapy and family time is needed more than ever before to provide a service to a society who have all been impacted in some way or another by Covid-19.  According to science, the outdoor environment is the safest whilst Covid-19 is still a danger to us and should be utilized as much as possible.  We are slowly opening our facilities but recognise the need to protect all participants and staff by taking the following precautions:

  • We will keep numbers of people attending each session within current Government Guidelines
  • We will check with staff and participants before each session that they don’t have any symptoms of Covid-19 or are not required to socially isolate at this time
  • We will respect and actively promote the 1m+ social distancing requirement as much as possible
  • We have installed ‘tippy taps’ on our sites to provide handwashing facilities with running water.  We will provide plenty of soap and paper towels for handwashing
  • We won’t be able to offer food and drink to our participants at the moment so please feel free to bring drinks and snacks with you.
  • If we need to perform first aid duties we will wear a facemask and gloves to protect both of us
  • All our equipment (mud kitchen, bug pots, tools, etc) will be sterilised before your programme begins and at intervals during the day.

For our children’s Summer Holiday Activity Programmes:

  • We will keep numbers of participating children low.
  • We will create ‘bubbles’ by having the same group of children and the same Step-Out Leaders for each 3-day programme
  • We will meet the children on the site and they will be picked up from the site rather than risking a ‘crowd’ at the Step-Out Post.
  • We will ensure that the 1m+ social distancing rule is adhered to as much as possible but we will always put the physical and emotional safety of the children first.
  • The toilet facilities will be cleaned and disinfected at regular intervals throughout the day
  • The activities available will, as far as possible, be chosen to be appropriate for independent use by your child to lessen the ‘contamination’ risk of a Step-Out Leader spending significant time in your child’s 1m+ space.

For our Family Workshop Programmes:

  • We will provide ‘work-stations’ for your family at intervals of 2m so that you can work together as a family but don’t need to share your 2m social distancing space.
  • We will ensure that any equipment needed will be sterilised and just handled by your family. If play equipment is used and shared by children during the session we will advocate regular handwashing.  The ‘tippy tap’ will be filled with freshwater and there will be soap and paper towels available at all times.
  • There will be no more than 6 families on our sites during the workshops.

This statement will be reviewed regularly and changed in line with current recommendations as they are announced.

Please look after yourselves, other participants and the Step-Out staff by staying at home if you have Covid-19 symptoms.