A NEW safety scheme has been set up to train museum, library and archive staff to take better care of children. The system, worked on for a year by a former education officer at Letchworth and Hitchin Museums, will give staff an accredited safety scheme.

A NEW safety scheme has been set up to train museum, library and archive staff to take better care of children.

The system, worked on for a year by a former education officer at Letchworth and Hitchin Museums, will give staff an accredited safety scheme.

Amanda Young, who has since left her job to pursue a career in teaching, said: "The scheme is very good and very easy to use. It makes it relevant to what we do here and applies to volunteers as well as staff."

Her work has been acknowledged with a certificate from the Safer Activities For Everyone (SAFE) group which set up the scheme with funding from the East of England Museums, Libraries and Archives Council.

Jenny Duke, the archive council's regional learning officer, said: "Amanda is a trail blazer and we are going to use North Hertfordshire as an example for other museums."

Mrs Young volunteered for the project after attending a workshop held by SAFE and EELAC two years ago.

She carried out a risk assessment at both museums and at the storage premises in Burymead Road, Hitchin, before devising the plan.

Cllr Tricia Gibbs, North Herts District Council portfolio holder for community engagement, said: "Every parent and teacher using Hitchin or Letchworth Museums can be 100 per cent confident that our staff know how to look after their children's safety.