Beavers sleepover concerns

[Banderchang]

DS (just 7) is due to go on his first ever Beavers sleepover on Saturday night. Initially we had a letter about the annual beavers picnic, and replied to say he would attend this. Then there was a follow up email stating that there would be a sleepover following the picnic. We agreed to this too, around 10 days ago, thinking more info would follow.

Now, with only 4 days to go, there has been no further communication. No kit list, no itinerary, no parent meeting, nothing. Parents at school were discussing today and several of us are thinking of withdrawing our kids from this event as it seems so disorganized. WIBU to withdraw DS? It's his first one, so I'm not sure what level of organisation to expect, but a friend who runs cub camps was quite shocked when I told her today how little communication we'd had with the leaders about this given the time scale. I really want his first sleepover to be a good experience, and am rapidly losing confidence in this one!

Ds has got his first Beaver camp on Saturday too. We only got the kit list at the weekend.

He needs a sleeping bag and a torch. Nothing else unusual.

Sometimes they are a bit disorganised but we do have to remember they'd volunteers with their own jobs, lives and families.

To be honest all the kit list will be is uniform, pj's wash bag and a sleeping bag and pillow which I am pretty sure you are capable of working out for yourself. Not entirely sure what more you need to know?

Kit list, pfft. When our eldest went to his first Scouts camp** we helped him pack his kit with every item carefully ticked for a 6 day/5 night trip, with extra pants and socks thrown in, just in case.

He returned having worn the same pair of pants the entire trip. Because in Scouts, they're 'ard.

OP, as long as permission slips are sorted and you know pick ups, etc, it should be fine. The organisation has a pretty good track record.

**When he left the house that morning, I closed the door and started crying. I even said "He's going to come home with a beard!" He was 10.

Yes, Countess, that's what was worrying me. If the information at the front end to the parents is so minimal, how can we be confident that it's a well organized and safe event? I did think that (probably) getting the info at the meeting tomorrow for the event on Saturday was too short notice, but i think I probably was being unreasonable since so many on this thread think it's ok. Compared with other events I volunteer at for school or church, this does seem last minute to me. That's where MN comes in handy as a benchmark. Thanks again for all the responses.

No permission slip yet, so I assume we get that tomorrow. Should that be the deal breaker?

YABU! You have the meeting tomorrow! They'll obviously give you all the information then and get you to sign things.

Do ask about a risk assessment, permission slips, and kit list. Not to mention drop off and pick up.

Just because many of us are chilled about it doesn't mean you shouldn't question them.

Thanks Sprink, I'll do that.

Of course you should question them! But give them a chance to hand over the bits of paper first!

They will have done the risk assessment, I can guarantee that.

They are not allowed to run the activity without submitting their risk assessment etc to the District 2 weeks before. They will have done it. They should, however, have sent out the Nights Away form by now, volunteers or not. They have to go by the book.

They should have sent the forms. But half term. But, yes, volunteers or not, they should have.

But they will have done the risk assessment.

Hmm, permission slips are usually the form you hand in with the cash. Have you not done that yet?

No, we have been told that it costs £20 but haven't been asked for money or any forms.

I wonder if a letter hasn't made it home?

We had forms, a kit list and a meeting! The meeting was mostly about who was going to make which cakes and reminders to label the sweatshirts though. It seemed well organised however and they had a ball.

You must have a permission slip, they can't go to a Sleepover without one. If they're in the Hall, they shouldn't need a separate risk assessment.

Nights Away Notification is supposed to be done a fortnight before, but I know of many a time when it doesn't get to the District Commissioner until a couple of days before.

Beavers tend to be inside, but there is no rule stopping them being outside anymore (think this is a mistake IMO).