How to communicate with parents during a trip incident
- Last reviewed
- 6 min read
- For schools, universities, sports teams, event organisers
The short answer
During a trip incident, parents should hear from one named person at home base, not from the leader at the scene. Families of anyone directly affected are told first, by a senior member of staff, then all other families receive a short factual holding message with a time for the next update. OEAP guidance says leaders should avoid direct contact with parents from the scene, parents should not be given the numbers that activate the emergency plan, and one person should handle media.
Key takeaways
- OEAP guidance says direct contact with a parent from the scene should be avoided and done from the home base by senior staff, so the leader can look after the group.
- Tell the families of anyone directly affected first, in person or by phone, before any message goes to the wider group of parents.
- Do not give parents the telephone numbers that activate the establishment's emergency plan; set up a separate parent line and a named liaison.
- Send a short holding message quickly, state only what is confirmed, and give a time for the next update, because participants' phones mean parents may hear within minutes.
- Agree the communication plan with parents before departure, including phone use, social media and how to reach the group in a home emergency.
Who should speak to parents when something goes wrong?
The person at the scene should not. OEAP National Guidance for leaders says direct contact with a parent from the scene of an incident should be avoided and should be carried out from the establishment's home base by senior staff. The leader's job is to look after the group, call emergency services and alert the home contact. This is the same cascade set out in our group travel emergency plan guide.
| Role | What they do with parents and the press |
|---|---|
| Trip leader | Tells the home contact what happened. Does not phone parents from the scene. Does not speak to the media or admit liability. |
| Home contact | Logs the report, escalates to the senior manager and keeps the line free for the trip leader. |
| Senior manager | Decides who is told and when. Calls or visits the families of anyone directly affected. |
| Parent liaison (named) | Handles incoming calls and messages from other parents, using agreed wording. |
| Spokesperson | Handles press and public enquiries. All other staff refer enquiries to them. |
OEAP says the plan should name roles, not just individuals, because a named person may be unavailable on the day.
In what order should families be told?
- Families of anyone directly affected, by a senior member of staff, by phone or in person, before anything is posted or sent more widely.
- All other families, with a short holding message once the directly affected families know.
- The wider community, such as governors, trustees or the university, with the same facts, if needed.
- Media, only through the spokesperson.
Participants have phones, so families may hear informally within minutes. Speed counts, but a parent who learns of their own child's injury from a group message has been let down. Ask participants not to post online or name anyone until the affected families know. OEAP strongly recommends control over indiscriminate and potentially damaging use of mobile phones by group members during an incident.
What should the first message say?
A holding message should be short, factual and confirmed. It should say what has happened, that the group is being looked after, who is dealing with it, and when the next update will come. It should not guess at causes, name people or promise outcomes. OEAP says information given to parents, staff, learners and the media must be accurate, because careless comments can distress those affected and may affect any legal process or insurance claim.
Keep later updates on the promised schedule, even when the update is only that nothing has changed.
How do you stop phone lines becoming overwhelmed?
OEAP warns that communications can become swamped in an emergency, particularly if parents and media are calling for news. Its advice is practical:
- Agree phone numbers that are not in the public domain for the emergency team, so they stay free.
- Do not give parents the numbers that activate the establishment's emergency plan or the employer's critical incident plan. OEAP strongly recommends that these are never made available to parents.
- Keep spare mobile phones charged, and never route an emergency number to an unmonitored answerphone.
- Make sure anyone who might answer a call, such as a receptionist, can take key details and alert the emergency contact. OEAP's first-contact guidance suggests recording who is calling, what happened, casualties, location, group size and a call-back number.
- Use one channel for updates, such as a parent line, web page or text broadcast, and tell parents which before the trip.
What should parents be told before the trip?
Communication in an incident is easier if the groundwork is done. OEAP National Guidance on informing parents suggests the information pack should include expectations about mobile phones and trackers, arrangements for sending children home early, and details of how parents can contact their child or the leaders in the event of a home emergency. Add:
- How and when you will update them in a normal trip and in an incident.
- Which number to call, and that they should not call leaders on the trip.
- Social media expectations: please do not post about an incident, or share names, until families have been informed.
- Their own contact details, confirmed shortly before departure.
The consent form guide covers consent. Practise the cascade in a scenario before departure, as OEAP recommends.
What about data protection and sharing information?
Data protection law does not stop you contacting families in an emergency. The ICO says that in an emergency you should go ahead and share data as is necessary and proportionate. Share only what families and responders need, and record what you shared. See handling traveller data under UK GDPR.
How Roamly can help
Roamly helps organisers write communication cascades, parent briefing packs and holding statements as part of its consulting service, and keeps itinerary, supplier and contact details ready for the home contact through its logistics work. The free emergency contacts directory helps with local numbers. Contact us to plan a trip.
Sources
- OEAP National Guidance 4.1c Emergencies - Guidance for Leaders
- OEAP National Guidance 4.1d Emergencies - Guidance for Establishments
- OEAP National Guidance 4.1f Guidance for Emergency First Contact
- OEAP National Guidance 4.3d Parental Consent and Informing Parents
- DfE: Health and safety on educational visits
- ICO: Data sharing in an urgent situation or in an emergency
General guidance only, checked against the sources above on 30 October 2026. Entry rules, airline policies and official advice change, so confirm the current position with the linked source before you travel.