Accessible Spaces Checklist
Use our checklist to create Scout spaces that are more accessible for people with disabilities and/or support needs.
At Scouts, we want everyone to feel included and comfortable. This resource will help you create accessible, safe and welcoming Scout spaces for young people and volunteers with disabilities and/or support needs.
When we say Scout spaces we mean any spaces, either physical or virtual, where a Scout-led activity, meeting or event is taking place. This could be a District Trustee Board meeting, a section night in your usual meeting place, a County camp, a day trip, and so on. It might also be a wider event where Scouts are taking part, such as a local parade.
Here’s a list of things you should consider in all Scout spaces, from Section nights, Trustee meetings, and Beaver sleepovers, to international camps, visiting a fire station and kayaking on the local river.
Resources
Have you...
- Shared the Yellow Card with all attendees, as well as parents/carers of all young people attending?
And made sure all adult volunteers have read and understood it? - Given everyone (including volunteers, parents/carers, or support workers) opportunities to share their own or their young person’s access needs?
And done this in plenty of time to accommodate any adjustments and follow up with people where needed? - Shared access need requirements with the relevant and appropriate volunteers and site managers/owners?
- Checked individual support plans or adjustment plans that’re in place?
Remember, this information should be reviewed regularly, such as on a termly basis. - Considered reasonable adjustments and support needs in risk assessments?
This may include:- having additional volunteers above the required Adult to Young Person ratio present (See POR 4.4.1 - 4.4.6)
- any equipment or physical changes to the space. For example, if you’re using a temporary ramp, it needs to be risk assessed.
- Planned safe escape routes from the premises for everyone involved?
Make sure:- your assembly points are accessible to someone using a mobility aid (such as wheelchairs) or with a visual/hearing impairment
- you have Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans in place where needed. Use the government’s Fire safety risk assessment: means of escape for disabled people to help you.
- Shared location information, including parking and accessibility details?
You could also include images, videos, or 3D tours and a list of available facilities. - Shared an itinerary?
Make sure your itinerary:- allows enough time for moving between activities (including time for movement/refreshment/sensory breaks and time for those with limited mobility)
- is shared with your Group in advance
- includes breaks during longer activities for movement/refreshment/sensory needs
- clearly lists timeframes, such as 9:00am-9:15am (15 minutes)
- Provided short, clear, and direct instructions/details at the start of activities?
Make sure:- people can access information and instructions throughout
- you can provide verbal and/or visual prompts and reminders when coming to the end of activities.
- Provided visual supports that are long-lasting for weekly use, outdoors, trips, local events or Nights Away?
- Provided alternative forms of information for those who need it?
This might include:- large text
- easy read
- different coloured backgrounds
- transcripts
- visual and audio resources
- Braille
- dyslexic-friendly fonts
- good contrast between text colours and the background colour.
- Provided any meal plans in advance?
Facilities
Have you...
- Provided appropriate disposal methods for sharps, contaminated waste, and period products?
This waste may need to be appropriately stored and disposed of afterwards. - Put a hearing loop system in place if needed?
- Checked your presenters/speakers/volunteers know how to work this?
- Provided a British Sign Language (BSL) interpreter if needed?
- Provided suitable equipment for everyone to take part in activities?
If you need specialist equipment, see if you can borrow it from another Group of apply to the Additional Needs Grant - Made sensory aids, such as fidget toys and ear defenders available?
You could encourage people to bring their own or provide them. - Made quiet spaces available, such as a sensory room/tent/area?
National Autistic Society has more information available around creating accessible environments. - Provided space for service/support dogs to attend with room for them to stay next to their human?
- Made sure you have a designated space for dog toileting needs and another for them to eat and drink?
- Considered dietary requirements if you're providing catering?
When thinking about dietary requirements, consider intolerances, allergies, food and texture sensitivities, eating problems, eating disorders and any other medical needs, such as diabetes. - Made people aware if they'll need to stand?
Make sure:
- you reserve seating for people who need it
- the seating is accessible (for example, has backs)
- someone in a wheelchair can navigate the space and feel included in standing activities and seated arrangements.
- Provided reserved seating/standing at the front for anyone who may need to lip read or has visual/hearing impairments?
Other things to think about in all Scout spaces
Have you...
- Given advance warning for any flickering lights, strobe lighting or flash photography?
- Considered adapting badge requirements?
- Adapted the uniform requirements to meet anyone's accessibility needs?
See POR 10.3 Safety Considerations, ‘The wellbeing of members must take precedence over formality of dress’ and 10.11 Special Groups Uniform. - Planned activities and games so their accessible to everyone who wants to take part?
All of our activities on the Activity Finder have advice on how to adapt activities to make them more accessible. - Planned some alternative activities (quieter, less physically and mentally demanding) that can run alongside the wider group?
Here are all the things you need to consider when running a Scout activity, meeting, or event indoors:
Have you...
- Checked nearby parking and travel to the building is accessible?
This includes:- onsite parking
- disabled parking bays
- suitable public transportation options available
- suitable walking routes and safe crossing points for people to cross any roads to get to the building.
- Checked pavements and pathways around the building are wide, smooth, and well lit?
- Checked the kerbs near the building dropped or if there’s kerb ramps available?
- Made sure there’s an accessible entrance to the building?
This includes:- clear signage
- good lighting
- a ramp
- automatic doors or doors that can be safely propped open. Always consider fire safety when propping doors open.
- Checked whether someone may need to climb stairs to reach the space inside the building?
If so:- Do these stairs have handrails?
- Are the steps clearly defined with yellow markings?
- Is there an alternative lift, stairlift or ramp?
- Could you use a downstairs or ground floor space instead?
- Made sure internal doors, passageways and turning areas are wide enough to fit comfortably through in a wheelchair and mobility scooter?
- Checked doors are light enough to be opened or propped open safely?
Always consider fire safety when propping doors open. - Checked glass doors are clearly marked?
- Provided clear signage, including size, colour, and placement?
- Provided braille, visual image, audio or large print alternatives?
- Checked there are accessible bathroom and kitchen facilities, including showers if needed? And are these clearly signposted?
- Do you have a RADAR key if needed?
- Tested the room acoustics?
You should check if:- people at the back of the room can hear clearly
- you can dampen echoes
- there's noise interference from attached rooms or outside. Remember to check this with the windows open and closed, and with and without heating systems operating.
Here are all the things you need to consider when running a Scout activity, meeting or event outside:
Have you...
- Checked nearby parking and travel to the venue is accessible?
This includes:- onsite parking
- disabled parking bays
- suitable public transport options available
- suitable walking routes and safe crossing points for people to cross any roads to get to the venue.
- Made sure someone with limited mobility or using mobility aids can get around the terrain?
You should check if there's:
- accessible pathways for those using mobility aids
- suitable all flat terrain walking routes, without steep gradients or steps
- suitable places to rest, such as benches.
Please remember not all wheelchairs and mobility scooters are all-terrain vehicles.
- Thought about the distance between activities and other areas? Make sure your timetable provides the most efficient and accessible route.
Think about how far someone will need to travel:- between activities
- between activities and other facilities, including bathrooms and eating areas.
- Provided clear maps or signage, including size, colour, and placement?
Remember to have alternative formats of this information available. - Checked the available facilities are accessible (including bathroom and shower facilities, tents, and mess tents/halls)?
For example, can someone with limited mobility, or someone using a wheelchair or mobility scooter, enter, move around, and use the space as intended?
Here are all the things you need to consider when going on Nights Away:
Have you...
- Thought about how you can help those attending know what to expect on a Nights Away event?
You could hold a meting or camp preparation session for young people, volunteers and parents or carers.
This could include:- a practice run of setting up tents and sleeping bags
- chatting about how sleeping in a tent sounds and feels, what to do if you wake up in the night, how to respect each other's privacy, feeling homesick, and more
- making sure people have the chance to ask any questions they might have.
- Made plans for any incidents or accidents, such as bedwetting, sleepwalking or sickness?
This may include:- keeping floors clean and tidy for any who may sleepwalk or having extra supervision in place
- having discrete disposal methods for bedwetting products, such as pull-ups.
- Planned how people are getting their belongings from the drop off point to their accommodation?
If people aren't able to do this, make sure there are other options available. For example, could they bring their car onsite to unpack? - Offered indoor accommodation to those who need it?
- Planned how and where attendees can store motorised equipment, such as electric wheelchairs and scooters that need to be stored under cover?
- Got access to plug sockets and fridges?
For example, to charge mobility aids, charge spare batteries, or store medication in fridges.
You might use online or digital spaces, such as Zoom, Facebook, emails or WhatsApp to stay connected. It may be a parent and carer group chat, a Facebook event, a virtual meeting or a learning webinar.
Here are all the things you need to consider when you're online and in digital spaces:
Have you...
- Shared our Staying safe online guidance with all attendees, as well as parents and carers of all young people attending?
- Made sure all adult volunteers have read and understood it?
- Checked any digital materials and resources have image descriptions, including any social media posts?
For example, someone could verbally describe images in a learning session. - Provided resources, such as PowerPoint slides, in advance?
- Checked the online video conferencing platform has accessibility features, such as closed captioning?
Please note that ‘break out rooms’ disable closed captioning. - Recorded the session for those who can’t attend or need to leave partway through?
Make sure everyone:- knows you're recording
- knows how and where it'll be shared
- has consented to being recorded if sharing screens or if they have their camera on.
- Got someone in the team who can support people joining the online space?
- Told everyone how to access help before/during the online session?
- You might need technical, practical, and content based support throughout.
- Made any presenters aware, in advance of the session, that their presentation materials and style need to be inclusive?
They should:- look at the camera so people can lip read
- provide advance notice of any group activities.
Scouts may travel together as a group for lots of reasons, such as going on a day out or getting to camp. You might use a minibus to reach a campsite, travel on a plane for a jamboree or use public transport, such as buses and trams, on a trip.
Here are all the things you need to consider when travelling:
Have you...
- Checked someone knows how to take medical equipment or mobility aids apart for travel and put them back together again?
- Contacted travel providers to discuss support needs in advance?
This might include:- storage of necessary equipment
- additional support for getting on and off transportation
- accessing a quieter security route.
- Checked volunteers know what to do if medication is lost or becomes unusable (such as getting too hot) during travel?
- Prepared attendees on what to expect during travel?
You might want to chat about:- food options
- planned/unplanned stops
- toilets
- what to expect at stations and on transportation (such as smells or noises).
- Packed all necessary equipment for transportation, including keys, certificates, and spares if needed?
- Checked in with all attendees to see if anyone needs any additional support?
Alternative Formats
You may wish to print off our PDF version of this resource so you can tick items that you have completed or cross off items that aren’t relevant to your space. You may want to keep notes alongside this checklist for things that have multiple steps or that you need to return to later.
When to use the Accessible Spaces Checklist
Not everyone will choose to disclose their disability, so although you aren’t aware of someone’s needs, they may still exist. That’s why it’s always best practice to use this checklist when planning and/or running any activity, event or meeting at Scouts.
Whenever you’re using this checklist or making any reasonable adjustments, make them in line with our Scouts safety guidance. Our website has more information on safety in Scouts.
Have a look at our example of a completed checklist to help you get started.
What if my group can't afford to make the changes suggested in the checklist?
At Scouts we’re committed to making reasonable adjustments, however we understand that cost is often a barrier to making changes. Not being able to afford to purchase equipment or renovate your meeting place isn't always the end of the road. Someone in your local area may be able to loan out equipment or you could meet at a different venue. There are also many organisations that rent out specialist equipment.
For example, it’s likely to be unreasonable for the Group to provide an electronic lift, due to cost. However, it'd be reasonable to ask the Group to review where activities take place, and if their meetings could be held on a ground-floor level or at a different venue.
It’s also likely to be unreasonable for the Group to purchase a portable hearing loop system for an estimated one-time use. However, it would be reasonable to ask local organisations or other Scout Groups if you could loan theirs.
Discover more information on reasonable adjustments and take a look at our Additional Needs Grant to see what funding is available through Scouts HQ. You can also seek support from District, County and National volunteers or contact our Support Centre.
How to use the Accessible Spaces Checklist
Once you’ve decided where your event is taking place and know the spaces involved, you can then find the sections of the checklist you’ll need to use.
You should always consider the items in the ‘thinking about all Scout spaces’ section of the checklist.
The other checklists cover being indoors, being outside, Nights Away, being online and in digital spaces, and travel. They give more specific guidance relevant to that space. For example, if you’re organising a Trustee Board meeting in a Group's usual indoor meeting place, you should consider the items in the ‘thinking about all Scout spaces' and ‘thinking about being indoor’ sections.
Use the checklist throughout your planning
For this tool to be as useful as possible, try and use the checklist at multiple points during your planning process. Some items on this checklist are relevant for early stages of planning, such as deciding on your venue. Others, such as sharing resources in accessible formats, may not be relevant until later in the planning process.
Anyone involved in running the event, activity or meeting should work together to consider each item on the checklist, which may involve speaking to relevant members, parents and carers, or volunteers.
Use the checklist to reflect
After the Scout activity, meeting or event has happened, you can use this tool to reflect on what worked well, what could’ve gone better, and what could be improved if you did it again.
You should also give any attendees, including young people, the opportunity to share what they think went well and what could be improved. You may wish to share this resource with them to support conversations and reflection sessions.
Have conversations
Try not to use this tool as a replacement for talking directly with volunteers or young people and their parents or carers about their individual needs. They’re the experts for their own needs. Our guidance around working in partnership with parents and carers is designed to help you have these conversations.