Community & HAF Session Risk Assessment
Ensuring all risks to staff and young people are managed effectively
Prept. Foundation Risk Assessment
Risk Assessment for Community & HAF Cooking Sessions (Off-Site, Host Organisation Venues)
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Purpose
This policy outlines the risk assessment framework for Prept. Foundation Chef Educators delivering cooking and kitchen skills sessions to community groups at venues operated by a host organisation (for example, youth clubs, community centres, faith venues, SEND settings, holiday clubs and similar). Under this delivery model, Prept supplies the Chef Educator, the ingredients and any extra equipment needed; the venue, kitchen and equipment and utensils already at the venue are the responsibility of the host organisation. This policy aims to ensure the safety of children and young people, staff, volunteers and visitors while promoting a hands-on cooking experience.
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Scope
This policy applies to all Prept Chef Educators, host organisation staff and volunteers, and all children and young people (aged 5–21) participating in community outreach cooking sessions delivered outside of school term time. Participants may come from a wide range of ages, backgrounds, cultures, home languages, and physical, sensory, learning or behavioural abilities and needs, including those with SEND (special educational needs and disabilities). All mentioned persons are subject to the risks and control measures listed in this policy. This policy should be read alongside Prept’s Safeguarding policy and the venue’s own health and safety, safeguarding and fire policies, which take precedence for matters relating to the building and its fixed equipment.
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Responsibilities
Prept. Foundation:
- Provide a suitably trained, DBS-checked Chef Educator.
- Supply and transport ingredients safely.
- Liaise with the host organisation to establish the equipment, work surfaces and facilities available and what will be needed for the sessions.
Host Organisation:
- Provide a safe, fit-for-purpose venue, kitchen/activity space and hand-washing facilities.
- To communicate to Prept the kitchen equipment and utensils available and to take responsibility for these during the sessions.
- Ensure the space, equipment and utensils at the venue are clean, in good working order and are PAT-tested where applicable.
- Ensure the space, equipment and utensils are appropriate for the number and age range of participants.
- Complete and share their own venue/premises risk assessment and fire evacuation procedure with the Chef Educator before the session.
- Provide the appropriate numbers of staff or volunteers for each group’s needs, and for those staff to remain present throughout.
Prept Chef:
- Conduct a pre-session venue and equipment check.
- Deliver the session safely.
- Implement control measures and supervise participants’ use of ingredients and any equipment they are permitted to handle.
Participants:
- Follow safety instructions and use kitchen equipment and utensils responsibly and only as directed.
Parents/Guardians/Carers:
- Provide consent for participation.
- Disclose relevant allergies, medical conditions and additional needs, where required by the host organisation’s own booking process.
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Risk Identification and Control Measures
*NB where 2 or more parties are mentioned in the ‘person(s) responsible’ column all mentioned parties must work together to ensure the relevant steps are being taken for successful risk management.
4.1 Pre-Session Venue and Equipment Check
| Risk / Control Measure | Person(s) Responsible |
| Because the venue, kitchen and most equipment/utensils are provided by the host organisation and will vary venue to venue, the Chef Educator must arrive early and complete a walk-through of the space before participants arrive. | Prept Chef |
| Confirm the venue has provided suitable, clean surfaces, sinks/hand-washing facilities, and that any cooking equipment offered (hobs, ovens, microwaves, kettles etc.) is present, clean and in safe working order. | Host Organisation and Prept Chef |
| Check utensils and equipment provided are appropriate for the age range and number of participants attending (e.g. child-safe knives or peelers for younger groups). | Host Organisation and Prept Chef |
| Where the venue’s equipment or space is judged unsuitable or unsafe, the Chef Educator has authority to adapt or, if necessary, postpone the session and must inform the host organisation and Prept. Foundation management immediately. | Prept Chef |
| Confirm location of fire exits, fire extinguishers/blankets, first aid kit and the venue’s designated first aider before the session begins. First aid remains the responsibility of the host organisation at all times. | Host Organisation |
4.2 General Session Space Safety
| Risk / Control Measure | Person(s) Responsible |
| All participants must wash hands before handling food. | Prept Chef |
| Fire exits must be clearly marked and kept unobstructed throughout the session. | Host Organisation |
| Floors should be kept dry and free from obstructions, including trailing cables from any portable equipment, to prevent slips and trips. | Host Organisation and Prept Chef |
| A first aid kit must be available and accessible, and its location confirmed with the Chef Educator at the start of the session. First aid remains the responsibility of the host organisation at all times. | Host Organisation |
| A trained first aider (host organisation staff/volunteer) must be present or readily contactable during the session. | Host Organisation |
4.3 Food Safety and Hygiene
| Risk / Control Measure | Person(s) Responsible |
| Ingredients are sourced, transported and stored (chilled where required) by Prept and checked for freshness and integrity of packaging on arrival. | Prept Chef |
| Store raw and cooked/ready-to-eat ingredients separately to prevent cross-contamination. | Prept Chef |
| Use separate chopping boards/utensils for meat, vegetables and dairy where the venue’s provided equipment allows; where only limited boards/utensils are available, wash and sanitise thoroughly between uses. | Prept Chef |
| Ensure any food requiring cooking or hot-holding reaches and is kept at a safe temperature using the venue’s equipment. | Prept Chef |
| Check for and accommodate participants’ allergies, intolerances and dietary or cultural requirements (e.g. religious, vegetarian/vegan) ahead of the session, based on information gathered by the host organisation. | Host Organisation and Prept Chef |
4.4 Use of Kitchen Equipment and Utensils
| Risk / Control Measure | Person(s) Responsible |
| Counting knives and sharp utensils in and out of the session; any utensils brought by the Chef Educator remain the Chef Educator’s responsibility to count, any provided by the venue are counted with a host organisation representative. | Prept Chef and Host Organisation |
| Supervise participants when using knives (including safety/plastic knives appropriate to age), hobs, ovens or other sharp or hot equipment supplied by the venue. | Prept Chef and Host Organisation |
| Because equipment varies by venue, the Chef Educator must check unfamiliar appliances are safe and understood before demonstrating their use. | Prept Chef |
| Provide protective gloves/aprons. Prept Chef’s must bring their own aprons and provide any Prept. Foundation visitors with a green visitor’s apron. Host organisation to provide aprons for the young people taking part in the sessions. | Host Organisation and Prept Chef |
| Ensure participants tie back long hair and wear appropriate clothing (no loose sleeves, no dangling jewellery) before handling equipment. | Prept Chef |
| Explain the proper use of all equipment and utensils before starting activities, adapting instructions and demonstrations for the ages and abilities present. | Prept Chef |
| Ensure there are enough host organisation staff or volunteers present to assist any young people with additional needs to safely use the equipment and utensils provided. | Host Organisation |
4.5 Fire and Electrical Safety
| Risk / Control Measure | Person(s) Responsible |
| The host organisation’s fire evacuation procedure and assembly point must be explained to the Chef Educator, and communicated to participants, at the start of the session. | Host Organisation |
| Do not leave cooking appliances unattended at any point during the session. | Prept Chef and Host Organisation |
| Fire blankets and extinguishers, provided and maintained by the venue, must be accessible and their location known to the Chef Educator. | Host Organisation |
| Any electrical appliances supplied by the venue or brought by Prept (e.g. portable equipment) must be visually inspected for damage before use; damaged items must not be used. | Host Organisation and Prept Chef |
4.6 Allergies and Medical Concerns
| Risk / Control Measure | Person(s) Responsible |
| Obtain a list of participants’ allergies and medical conditions before the session, gathered by the host organisation as part of its booking/registration process and shared with the Chef Educator in advance. | Host Organisation |
| Ensure emergency medication (e.g. EpiPens, inhalers) that a participant may need is available on-site and its location known to host organisation staff and have staff available who are authorised to administer them. | Host Organisation |
| Have a plan in place for medical emergencies, including who administers first aid and who contacts emergency services. | Host Organisation |
4.7 Safeguarding, Inclusion and Additional Needs
| Risk / Control Measure | Person(s) Responsible |
| The Chef Educator must never be left alone and unsupervised with children or young people at any point during the community session; a host organisation staff member or volunteer with safeguarding responsibility must remain present throughout. | Host Organisation |
| The Chef Educator holds a current, relevant DBS check and has completed Prept’s safeguarding training; any safeguarding concern arising during a session is reported immediately in line with the host organisation’s safeguarding policy and escalated to Prept’s Safeguarding Lead. | Prept Chef |
| Given the wide age range (5–21) and mix of backgrounds and abilities, sessions and group groupings are adapted in advance where possible (e.g. simplified tasks, visual instructions, extra adult support) based on information the host organisation provides about the group. | Host Organisation and Prept Chef |
| Reasonable adjustments are made for participants with SEND, physical disabilities, sensory needs or English as an additional language, using host organisation staff who know the group to support communication. | Host Organisation and Prept Chef |
| The appropriate number of host organisation staff or volunteers are present in the session to assist any participants with additional needs. Where participants need 1:1 support the host organisation must provide enough staff for the session. | Host Organisation |
| Photography, filming or use of participants’ images is only undertaken by the host organisation. Prept do not take photos or videos of any session participants. | Host Organisation |
4.8 Transport and Handling of Ingredients
| Risk / Control Measure | Person(s) Responsible |
| Ingredients transported by the Chef Educator are in suitable, secure, and where necessary temperature-controlled containers/bags. | Prept Chef |
| Vehicles used to transport ingredients and any small equipment are roadworthy, and loads are secured to prevent spillage or injury during transit. | Prept Chef |
| Unload and set up ingredients away from any general public thoroughfare within the venue, minimising trip hazards and time food is left unattended. | Prept Chef |
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Supervision and Training
| Risk / Control Measure | Person(s) Responsible |
| Maintain appropriate participant-to-adult ratios for supervision, adjusted upward for younger children, larger groups or where participants have additional needs; ratios are agreed with the host organisation ahead of the session. | Host Organisation and Prept Chef |
| Conduct a safety briefing with participants at the start of each session, pitched to the age and understanding of the group. | Prept Chef |
| It is vital that the Chef Educator is never left alone with participants at any point during the community visit and session. | Host Organisation |
| It is the host organisation staff’s responsibility to have a first aid trained member of staff available and to undertake any first aid required. | Host Organisation |
| Host organisation staff/volunteers must support the Chef Educator with venue/equipment safety and participant behaviour management. | Host Organisation |
| Prept ensures Chef Educators receive necessary health and safety, food hygiene and safeguarding training before delivering community sessions. | Prept. Foundation |
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Emergency Procedures
| Risk / Control Measure | Person(s) Responsible |
| Ensure all participants and the Chef Educator know the venue’s emergency contact numbers and evacuation procedures before the session starts. | Host Organisation |
| Have clear reporting mechanisms for accidents, injuries or near misses occurring during the session, using the venue’s accident book alongside Prept’s own reporting process. | Host Organisation and Prept Chef |
| Document and review all incidents to improve safety measures for future community sessions. | Host Organisation and Prept Chef |
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Review and Monitoring
| Risk / Control Measure | Person(s) Responsible |
| Conduct a fresh venue and equipment check at the start of every session, since the location, kitchen and utensils differ from venue to venue. | Prept Chef |
| Conduct regular reviews of this risk assessment and update the policy as necessary, including after any incident or near miss. | Prept. Foundation |
| Gather feedback from host organisations, participants and Chef Educators to identify potential improvements. | Prept. Foundation and Host Organisation |
| Ensure ongoing compliance with local health and safety, food hygiene and safeguarding regulations at all venues used. | Prept. Foundation and Host Organisation |
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Conclusion
This policy aims to create a safe and inclusive environment for community outreach cooking sessions, recognising that the venue, kitchen, equipment and utensils provided by the host organisation remain the responsibility of the host organisation, while Prept. Foundation is responsible for its Chef Educator, any extra/specialist equipment brought in and the ingredients supplied. Adhering to the outlined procedures, including a fresh venue and equipment check ahead of every session, will help minimise risks while allowing children and young people aged 5–21, from all backgrounds and abilities, to develop valuable culinary skills.
All accidents, injuries, and near-misses will be recorded and reported in accordance with the Prept. Foundation Accident Reporting Policy.
Team Contacts
We encourage and enable staff, volunteers, and other stakeholders to raise serious concerns within the charity rather than overlooking a problem. Please report those concerns immediately to the Designated Safeguarding Lead or Deputy Safeguarding Lead.
Other contact details:
Charity Commission (www.gov.uk/complain-about-charity)
