Recurring concern

Failure to ensure Scout leaders are competent for health and safety

First to latest report 7 Feb 2020 — 22 Feb 2024

Reports that mention this concern: 2
Times this concern has been raised: 3
Stated actions linked to this concern: 8

What this concern includes

Includes The Scouts Association's processes for selecting, training, assessing, verifying and maintaining the competence and qualifications of leaders responsible for young people's health, safety or safeguarding.

What is not included

Excludes the broader central oversight of local Scout groups where leader competence assurance is not the specific deficient control.
Excludes generic staff or volunteer training deficiencies outside Scout leadership and its health-and-safety or safeguarding responsibilities.
Excludes failures in operational activity planning, equipment use or supervision where leader competence assurance is not the shared unsafe condition.
Excludes isolated poor performance by a leader where no deficiency in the Scout leader competence-assurance process is identified.

Trends

Reports over time

Reports mentioning this concern, over time

Reports about this concern issued each year.

* 2026 is projected from reports observed to 7 Sep 2026.

Most frequent recipients

Reports about this concern sent to each recipient.

The Scout Association2

Children's Commissioner for Wales1

Department for Education1

Health and Safety Executive1

Office of the Children's Commissioner1

The Charity Commission1

Unity Insurance Services1

Welsh Government1

Reports and published responses 2 reports

See individual reports that have raised this concern, and the actions taken in response

22 Feb2024
North Wales (East and Central)
Concerns raised2
1. Failure to ensure permit-holder competence and permit-scope clarity
2. Appointment of leaders without suitable competence or qualifications
This report raised 15 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Linked responses

Department for Education
The Scout Association
Stated actions 7
1. The Scout Association
  Introduce the Adult Membership System to digitise and audit Nights Away applications, permits, approvals and compliance information.
2. The Scout Association
  Commission enhanced supplementary safety training and validation for all volunteers, prioritising nights-away and adventurous-activity leaders.
3. The Scout Association
  Strengthen Nights Away Notification requirements by requiring risk assessments and complete planning documentation.
1. The Scout Association
  Assure that permits are appropriately issued under POR and spot-check compliance through the Audit and Assurance team.
2. The Scout Association
  Commission an independent review of the permitting scheme and implement the required actions.
3. The Scout Association
  Introduce the Learner Management System with role-specific training, competency validation and training-compliance auditing.
4. The Scout Association
  Update safeguarding suspension systems to prevent suspended volunteers being appointed to other roles.
Respondent positions 2
1. Department for Education
  The Department cannot comment on the Scout Association’s internal structure, workings, or implementation of internal policies and procedures.
  Outside remit
1. Department for Education
  The Scout Association and the Charity Commission are expected to address matters concerning internal operations and charity trustees’ legal duties, respectively.
  Redirects responsibility
AI-generated summary

Benjamin David Leonard · Prevention of Future Deaths report

This summary was generated using AI from the published report. Please read the original report for the complete account.

Report summary

Benjamin David Leonard, aged 16, died after slipping and falling from a cliff while descending the Great Orme during an Explorer Scout trip in North Wales. The report identifies concerns about inadequate planning, risk assessment, briefing, supervision, training, safeguarding, first-aid provision, oversight and the Scouts Association’s response to the death.

Read the report on judiciary.uk
Source evidence
How this individual concern was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation
Failure to ensure permit-holder competence and permit-scope clarity
Wider context from the report
“38. The example of ████████ having been granted his Nights Away permit simply by providing a list of camps he had been on, demonstrates that there was no robust system in place to ensure that a permit holder responsible for children’s safety was suitably qualified. There is no evidence he had the necessary skills and competencies to be granted such a permit. There was also a lack of clarity on where permits would be required for activities outside of the ordinary Scouts meeting place. ”
Source location
Benjamin David Leonard · Prevention of Future Deaths report
Page 13 · concerns
Open source report
Source evidence
How this individual concern was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation
Appointment of leaders without suitable competence or qualifications
Wider context from the report
“19. This gives rise to a concern that there are other appointed Leaders in post who are not suitably competent or qualified in respect of the fundamental issues of safety and safeguarding. ”
Source location
Benjamin David Leonard · Prevention of Future Deaths report
Page 5 · concerns
Open source report
Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation
Introduce the Adult Membership System to digitise and audit Nights Away applications, permits, approvals and compliance information.

Verbatim wording from the response
“6. We are also investing significantly in a new Adult Membership System (AMS), due to be rolled out from December 2024, which will provide the following benefits:”

Source location
Response from Scouts
Page 7 · response
Published 26 February 2024
Open published response
Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation
Commission enhanced supplementary safety training and validation for all volunteers, prioritising nights-away and adventurous-activity leaders.

Verbatim wording from the response
“2. We are currently commissioning enhanced supplementary safety training and validation for all 145,000 volunteers. The new training will be available by September 2024 with a target completion within 6 months thereafter. We will focus initially on”

Source location
Response from Scouts
Page 13 · response
Published 26 February 2024
Open published response
Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation
Strengthen Nights Away Notification requirements by requiring risk assessments and complete planning documentation.

Verbatim wording from the response
“9. We have substantially changed our approach to Nights Away Notification to ensure there is clarity on all documentation required, including the submission of risk assessments and all related planning documentation. As detailed in Section 1 (point 6), we are making further changes to this as we fully digitise the process within the new Adult Membership System. A recent staff supported review of Nights Away applications within the Greater Manchester East area found the correct paperwork to be in order, although we provided guidance on areas of improvement and offered best practice guidance on collating medical information.”

Source location
Response from Scouts
Page 20 · response
Published 26 February 2024
Open published response
Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation
Assure that permits are appropriately issued under POR and spot-check compliance through the Audit and Assurance team.

Verbatim wording from the response
“1. We have in train a process whereby counties are assuring us that permits have been issued appropriately in line with our Policy, Organisation and Rules (POR), and we are taking action where there are concerns or gaps. The Assurance and Audit team will subsequently spot check adherence (due for completion by August 2024, then ongoing).”

Source location
Response from Scouts
Page 31 · response
Published 26 February 2024
Open published response
Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation
Commission an independent review of the permitting scheme and implement the required actions.

Verbatim wording from the response
“2. Our planned strategic partnership with an external expert body will include a full review of our permitting system. We are also identifying other organisations who can add relevant expertise, such as NGOs and subject matter experts, to support this focused work. This will be completed within six months and the required actions implemented (due for completion by October 2024).”

Source location
Response from Scouts
Page 32 · response
Published 26 February 2024
Open published response
Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation
Introduce the Learner Management System with role-specific training, competency validation and training-compliance auditing.

Verbatim wording from the response
“4. The Scout Association is also investing in a new Learner Management System (LMS) which will be rolled out to all 145,000 volunteers in late 2024. The LMS will enable the delivery of new, redesigned and enhanced safety training. It will enable all volunteers to easily access training that suits their role and builds their individual competency throughout the year, instead of being trained every three years. The system will:”

Source location
Response from Scouts
Page 14 · response
Published 26 February 2024
Open published response
Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation
Update safeguarding suspension systems to prevent suspended volunteers being appointed to other roles.

Verbatim wording from the response
“3. We have updated our safeguarding suspension system to include safety cases. This will ensure any individuals who are appointed to volunteer roles during a safety suspension period are automatically flagged in our centralised case management system, which will prevent them from being appointed to another role while the suspension is active. This follows what we are doing in Safeguarding.”

Source location
Response from Scouts
Page 19 · response
Published 26 February 2024
Open published response
Source evidence

How this respondent position was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation
The Department cannot comment on the Scout Association’s internal structure, workings, or implementation of internal policies and procedures.

Verbatim wording from the response
“6. Finally, we would note that various matters identified in your report concern the internal structure and workings of the Scout Association (for example their internal FAIP process). Where feasible, we have sought to address all matters of concern, but unfortunately we cannot comment on the internal set-up and structure of individual organisations, or charities in the case of the Scout Association. We understand that the Scout Association will provide a response to your report which we expect will address these issues. Similarly, we understand that the Charity Commission will provide a response which we expect will address matters relating to charity trustees’ legal duties and responsibilities in managing their charity.”

Source location
Response from Department for Education
Page 4 · response
Published 26 February 2024
Open published response
Source evidence

How this respondent position was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation
The Scout Association and the Charity Commission are expected to address matters concerning internal operations and charity trustees’ legal duties, respectively.

Verbatim wording from the response
“6. Finally, we would note that various matters identified in your report concern the internal structure and workings of the Scout Association (for example their internal FAIP process). Where feasible, we have sought to address all matters of concern, but unfortunately we cannot comment on the internal set-up and structure of individual organisations, or charities in the case of the Scout Association. We understand that the Scout Association will provide a response to your report which we expect will address these issues. Similarly, we understand that the Charity Commission will provide a response which we expect will address matters relating to charity trustees’ legal duties and responsibilities in managing their charity.”

Source location
Response from Department for Education
Page 4 · response
Published 26 February 2024
Open published response
7 Feb2020
North Wales (East and Central)
Concerns raised1
1. Failure to assess leaders' health and safety competencies
This report raised 13 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Linked response

The Scout Association
Stated actions 1
1. The Scout Association
  Launch and mandate enhanced online safety training, extend it to additional roles, assess learning, and require three-yearly refreshers.
AI-generated summary

Benjamin David Leonard · Prevention of Future Deaths report

This summary was generated using AI from the published report. Please read the original report for the complete account.

Report summary

Benjamin David Leonard, aged 16, died at the scene from a head injury after slipping and falling approximately 200 feet while attempting to descend a cliffside path on the Great Orme during a Scout trip on 26 August 2018. The substantive concerns included failures to follow and implement Scout safety policies, the absence of written and dynamic risk assessments, inadequate trip planning and briefing, ineffective leadership and group supervision, and insufficient organisational oversight and training.

Read the report on judiciary.uk
Source evidence
How this individual concern was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation
Failure to assess leaders' health and safety competencies
Wider context from the report
“19. The health and safety training intervals for leaders are said to be every 3 years with no way of assessing their competencies. ”
Source location
Benjamin David Leonard · Prevention of Future Deaths report
Page 1 · concerns
Open source report
Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation
Launch and mandate enhanced online safety training, extend it to additional roles, assess learning, and require three-yearly refreshers.

Verbatim wording from the response
“Update to safety training In September 2020 the enhanced safety training module was launched to volunteers. This module is an online course that includes questions to validate learning and then issues a certificate of completion. It is mandatory for all volunteers fulfilling a role that requires safety training to complete this online module, to ensure consistency of training across all volunteers. Face to face training can be added at a local level to complement this training but all volunteers that are required to do safety training must complete the online module. A workbook has been created which must be completed by all those undertaking safety training who are unable to access the online training and it must then be validated by a local line manager as part of certification for that training.”

Source location
Response from Scouts
Page 8 · response
Published 26 February 2020
Open published response