Our assurance framework for commissioning schools, local authorities, care homes and families.
Ref POTG-S3-001 · Version 1.0 · Approved April 2026 · Next review April 2027 · Owner: Ciera O'Rourke
Pets on the Green Ltd is committed to providing a safe and healthy environment for children, parents, carers, staff, volunteers, visitors and the animals in our care. Our health & safety framework complies with the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, and applicable subordinate legislation.
Every activity is risk-assessed. Assessments are reviewed annually, after any incident, and whenever activities change.
1 Health & Safety Policy
The Director (Ciera O'Rourke) holds overall responsibility for health and safety. This includes setting and reviewing policy annually; ensuring risk assessments are carried out; maintaining safe premises and equipment; providing information, instruction, training and supervision; rehearsing emergency procedures; investigating accidents; liaising with the HSE, the local authority and the Animal Activities Licence inspector; and holding appropriate insurance.
Staff & volunteer responsibilities
All staff and volunteers must take reasonable care of themselves and others, co-operate on health and safety matters, use equipment as trained, report accidents, near-misses and hazards immediately, and follow the relevant risk assessments.
Areas of specific control
Fire safety
First aid
Accident & incident reporting
Infection control & zoonosis
COSHH (hazardous substances)
Manual handling
Lone working
Off-site sessions
Equipment & premises
Electrical equipment PAT-tested annually.
Animal enclosures inspected weekly.
First-aid kits, fire extinguishers and the accident book checked monthly.
Each session type has its own written risk assessment. Every assessment uses a Likelihood × Severity matrix, and in each case the residual risk is reduced to Low once the control measures below are applied. Expand each block for a hazard-and-controls summary.
Private sessions & alternative provision
Setting: registered office — garden room, sensory den and garden.
Premises safety: pool / hot-tub securely fenced and locked at all times.
Sensory overload: managed with a sensory profile, calm environment, sensory tools, a quiet den and a low-demand approach.
Safeguarding in 1:1: DBS-checked staff, DSL oversight, parent invited or a second person present, sessions in a visible area, clear professional boundaries.
Elopement: secure gates, 1:1 supervision and a missing-child procedure.
SEND individualisation: intake assessment, social stories, BSY Level 3 Animal Assisted Therapy training, visual supports, communication aids and regulation tools.
Physical-disability access: wheelchair access and animals brought to the child's level.
Challenging behaviour: behaviour profile and plan, proactive and de-escalation strategies, no restraint except in cases of immediate danger.
Animal-related: animal selection matched to the child's needs; bite / scratch controls; animal welfare protected through rotation, rest and stress monitoring.
Health: allergy screening; medical emergencies managed with paediatric first aid, accessible medication and 999; zoonosis controlled through vet checks and hand hygiene.
Alternative provision: EHCP / LA commission, attendance monitoring, safeguarding aligned to KCSIE.
Residual risk after controls: Low
School visits
Setting: classrooms, halls and playgrounds.
Travel: parking and unloading managed on arrival.
Supervision ratios: school staff remain present throughout; PawSteps focuses on animal welfare; assemblies are demonstration only, with no hands-on contact for large groups.
Classroom suitability: doors and windows closed, a defined handling area, suitable temperature.
Undisclosed allergies: school provides a list, a verbal check is carried out, and fur-free options are available.
Assembly crowd control and calm demonstration format.
Outdoor weather & escape: only slow, ground-dwelling animals used outdoors; birds not handled in wind.
Bites / scratches and zoonosis controlled through handling technique and hand hygiene.
SEND inclusion built into every session.
Emergencies: defer to the school's procedures and first aider.
Safeguarding: staff never alone with pupils, open and visible areas, DBS-checked.
Residual risk after controls: Low
Outdoor venue sessions
Setting: parks, gardens and other outdoor venues.
Weather is the biggest factor. Sessions are cancelled in moderate or heavy rain, sustained wind over 25 mph, temperatures below 12°C or above 30°C, or during any Met Office warning or thunderstorm.
Ground conditions & trip hazards: site checked before setup.
Animal-waste contamination: managed with hygiene controls.
Escape prevention: only tortoise, hedgehog, calm large rabbits and guinea pigs used outdoors; birds only in zero wind and enclosed areas; mice, geckos, sugar gliders, insects, amphibians and snakes are never used outdoors.
Public & dog control: dogs are the highest outdoor risk — animals are secured immediately if a dog approaches.
Crowd management at busy sites.
Insects, plants & ticks monitored.
Gazebo & electrical safety checked at setup.
A site-specific assessment is required for every new venue.
Residual risk after controls: Low
Indoor venue sessions
Setting: hired indoor venues and community rooms.
Space requirements matched to group size.
Clutter / trip hazards & escape routes assessed and cleared.
Floor surfaces: non-slip mats used.
Temperature control: 18–22°C, higher for reptiles.
Ventilation & allergens, lighting, and noise all managed.
Handwashing facilities confirmed available.
Accessibility, emergency exits and first aid checked.
Pre-session venue checklist: space · floor · temperature · heating · ventilation · lighting · noise · handwashing · accessibility · exits · assembly point · first aid · fire alarm · venue contact.
Residual risk after controls: Low
Birthday party sessions
Setting: homes and hired party venues.
Travel & animal transport managed to protect welfare.
Venue setup & escape controls applied on arrival.
Bites, scratches, allergies and zoonosis controlled through handling and hygiene.
Behaviour management: maximum 30 children, host responsible for the group, safety briefing given, one animal handled at a time.
SEN accommodation built in.
Medical & fire emergencies planned for.
Animal welfare: maximum one hour, rotation, and temperature limits respected.
Residual risk after controls: Low
Care home sessions
Setting: residential and nursing care homes.
Travel & access arranged with the home.
Unsuitable rooms & infection control: confirm there is no active outbreak; sessions are postponed if an outbreak is present.
Dementia support: short sessions, familiar staff present, gentle animals, reminiscence, and no pressure on residents.
Animal selection for elderly / frail residents: rabbits, guinea pigs, tortoise, hedgehog, bearded dragon and Rosie the galah — never fast, large or fragile animals.
Bites / scratches: extra care taken for residents on anticoagulants.
Allergies checked in advance.
Medical emergencies: care staff lead.
Emotional wellbeing: grief or fear handled sensitively.
Evacuation: care staff lead.
Animal welfare: 60–90 minutes maximum, with rotation.
All animals are health-checked daily, and unwell animals are never used. Maximum handling times protect welfare, and hand hygiene is mandatory after every contact — soap and water is required for reptiles and amphibians due to the risk of salmonella. Animals are grouped into suitability tiers:
Excellent for all ages / SEN / care homes
Calm and predictable: Aldabra tortoise, bearded dragon, leopard gecko, royal python (ball python), guinea pig, skinny pig, giant African land snail, White's tree frog, Malaysian leaf insect.
Location: Surrey (registered office available to schools on request)
Raise the alarm — shout "FIRE".
Call 999.
Evacuate all people first via the nearest exit — primary: bifold doors in the centre of the room; secondary: sliding glass doors at the front.
Assist wheelchair users — a staff member is assigned to each person with high support needs before sessions begin.
Go to the assembly point — the bottom of the garden.
Account for everyone.
Do not re-enter for any reason, including for animals, until the fire service gives the all-clear.
Human safety takes absolute priority over animals. Maximum occupancy is 15 people including staff. The fire extinguisher is located to the left of the entrance.
First-aid provision complies with the Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981. At least one Emergency First Aid at Work (EFAW) qualified person is present at every session with children, and paediatric first aid is preferred for under-8s.
First-aid kits are held at the registered office, in the session area, and in each vehicle, and are checked monthly. Children's emergency medication (EpiPen, inhaler) is brought by parents and kept accessible. Staff can administer life-saving medication where they are trained and named; otherwise 999 is called.
An allergy questionnaire is completed for every new child. No child is pressured to handle any animal, and handwashing follows every animal contact.
Emergency drill
Make the area safe → DR ABC → call 999 if serious → bring the kit and meet the ambulance → reassure → notify the parent → record in the accident book.
Hand-washing with soap and water for 20 seconds is the single most important control — after every animal interaction and before eating or touching the face. Sanitiser supplements but does not replace soap for reptiles and amphibians, due to the risk of salmonella.
Surfaces are cleaned before and after sessions with a Salmonella-effective disinfectant, and handling towels are washed at 60°C.
Known risks & controls
Salmonella (reptiles / amphibians): under-5s, immunocompromised people and pregnant women should not handle reptiles; thorough handwashing for all.
Psittacosis (birds): cage cleaning, ventilation and veterinary surveillance.
Ringworm (mammals): health checks; no handling of animals with skin lesions.
E. coli / Campylobacter: clean enclosures, supervised handwashing, no eating during contact.
Allergies screened and accommodated.
High-risk groups are protected. Animals are monitored daily; any unwell animal is removed and reviewed by the vet before returning to sessions. Staff and children stay away when unwell (48 hours symptom-free). Notifiable diseases are reported to UKHSA via the local authority.
Cleaning products and animal medicines are logged with safety data sheets, stored out of children's reach, and used with appropriate PPE — never within arm's reach of a child during sessions.
Manual handling
In line with the Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992, mechanical aids and two-person lifts are used for heavy carriers and enclosures (for example, transporting the Aldabra tortoise). Children are never placed in a lifting position, and animals are never carried by the tail, leg or scruff.
Accident & incident reporting
Every accident, incident and near-miss is recorded in the accident book the same day, reviewed by the Director, with patterns reviewed quarterly.
RIDDOR (2013)
Reportable events — deaths, specified injuries, over-7-day worker injuries, occupational diseases, dangerous occurrences, and any member of the public taken from a session to hospital — are reported to the HSE within the required timescales.