Children on Campus policy

1. Introduction

1.1 Birkbeck, University of London (hereafter referred to as ‘the University’ or ‘Birkbeck’) aims to be a welcoming and inclusive environment for all and welcomes children onto campus; however, we also recognise that some spaces or activities are unsuitable for children. This policy is designed to protect children on campus. The University is predominantly an adult environment, and this policy is designed to ensure that risks to children are minimised and that, where appropriate, they can take advantage of the spaces or activities available.

1.2 This policy is intended to clarify where children are permitted to be present on our premises, to ensure that we provide a welcoming environment for children while minimising the impact on staff and students and meeting our legal obligations.

1.3 In this policy, a child is defined as anyone who has not yet reached their 18th birthday. ‘Children’ therefore means ‘children and young people’. This policy also applies to under 18s who are not a current Birkbeck student. For the policy on students under 18 who enrol for undergraduate courses, please see Admission of Students Aged Under 18 Policy.

1.4 The University hosts a range of visits and on- and off-campus activities involving children. This policy sets out the arrangements to be followed in general, to ensure that risks to children are minimised while they are on Birkbeck premises or engaged in, or affected by, University activities.

2.1 We welcome children accompanied by staff, students and visitors for short durations into low-risk open areas, such as the library, the fifth-floor restaurant, cafes, reception areas, single-occupancy offices and other social spaces, provided they remain supervised at all times.

2.2 Children must be accompanied at all times and must not use Birkbeck IT facilities themselves during their visit to any library or ITS workstation room. Parents/guardians must not allow the children in their care to use the parent’s/guardian’s login details to access the University’s IT systems (either on campus or elsewhere).

3.1 Children and young persons are more vulnerable to hazardous environments due to factors such as inexperience, lack of maturity and knowledge and awareness of existing or potential risks. Subsequently, situations which involve children and young persons on campus should be risk-assessed with these factors in mind.

3.2 Advance permission is not required to access the Library, Information Services workstation rooms, and social spaces. However, wherever possible, permission must be sought in advance in writing before bringing a child to other areas of the premises, so that an appropriate risk assessment can be undertaken. This arrangement applies to both formal and informal visits.

3.3 Staff members or students who wish to bring their children onto campus while they are engaging in an activity at the University such as teaching or attending a lecture/seminar, must first obtain the approval of their line manager and/or Head of School. The child must be directly supervised by the staff member or student at all times (see ‘Children’s Risk Assessment and Approval form’).

3.4 Receiving such a request, the relevant module convenor, programme director or line manager will consider the type of activity being undertaken, the needs of other staff/students and any relevant health and safety or safeguarding requirements. This assessment will determine which of the following applies:

3.4.1 The current controls are sufficient to minimise the risk to the child (this will be the case for using the library and low-risk areas/activities).
3.4.2 Whether any additional controls are required and are possible (should be considered for medium risk areas/activities – see ‘Other areas and activities (medium Risk)’, below.
3.4.3 Permission will be refused if the risk is too high and cannot be mitigated- see ‘High-risk activities’, below.

3.5 In areas where accompanied children are permitted, either routinely or by special arrangement, the parent or guardian must ensure that the child remains with them at all times and does not disrupt the work/study. They should be close enough to the child to react immediately to prevent accidents or inappropriate behaviour, e.g. interfering with equipment, entering prohibited areas, or disturbing other area users. Care must also be taken that, where permitted, toys, pushchairs, or other articles of equipment do not cause obstructions or compromise fire escape routes. These responsibilities cannot be delegated to anyone else.

3.6 If there are concerns about the safety of the child or their behaviour, the parent or guardian may be asked to leave, and future visits may be refused.

3.7 Under no circumstances may contractors bring a child onto Birkbeck premises.

4. Other areas and activities (medium risk)

4.1 It is reasonable for staff and students to expect that children will not normally be present in multi-occupancy office and teaching spaces. As such, staff or students with children will ordinarily be expected to make suitable childcare arrangements, thus enabling them to fully partake in activities as an employees or students of the University.

4.2 However, it is recognised that there may be planned events which children are invited to attend or exceptional circumstances which cause a parent or guardian to request that a child temporarily accompanies them.

4.3 Wherever possible, such requests should be made prior to arrival at the premises and in writing, to the relevant member of staff (lecturer, manager, Head of School or director of professional service) in ample time for a risk assessment to be undertaken.

4.4 Children are not allowed in medium-risk areas unless a risk assessment has been completed, to ensure appropriate health and safety and/or safeguarding controls are in place. The child must also be accompanied by suitable and sufficient supervision.

4.5 Where staff are arranging events which children are invited to, they will be asked to undertake a risk assessment and ensure that safeguarding responsibility for the children is agreed.

4.6 Examples of medium-risk areas and activities include:

4.6.1 Workshops.
4.6.2 Studios.
4.6.3. Seminar rooms.
4.6.4. Multiple occupancy offices (Note: Multiple occupancy offices are not normally considered low-risk areas, as it cannot be guaranteed that all parts of the office will have been made safe for a child. Exceptionally, children may be brought into these areas with the explicit consent of the office manager or supervisor and the agreement of all occupants of the office.)
4.6.5. Kitchens.
4.6.6. Any other area where significant risk is present.

4.7 Parents/guardians should be aware that lecture capture is used for formal on-campus lectures and that any accompanying child’s contribution may be recorded.

5. High-risk activities

5.1 Children must not accompany staff or students into plant rooms or laboratories, with the exception of children taking part in research studies which have been through the University’s risk assessment and ethical approval processes.

6. Accidents and safeguarding

6.1 Any accident or near-miss involving a child on Birkbeck premises must be recorded and reported to the Health and Safety Officer.

7. Unaccompanied children

7.1 Children must always be accompanied by an adult when on the Birkbeck premises. If a child is left unaccompanied at any time, the University may call the emergency services; unaccompanied children should also be reported as a safeguarding concern to the Safeguarding team.

8. Young persons 16-18 years old

8.1 16-18-year-old employees: such persons are protected under the Health and Safety (Young Persons) Regulations (1997) and as such, their activities are subject to a separate risk assessment by the employer. Refer any such young persons to the University’s Health and Safety Officer and complete the template risk assessment.

8.2 16-18-year-old work experience students: any employee wishing to take on a work experience student should complete a full risk assessment of the work that will be undertaken and submit this to the University’s Health and Safety Officer well in advance of any start date. The school or college sending the student will probably also ask for one of their own risk assessment forms to be completed. Refer this to the University’s Health and Safety Officer.

8.3 16-18-year-old students: in exceptional circumstances the University may allow young persons to attend its classes. See the Admission of Students Aged Under 18 Policy.

Policy review

Created: July 2023
Latest update: July 2023
Date of next review: 2027-28 academic year
Owner: Head of Student Wellbeing
SLT owner: DVC Education and Student Experience
Committee oversight: Education and Student Experience Committee for Academic Board