Yr 3 staying in a youth hostel open to other residents

[luciemule]

Hello -haven't been on MN for ages but wondered if anyone had experienced the following:
Next year, my DD is potentially going on a 2 night residential trip and they're all staying in a youth hostel (a really nice one). However, when questioned, the school have said that the children will be staying in unlocked rooms of about 3. Once the staff go to bed at night, any other of the hostel residents could enter their rooms. I am very NOT ok with this set (case of Caroline Dickinson, Brittany 1996)and feel that further measures could be taken to ensure more security at night. I have written to the hostel to double check what they say and they said they issue group leaders with keys to lock all rooms but the school told me they can't lock the rooms due to fire regs. I need to talk the head about the risk assessment but she's sooooo keen on the whole school trip (as I am in an ideal world) and I fear she'll shoot me down in flames before I've begun. What's a good way to approach this and get a satisfactory outcome that doesn't result in my child not going (which is what we'd decide if nothing is done).

So the govs have to sign off the trip? Will ask for risk assessment this morning 'cause the head's a scary lady!

I'm not panicking Zoya - just think (and my DH too, who is responsible for moving thousands of troops in and out of war zones and so knows all about taking risks) that why leave gaps in the planning when 7/8 yr olds are going. Yes the french yh was an example but only an example and I'm aware that this does not happen frequently.

I think all those people saying the likelihood of anything happening are missing the point - when you do a risk assessment you generally look at what the risks are, and what you can do to eliminate the risk, not the likelihood of the risks occurring.

exactamondo Nancybotwin. Why allow unnecessary risks when you don't have to? The chance of my house burning to the ground is pretty low but it doesn't mean I don't have buildings and contents insurance.

Yes I was trying to think of an example but you beat me to it!

I feel better that the general consensus is to find out more about the risk assessment anyway and also that lots of other parents feel the same as I do. I also feel a lot less neurotic! Thanks everyone.

Pisces - I am a bit puzzled about points you made in your post at 8.37 today.

The YHA does not have to warn anyone if there is a school party staying in the hostel. I have stayed in Hosteld dozens of times at the same time as a school party and have never been warned prion to booking.

You state that the YHA isnt going to book a single man.... Where have you got this information from and why the discrimination against single men and not women? This is not true - a single man can book into the hostel - why shouldnt he?

You state it will most likely be families that will occupy the empty rooms. How do you know this? The YHA is an organisation for both families AND individuals alike.

I don't know it-sheer guess work!
I would be extremely annoyed if a YH let me book in without warning me first.
I also think that the YH have an obligation to vet people who would stay at the same time. Sad though it is, a single man would be higher risk than a single woman.A family would be the lowest risk. (not foolproof of course).
I can't understand why a person can't go into the classroom and help (when never alone with a DC) and yet they can, apparently, stay overnight in a room next door, without locks.
It doesn't make any sense. That is why I think OP needs to look into it more fully.

The YHA do not have any obligation whatsoever to vet anyone who stays at a hostel at the same time as a school party. This would be impractical and ridiculous! You suggesting CRB checks on anyone wanting to book in? I really think we are getting absolutely paranoid about all this. I would absolutely hate to be a single man these days.

I have no idea at all what YH do! I am not suggesting what they do. I am just surprised that any Tom, Dick or Harry can stay the night in the room next door and yet they couldn't listen to readers for 30 mins during the school day in a crowded classroom! All I said was that OP needs to check it out more thoroughly.
I would hate to be a single man but, however much you disagree, they are high risk compared to a family. When mine were small I said that if they got lost they looked for security staff ,but failing that they chose a mum with DCs. I didn't recommend approaching a single man for help!! (despite the fact that 99 single men out of 100 are perfectly OK).

I have now looked into the YH fully and spoke to manager for about 30 mins this morning. He said that they recommend to teachers that the children lock themselves into their rooms and that teachers hold keys, although he said different LEAs often didn't allow this due to their fire regs. He said there was always conflict in YHs between police and fire depts as the fire officers always said leave windows and doors unlocked and the police said lock everything at night.
I have asked school for the risk assessment but they haven't replied as yet.To book the building as sole use, it would cost another £1200 roughly. The rooms for the children are ensuite showers but not all ensuite loos.
If it comes to it and the school are funny about it, I will stay in a travelodge with DD at night and take her back for brekkie and the activities in the mornings.

I don't have a problem with this. But then I'm not a worrier and I am far more concerned about the risk of fire than the risk of abuse or violence.

My boys' school go on residentials to YHA is years 4, 5 and 6. In yr4 and 6 they book the whole hostel, but in yr5 it is also open to other residents.

I don't want to add to your worries, but.... Last year my SiL went as a parent volunteer on a gymnastic trip from North Wales to Geneiva, as her daughter was competing.
There was an incident during the night where the gym teacher was awoken by a man coming into their room / dorm, and she had a struggle to get him out. I don't know what the ratio of child : adult volunteer was , but needless to say, the aduklts didn't sleep for the duration in fear of it happening again.
This is all I know - but I know it happened.

Roisin - I agree completely with you. My dcs are actually of an age where they go to YHAs without us. They have been going with friends from the age of 14 (before the age was raised to 16).

Having been a hosteller for many years, I honestly cannot think of a safer place to stay than a YHA hostel and I would have been perfectly agreeable to them going at 7 yrs old with school even if there were other residents in the building.

PWs - was this in a YHA (Hostelling International) Hostel or some random Independant Hostel?

I'm sorry I don't know. I'm guessing it was a YH of some sort only because the way I've understood it, that it was like a dorm set up.
I don't want to make a fuss a be a scaremongerer honest! But my SiL was scared by it. Needless to say, none of the chidren on the trip were aware of what happened, they were fast asleep while it happened. Scary. I'm aware that OP doesn't want to hear this kind of thing and is looking for reasurance.

Yes, we have been to YHAs as a family lots and lots of times. We usually share a family room, but I'm perfectly happy for the boys to have the run of the place.

Often we share food with other guests, or eat each other's leftovers if they are checking out and have food spare.

One of the things I adore about YHAs is the sense of community. It's like stepping back in time to my childhood when people trusted one another.

Of course there is a risk, but there is statistically no more risk of stranger danger now than when I was a child, and we were allowed to roam completely free like little savages.

I'm not sure what the school is doing is even legal..

I work at an activity centre and we have adults and kids staying at the same time but we would never have them stay in the same block, even if they were crb checked it's just too risky.

All our accommodation has security codes to which only the group that are in it have and is changed between each stay..

You need to look into this further..

I know it's the opposite of my opinion but how come so many people slated the McCanns when they had actually left their appartment room locked and Maddie was taken yet say I'm being over protective when my child will actually be sleeping in an open hostel with the door unlocked and no adult supervison once teachers are asleep? I really don't understand.
I'm sure the majority of YHs are lvoely with a sense of community etc but some people aren't nice and I'd rather not take unecessary risks.

Cat64 - the staff at the primary school (along with the LEA) say that because they are worried about fires, that the staff aren't to allow children to lock themselves into rooms, therefore making the rooms vulnerable to being entered by other residents a few rooms away.

The YH say that they advise all staff to make kids lock the rooms but it's their choice and the YH can't enforce they do.

Ok, go to the YHA website, school trips part, and download the parents guide on PDF.

It states this:

Sleeping arrangements
Most bedrooms are fitted with bunk beds and some smaller rooms have en suite
facilities. Groups are allocated dedicated bedrooms and will not be expected to share
with any other groups. If a group comprises adults and under 18?s, the group leaders,
and any other accompanying adults, will be allocated separate rooms from the children.

www.yhaschooltrips.org.uk