FAQs - Children and dogs

Yes, Walking for Health welcomes children onto walks.

We advise that all children under the age of 14 are accompanied by an adult (i.e. their parent / guardian or other authorised adult). This is not a legal requirement, and there are instances where it might not be appropriate (e.g. Sure-Start walks) – but walk leaders may find that this is a useful guideline to follow.

Where groups of children are being led by teachers / Sure Start staff / youth leaders etc, the usual risk assessment and parental consent for children to take part will apply.

All walks should be risk assessed, which would include an assessment of the health and safety of children as well as adults.

• Risk assessment sheet

Walk leaders must be CRB checked if:

• the walks happen to consist mainly of children (those under 18 years of age);
• the walks are aimed at children and take place on a regular basis.

In addition to this, although it is not a legal requirement, WfH recommends that walk leaders are CRB checked even if children (and/or vulnerable adults) are only occasional walkers.

Walk schemes should always take steps to assess whether or not they are delivering a 'regulated activity' (see next question).

Regulated activity is:

• Any activity of involves contact with children or vulnerable adults frequently, intensively and/or overnight. (Such activities include teaching, training, care, supervision, advice, treatment and transportation.)
• Any activity allowing contact with children or vulnerable adults that is in a specified place frequently or intensively. (Such places include schools and care homes.)
• Fostering and childcare.
• Any activity that involves people in certain defined positions of responsibility. (Such positions include school governor, director of social services and trustee of certain charities.)

‘Regulated activity’ is when the activity is frequent (once a month or more) or ‘intensive’ (takes place on three or more days in a 30-day period).

For more information, visit the Independent Safeguarding Authority’s website.

WfH recommends that you should exercise caution when bringing a dog on a health walk.

For example, they dogs come equipped with ‘short’ leads (i.e. leads which are no more than two metres long) so that you can adequately control their dogs around livestock.

Even if livestock are not present, dogs should be ‘under close control’ at all times, although this doesn’t necessarily mean on a lead. Dogs should be kept on a lead if owners cannot rely on their obedience.

• More information on taking dogs into the countryside can be found on the Natural England website.

Listen to advice from 'Walks Around Britain':

There are certain laws that specifically apply to taking dogs on walks. These generally cover:

• Worrying livestock (e.g. sheep).
• Keeping dogs on a short lead.

Below is the legal wording that applies:

Under the Dogs (Protection of Livestock) Act 1953 the owner, and anyone else under whose control the dog is at the time, will be guilty of an offence if it worries livestock on agricultural land. In particular, all dogs must be on a lead or ‘under close control’ when on enclosed land with sheep.

General access rights on access land under section 2(1) and paragraph 4 of Schedule 2 of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 (“CROW”) may be restricted in relation to people who allow dogs to be in the vicinity of livestock which are not on a ‘short lead’ (a lead not more than two metres). Under paragraph 4, Schedule 2 CROW, a person is also not allowed on to any land to which section 2(1) of CROW relates during the period between 1 March and ending 31 July in each year if they do so with a dog which is not on a short lead. These provisions are usually expressed in the form of local byelaws.

Under section 55 of the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005 a primary or secondary authority (for example a district council, county council, London borough etc) may make a ‘dog control order’ providing for an offence or offences relating to the control of dogs. This can include keeping dogs on leads in certain circumstances.