Memorandum from the Air Cadet Organisation
THE AIR
CADET ORGANIZATION
The Air Cadet Organization (ACO) is a national
youth organization sponsored by the Royal Air Force. Membership
is open to young people aged between 13 and 19 years, inclusive.
The ACO comprises the Air Training Corps and
the Combined Cadet Force (RAF).
The ATC and CCF (RAF) share many similarities
but there are a number of differences in structure, training programmes,
recruitment etc.
The Aims of the Air Cadet Organization are:
To promote and encourage among young people
a practical interest in aviation and the Royal Air Force.
To provide training which will be useful in
the Services and civilian life.
To foster the spirit of adventure and develop
qualities of leadership and good citizenship.
The "Air Cadets" (as the organization
is commonly called) provides the opportunity for members to take
part in a huge and diverse range of exciting and challenging activities.
Many are organized at national and regional level; many others
take place locally at wing and squadron levels.
The ACO develops personal qualities and a sense
of community and citizenship valued by employers, both military
and civil.
A very large percentage of serving members of
the Royal Air Force were air cadets. Although the ACO is not a
recruiting organization, some 41% of Officer, 51% of all Aircrew
(including pilots, navigators, air electronics operators, air
engineers and air loadmasters) and 17% of airmen/airwomen recruits
per annum into the Royal Air Force are ex-air cadets.
THE MANAGEMENT
OF RISK
IN THE
AIR CADET
ORGANIZATION (ACO)
Personnel
The primary responsibility of the ACO is to
discharge its duty of care to cadets by ensuring that unsuitable
adults are not placed in charge of them. The risk is mitigated
by:
(a) Vetting all adults through the Criminal
Records Bureau (and also through the Defence Vetting Agency for
ID Card purposes).
(b) Imposing a probationary period on all
adults before confirmation of appointment.
(c) Issuing to all adults on appointment:
— "Do's and Don'ts" of
child protection in the form of a pocket handout guide.
— ACO Child Protection Guide Booklet.
— ACO Ethos, Core Values and Standards
Publication.
— Copy of ACO Policy statement
on Child Protection.
— Copy of Instruction on Handling
of Complaints.
(d) Giving formal instruction to uniformed
adults by means of the Adult Training Facility (ATF) at RAF Cranwell.
(e) Issuing regular repeat orders drawing
attention of all to Duty of Care responsibilities.
(f) Giving additional instruction to senior
RAFVR(T) officers on Senior Course at ATF. (All ACO officers hold
a Volunteer Reserve (Training) commission).
The duty of care for CCF (RAF) cadets is vested
in RAFVR(T) officers whose primary employment is at the school
at which the CCF contingent is based—either as teachers
or other school staff. The duty of care does not change when cadets
and officers are in uniform conducting CCF activities. Risk assessments
for activities at school are the responsibility of school staff.
VOLUNTEER GLIDING
SCHOOLS (VGSS)
Cadets undertake gliding activities at VGSs
throughout the UK. Risk mitigation is as follows:
(a) Rules and regulations are examined six
monthly to ensure safe flying practices are adhered to. Administrative
inspections and engineering quality assurance inspections are
conducted annually.
(b) VGS staff are examined by Central Flying
School (CFS) and the Air Cadet Central Gliding School (ACCGS),
at least once per year. (Risk Mitigation table for ACCGS is attached
as a separate Annex).
(c) Cadets are trained to a CFS approved
syllabus.
(d) Risk assessments are conducted for all
activities outside of flying.
(e) The VGS provides an adult to supervise
and act in "loco parentis" for all cadets under the
age of 18 years who attend the Schools.
(f) Medicals are required for solo cadets
and parental agreement to fly is required for under 18s.
(g) Health and Safety support for VGSs is
provided by the nominated "parenting" station and VGS
staff have access to the Corps Health and Safety training programme.
SHOOTING/ARMS
AND AMMUNITION
For shooting, the ATC adopts the same procedures
as used in the Regular Forces by use of the Safe System of Training
ie safe rifles and ammunition, safe ranges, safe planning and
conduct of training, safe cadets and investigation of incidents.
This reduces any associated risks to as low a level as is reasonably
practical, in accordance with the principles of Health and Safety
legislation.
ATC regulations ensure that adult staff charged
with the safe planning conduct and supervision of ATC shooting
(including live ammunition, blanks and pyrotechnics) are qualified
current and competent to carry out their duties. Similarly, cadets
are trained and tested regularly to ensure their competence in
the handling and firing of rifles and ammunition.
As for the security of arms and ammunition,
the ATC is subject to the rules laid down in Joint Service Publication
440—the Defence Manual of Security. The RAF Provost &
Security Service (P&SS) scrutinizes all plans for new build
armouries. Newly built armouries are certified on completion and
there is a P&SS programme of regular inspections of all ATC
armouries. The rules for the transportation of arms and ammunition
ensure the movement of only the minimum number of rifles and ammunition
to meet the requirements of the practice or exercise. Apart from
small quantities, arms and ammunition are kept separate whilst
in transit and wing HQs approve the movement of full-bore arms
and ammunition.
All small arms ranges are authorized for use
by Commandant Air Cadets (a total of 144) on the advice of HQ
Air Cadets specialist range inspection staff, and have been constructed
to an approved design and subject to periodic inspection as noted
above. They are also subject to independent inspection by the
RAF Range Inspector, thereby ensuring that our ranges are maintained
to the same high level as those used by our parent service. This
approach mitigates the risk to cadets from engaging in shooting
activities, which is very closely monitored and subject to the
same regulatory regime as that used by the RAF.
PHYSICAL EDUCATION
The Physical Education Dept is responsible for
the implementation of the Adventure Training (AT) and Sport and
Recreation policy within the Air Cadet Organization. The major
risks and Duty of Care procedures put in place by this department
fall broadly unto three areas:
TRAVEL
Comprehensive travel plans issued to cadets
by Wings travelling to sports events and AT courses or supervised
coach travel is provided.
Parental/Guardian supervision for Under 18s
travelling individually allowed.
Emergency contact numbers provided in Administrative
Instructions sent direct to individuals home addresses (Corps
Representative Fixtures and AT Courses).
Third Party Liability and repatriation/medical
Insurance (add-on) taken out through the ATC Insurance Scheme
for AC sponsored AT courses/expeditions at home and abroad.
ACCIDENTS
Comprehensive AT procedures published in ACP
17.
Appropriately qualified/competent instructors/officials
allocated to all activities.
Generic Risk Assessments issued for all AT activities
and Corps recognized sports.
First-aid cover provided at Inter-Region and
Corps Representative sports events and emergency procedures in
place in case of hospitalization of cadets. At crisis management
procedures in place.
ILLNESS
Cadet personal details, medical consent form
and certificate of health for all sporting events and At activities
issued to all participants.
Declared medical conditions investigated prior
to cadets' participation.
HEALTH AND
SAFETY (H&S)
H&S policy direction is provided by the
Directorate of Safety, Environment and Fire Policy, MoD through
the Directorate of Reserve Forces and Cadets. Professionally qualified
H&S Advisers have been recruited in support of volunteers.
The following actions have been taken:
(a) H&S Manual has been issued.
(b) H&S Arrangements Statements in support
of SofS for Defence H&S Policy Statement have been issued
to all formations.
(c) H&S Awareness Training being cascaded
by volunteers—HQ Air Cadets (HQAC) produced delivery package.
(d) H&S Risk Assessor Training course
produced by HQAC and delivered by professionally qualified H&S
Advisers.
(e) Inspections covered by HQAC, Wing and
Squadron personnel in accordance with H&S Manual.
(f) Head of H&S maintains close liaison
with Health & Safety Executive and the other two cadet organizations.
(g) H&S Branch delivers Awareness Training
to all ATF courses (approximately 600 personnel each year).
LOGISTICS
Adult Driver Training. Cadet transportation
plays a significant part in meeting our training programmes and
we have a duty of care to move cadets on the public highway safely.
Before our adult staff are permitted to drive Service-owned vehicles,
or vehicles leased to the MoD, they are required to undergo familiarization
training and be in possession of the appropriate driver authorizations.
Furthermore, all such vehicles are maintained to parent service
standards. This approach mitigates the risk to cadets through
having an unregulated approach to driving standards.
CONCLUSION
The ACO identifies risk and seeks to mitigate
and manage it in every area of its many activities. It does so
by utilizing trained and experienced staff, by applying risk assessments
to every relevant activity, by education and by the promulgation
of explicit regulations. The ACO has access to all of the resources
of the RAF—as parent Service—in seeking to provide
the most risk-free environment possible commensurate with the
many activities of this dynamic youth organization (the motto
of which is "Venture Adventure").
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