Hosting a party at your home, community centre or church hall.

Unlike useing a restaurants, function room or licenced venues such as a club you will be responsible for everything, planning the food and drinks, decorating, picking the food and drinks up, serving the food and cleaning up. Don't forget security, who is going to stop gate crashers and who will break up any arguments that may start, are you going to be the security or are you going to hire security. if the party has under 18's who will be responsible for stopping them from drinking alcohol as it is illegal to supply under 18's with alcohol.

Most parties that go wrong are poorly planned, disorganized, non-structured, or they become chaotic and/or out of control. This is when the wrong signals are sent out and when the trouble could start.

If you plan to host a party, good planning can reduce the risk of potential problems before the party begins, saving yourself difficulties later on.

The more structured and controlled your party is the safer and more enjoyable it will be for everyone. For instance, have you thought of invitations, a controlled entry / exit point, non-alcoholic drink alternatives, structured timings throughout for activities (cake cutting, speeches, presents etc), adult/parent supervisors, cleaning up as you go dedicated finishing time and exit / transport strategies?

There are lots of things to think about, but remember, pre planning is the best policy to make your party a great success. Using a checklist can assist you in providing a safe environment for people to party and save yourself the stress of having to deal with a party that has become out of control.

Safety tips for a private party.

1.Notify Police that you are having a party;

2.Talk to your neighbors. Ask them to tell you if groups gather out the front or nearby;

3.Have only one entry/exit point if possible;

4.Have that entry/exit point strictly controlled;

5.Keep the party contained indoors or out the back. Don’t allow people to wander around or congregate out the front. (This attracts gate-crashers and causes complaints from neighbors);

6.Consider numbering the invites;

7.Enforce an RSVP and/or the need to produce their invitation at the door. (Notify guests up front that you will only admit people who comply);

8.Consider how the party will be advertised. Don’t use Internet or SMS;

9.Encourage officially invited party guests not to disseminate information about the party to non-invited guests. (Ask them to abide by the confidentiality up front in the invitation);

10.If you do find out that the party is on the Internet, or the subject of SMS messaging, then you will need to take extra preventative measures (i.e. change venue, more parent supervisors, hire a security guard, tell local police,

11.Know the laws on noise (contact your Local Council or Police if in doubt);

12.Have additional parents to provide enough supervision at the party (or consider hiring licensed security if the party is large);

13.Structure the party – have food being served, have dedicated timings throughout for activities (cake cutting, speeches, presents etc), have numerous people supervising, and clean up as you go;

14.Consider appropriate lighting (particularly any dark hidden-away areas you may have);

15.Ensure that your party has definite start and finish times;

16.Act quickly on gate-crashers. Refuse entry and call police if they won’t leave;

17.Remember, you have the right to refuse entry to your property. It is an offence for people to Trespass if you have refused them entry;

18.Don’t spend all night in an area of your house away from the party (i.e. in the kitchen). Consider having food pre-prepared or hiring professional party caterers. This will allow you more time to observe party goers and quickly deal with any problems

19.If under 18’s consume alcohol/drugs, contact their parents and have them collected from the party;

20.For over 18’s parties, make sure there is plenty of alternative non-alcoholic drinks and water freely available and in obvious spots.

21.Tell other parents if you are serving alcohol;

22.Remember secondary supply to minors is an offence;

23.Ensure alternative transport for people who have had too much to drink;

24.Consider logistics - is there enough garbage bins and toilets;

25.Clean up broken glass or other dangerous items straight away;

26.Plan a wind-down time leading up to the finish, turning down music etc;

27.Have a dedicated exit/transport strategy to get people out of the area and safely home immediately the party finishes i.e. additional parents, shared taxi plan, courtesy bus etc; and

28.Don’t let people congregate out the front at any stage (before/during/after), as this is a major contributing factor to problems.