Working and living away from home Policy
Introduction
This policy sets out the arrangements for Kings Camps staff working away from home.
This policy applies to all casual workers, staff, self-employed staff, agency workers, volunteers, contractors and any representative who work on behalf of the organisation.
Kings Active Foundation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. Safer recruitment is central to the way we work and all staff and volunteers are expected to share our commitment to safeguarding, always creating an environment where young people feel safe and can thrive.
The organisation recognises the importance of the safety and welfare of staff, and that the safeguarding of children remains paramount.
Shared Accommodation Standards
Out-of-Hours Alcohol Consumption
Supervision and Accountability
Shared Accommodation Standards
You will be staying overnight in shared accommodation with other Kings Camps colleagues. Accommodation can vary depending on each military base and the location, you may be staying in military housing with families in adjoining housing, you may be sharing a dorm with a colleague or you may be in a shared building but on different floors to the rest of your team. Kings will provide single-occupancy rooms wherever reasonably practical but in most circumstances, staff will be in shared rooms with an ensuite. You will never be asked to share accommodation with military staff or members of the public and you will never be asked to share a bed.
The company aims to:
- Provide accommodation that is safe, clean, and compliant with applicable health and safety standards
- Conduct reasonable checks on public accommodation reviews before booking
- Ensure staff have access to appropriate facilities, including sleeping, washing, and cooking facilities where possible
- Consider individual needs relating to disability, health conditions, religion, gender, and other protected characteristics. You are expected to notify us of these when accepting the contract/assignment so that we can make appropriate arrangements
- Provide clear information regarding accommodation arrangements before travel.
The Company will both arrange and cover the cost of the accommodation during your stay.
The company recognises that staff working away from home may have personal, family, medical, religious, or cultural needs. Staff should raise any concerns as soon as the assignment is accepted so that reasonable adjustments or alternative arrangements can be considered.
Reasonable privacy should be maintained at all times and shared kitchens, bathrooms, and living spaces should be used respectfully.
Conduct and Behaviour
While staying in accommodation provided for work purposes, staff are expected to:
- Behave professionally and respectfully
- Not enter sleeping quarters or bathrooms of your colleagues
- Avoid harassment, bullying, discrimination, or inappropriate conduct
- Respect quiet hours and the wellbeing of other occupants
- Refrain from excessive alcohol consumption or illegal drug use
–
What is Sexual Harassment
The Equality Act 2010 defines sexual harassment as unwanted conduct of a sexual nature which has the purpose or effect of violating someone’s dignity or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for them.
There may be circumstances in which certain action is wanted or accepted in the earlier stages, but at some point ‘oversteps the mark’ and becomes unwanted.
Harassment can come from someone who is the same, or a different sex to you.
The Company has a duty to take reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment of all staff during their employment.
This includes harassment from peers, managers or those in a position of power, children, parents or guardians or members of the public.
Kings Camps takes a zero-tolerance approach to sexual harassment. No member of Kings Camps staff should have to experience harassment at work. All reported incidents of harassment (sexual or otherwise) will be thoroughly investigated, and appropriate action will be taken.
Recognising Sexual Harassment
Please report any sexual harassment you experience or witness. We encourage all our staff to speak up about concerns in line with our values (‘S is for Speak up) and our safeguarding commitments.
Sexual harassment could look like: spoken words or comments, written words, “banter” or “jokes” especially that of a sexual nature including innuendo and entendre.
It can be in the form of digital contact including messages, photos or voice notes. This includes showing someone sexual content, for example pornographic images. It includes gestures, leering, looks and facial expressions, mimicking someone or making sexual noises, being aggressive or invading someone’s personal space or property.
It means propositions and sexual advances or gestures, asking questions about a person’s sexuality or sex life or discussing your own sex life. It can mean making promises in return for sexual favours and all forms of unwelcome touching, hugging or other physical contact.
Code of Conduct & Reporting
Kings Camps policies & code of conduct are applicable ‘during the course of your employment’ which has a broad meaning. It can include evening events, weekends, whilst working offsite or not in your usual workspace or in accommodation settings.
All instances of harassment (including sexual) can be reported to Head Office.
You will hear back to confirm that your concern has been received and what the next steps will be and in what timeframe.
We encourage all staff to actively prevent sexual harassment by adhering to our code of conduct, role modelling this for others and reporting swiftly any issues that arise. Anyone experiencing harassment will be offered additional support, guidance and help. The reporting of sexual harassment falls under our Whistleblowing policy and can be handled confidentially and without fear of victimisation following a report.
Any misconduct may be dealt with under the company’s disciplinary procedures.
Health, Safety & Welfare
All staff must:
- Inform Head Office of any medical information that may affect their ability to perform the assignment or their ability to work safely with children
- Follow fire safety procedures and emergency instructions
- Report accidents, incidents, or hazards immediately
- Avoid behaviour that could endanger themselves or others
- Treat accommodation, furnishings, and equipment with care
- Respect fellow occupants, neighbours, and property staff
- Comply with all accommodation rules and local regulations
- Report any safety concerns, damage, or maintenance issues promptly
- Maintain acceptable standards of cleanliness in shared areas
The company will maintain procedures for emergency support and out-of-hours contact wherever reasonably practicable either through your Regional Manager or via Head Office.
Responsible Drinking Policy
The purpose of this policy is to promote the health, safety, wellbeing, and professionalism of all staff while minimising the risks associated with alcohol consumption. The Company is committed to maintaining a safe workplace and ensuring that alcohol use does not adversely affect children, our members, staff, our partners or business operations.
All staff are expected to conduct themselves responsibly and professionally at all times. The misuse of alcohol can impair judgment, performance, safety, and workplace relationships. The Company expects all staff to consume alcohol responsibly and in accordance with this policy.
Staff must not:
- Consume alcohol before or during work
- Report to work under the influence of alcohol from the previous evening
- Possess, distribute, sell, or supply alcohol on Company premises
- Operate vehicles, machinery, equipment, or undertake safety-sensitive duties while under the influence of alcohol
- Engage in inappropriate, disruptive, aggressive, discriminatory, or unsafe behavior resulting from alcohol consumption
–
Responsibilities
Staff must:
- Comply with this policy at all times
- Ensure alcohol consumption does not affect work performance, safety, or conduct
- Cooperate with any reasonable investigation relating to alcohol-related concerns
Camp, Regional Managers and Head Office must:
- Promote awareness of this policy
- Address concerns promptly and fairly
- Take appropriate action where safety or conduct issues arise
–
Reporting Concerns
Staff who believe a colleague may be impaired by alcohol while at work should promptly report their concerns to the Camp Manager, Regional Manager or Head Office. Reports will be handled sensitively and investigated appropriately.
Disciplinary Action
Failure to comply with this policy may result in disciplinary action including termination of your contract.
Out-of-Hours Alcohol Consumption
The organisation recognises that staff are entitled to a private life and may consume alcohol responsibly during their personal time when they are not on duty. However, staff working away from home are representing Kings Camps at all times and therefore must not return to their accommodation inebriated, particularly in military housing or high security military bases. This is not appropriate and will not be tolerated.
Staff must remember that they are working with children are expected to ensure that any out-of-hours alcohol consumption does not adversely affect their ability to:
- Report for work fit for duty
- Exercise sound professional judgment
- Meet safeguarding responsibilities
- Respond appropriately to emergencies or incidents
- Maintain the confidence and trust placed in them by children, families, colleagues, and the wider community
- Reputational damage to themselves or the organisation
Staff must not report for work while experiencing the effects of alcohol consumption, including intoxication, impairment, or a hangover that may affect performance, decision-making, supervision, or safeguarding responsibilities.
Where staff are required to respond to safeguarding matters outside normal working hours, they must remain fit and able to fulfil those responsibilities.
Staff are expected to consider their conduct when consuming alcohol in public settings where they may be identifiable as representatives of the organisation. Behaviour that brings the organisation into disrepute, damages professional relationships, or undermines public confidence in the organisation’s safeguarding responsibilities will result in the staff member being sent home with immediate effect in line with disciplinary procedures.
The organisation will not seek to regulate lawful and responsible alcohol consumption during personal time except where it impacts workplace performance, safeguarding responsibilities, professional conduct, or the welfare of children.
The Company recognises that alcohol dependency is a health issue. Staff experiencing alcohol-related problems are encouraged to inform us before conducting the assignment and to seek assistance through healthcare professionals.
Visitors
Unless expressly permitted by the accommodation provider and the company:
- Staff must not invite overnight guests into company-funded accommodation
- Staff remain responsible for the conduct of any approved visitors
Expenses and Costs
The company will specify:
- What accommodation costs are covered
- Any meal allowances or subsistence arrangements
- Procedures for claiming expenses
- Circumstances where staff may be responsible for additional charges, damage, or personal expenses
–
Concerns and Complaints
Staff who experience problems with accommodation, including safety concerns, harassment, privacy issues, or welfare concerns, should report them to their Camp Manager, Regional Manager or Head Office immediately. The company will investigate concerns promptly and take appropriate action.
Non-military Housing
The Company will use hotel, holiday rentals, bed and breakfast and Airbnb facilities as accommodation options. Facility and check-in details will be sent as soon as they are available. Please note that often check-in details are not sent until 24 hours in advance as we await these from the provider.
Before Your Stay
Staff must speak to our team about travel arrangements at least 2 week prior to the assignment start date and must be prepared to travel on the Saturday or Sunday prior to the start date (in most instances, the camp induction day will fall on the Sunday). A contribution to your travel must be pre-agreed before booking. You must let us know if you will be travelling by car or public transport and the postcode you’re travelling from.
Let us know your arrival date and time. This will ensure we book the correct number of nights and can let your accommodation know when to expect you.
A contribution to your food and sustenance will be offered and paid either in food vouchers or cash to you or the Camp Manager. Anything else you wish to spend will be payable by you.
Accommodation and check-in details will be sent as soon as they are available. Please note that often the check-in details are not sent until 24 hours before, so keep an eye on your emails for these.
During Your Stay
You’ll be staying in someone’s home or hotel property, so please treat it with care and respect. Remember that you are representing Kings at all times. The Camp Manager is responsible for staff both on and off camp and must let Head Office know if there are any issues.
Parties, gatherings or having external or other guests to stay at your assigned accommodation is not permitted at any time.
No smoking inside. If you smoke outside, please ensure cigarette butts are cleaned up.
Only people contracted by Kings who have been specifically booked are permitted to stay in the property.
Quiet hours are at the discretion of the host/hotel and will be communicated to you, but in general please respect neighbours and refrain from making excess noise between 2200 and 0700.
Please take photos when you arrive at the property/room. In some cases, we pay a security deposit in case of damage and having photos of the property’s condition upon arrival will enable us to dispute any claims if needed. If we do not get a refund of this deposit due to damage caused during your stay, this charge will be paid by you.
Checking Out
- Check out times will be sent to you at the time of booking. Please make sure you leave before the specified time and leave any keys where asked.
- If you have the contact details of the host, let them know when you have checked out.
- Please ensure you leave the property as clean as you found it. Take photos of the condition you left the property in.
- Strip the beds and place the bedding with used towels.
- Empty all rubbish into the bins and take outside to the external bin if possible.
- All food will need to be discarded from the fridge and cupboards.
- Wash all dishes. If there is a dishwasher, put a load on before leaving.
- Turn all lights and electricals off.
- Close all windows and make sure all doors are locked.
- Double check you have all your belongings.
–
Communication & Safeguarding
We respect the privacy of staff working away from home and when off duty from camp operating hours however staff must be contactable out of hours if in relation to their own and child welfare, safeguarding or safety.
Staff remain responsible for safeguarding at all times, reporting incidents as soon as is safe and appropriate to do so.
Staff must:
- Immediately report any safeguarding concerns in accordance with safeguarding procedures
- Ensure confidential discussions cannot be overheard by unauthorised individuals
- Maintain professional boundaries at all times
- Follow all organisational safeguarding policies and procedures
Staff must not conduct unsupervised direct work with children or families outside of our setting unless specifically authorised and risk assessed.
Staff Welfare
Staff must notify their manager and head office of any circumstances affecting their ability to work. Staff must:
- Take reasonable care of their own health and safety
- Ensure their work environment is suitable and free from unnecessary hazards
- Report any accidents or incidents that occur during working hours
- Follow organisational health and safety procedures
–
Supervision and Accountability
Camp, Assistant and Regional Managers will monitor staff wellbeing however all staff must report any concerns around safety, wellbeing, personal or professional tensions, anything that affects team cohesion or relationships.
We reserve the right to withdraw the assignment where camp delivery, safeguarding, or performance concerns arise.
Confidentiality
We expect staff to comply with all our policies relating to GDPR, privacy and data whilst in public environments and in accommodation as follows:
- Protect confidential information at all times
- Use organisation-approved devices and systems where available
- Secure paper records and electronic information
- Prevent unauthorised access to information by family members, venue staff, visitors, or others not employed by Kings Camps
- Report any data breaches immediately
This policy will be reviewed periodically and updated as necessary to ensure compliance with legal requirements and organisational needs.
This policy should be read in conjuction with the Kings Camps Contract Terms and staff code of conduct.
