Child Protection Policy and Procedures

Reviewed January 2018
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Policy Statement                                         

It is the policy of Brixham Junior Sailing Club to comply with these guidelines and the full RYA Child Protection Policy as detailed on the RYA website at www.rya.org.uk  “Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy and Guidelines”  updated February 2018

 For the purposes of this policy anyone under the age of 18 should be considered as a child.  All members of the Club should be aware of the policy. 

Club Welfare Officer

 The Club Welfare Officer is :

Assisted by Mrs Tracy Hill  01803 475453  or 07775 573660  Email : tracyhf1@hotmail     OR

Other welfare officers Mike Inness (Chief Instructor)

Tim Corbett Principal 01803 872414 or 07539376831 Email : timcorbett@brixhamjsc.co.uk

Volunteers

 All Club volunteers whose role brings them into contact with young people will be asked to provide references or to complete a self-disclosure form.  The Club Welfare Officer and those instructing, coaching or supervising young people will also be asked to apply for an Disclosure and Barring Service clearance.

Good Practice

 All members of the Club should follow the good practice guidelines attached (see RYA Template 4).
Those working with young people should be aware of the guidance on recognising abuse (see Appendix A).

 Adults are requested not to enter the showers and changing rooms at times when children are changing before or after junior/youth training or racing.  If this is unavoidable it is advised that they are accompanied by another adult.

 The Club will seek written consent from the child and their parents/carers before taking photos or video at an event or training session or publishing such images.  Parents and spectators should be prepared to identify themselves if requested and state their purpose for photography/filming. If the Club publishes images of children, no identifying information other than names will be included.  Any concerns about inappropriate or intrusive photography or the inappropriate use of images should be reported to the Club Welfare Officer.

Concerns

 Anyone who is concerned about a young member’s welfare, either outside the sport or within the Club, should inform the Club Welfare Officer immediately, in strict confidence.  The Club Welfare Officer will follow the attached procedures (see RYA Flowcharts 1 and 2).

 Any member of the Club failing to comply with the Child Protection policy may be subject to disciplinary action under Club Rule “Conduct of Members”

Appendix A – What is child abuse?                                                        Revised July 2010

(Based on the statutory guidance ‘Working Together to Safeguard Children’ March 2010)

 Abuse and neglect are forms of maltreatment of a child.  Somebody may abuse or neglect a child by inflicting harm, or by failing to act to prevent harm.  Children may be abused in a family or in an institutional or community setting, by those known to them or, more rarely, by a stranger.  They may be abused by an adult or adults, or another child or children.

Physical abuse may involve adults or other children causing physical harm:

• by hitting, shaking, squeezing, biting or burning
• giving children alcohol, inappropriate drugs or poison
• attempting to suffocate or drown children
• in sport situations, physical abuse might also occur when the nature and intensity of training exceeds the capacity of the child’s immature and growing body.

Neglect is the persistent failure to meet a child’s basic physical and/or psychological needs, likely to result in the serious impairment of the child’s health or development.  Neglect may involve a parent or carer failing to:

• provide adequate food, clothing and shelter
• protect a child from physical and emotional harm or danger
• ensure adequate supervision
• ensure access to appropriate medical care or treatment
• respond to a child’s basic emotional needs
• neglect in a sailing situation might occur if an instructor or coach fails to ensure that children are safe, or exposes them to undue cold or risk of injury.

Sexual abuse.  Sexual abuse involves an individual forcing or enticing a child or young person to take part in sexual activities, whether or not the child is aware of what is happening, to meet their own sexual needs. The activities may involve:

• physical contact (eg. full sexual intercourse, masturbation, oral sex, fondling)
• showing children pornographic books, photographs, videos or online images
• taking pictures of children for pornographic purposes
• encouraging children to behave in sexually inappropriate ways
• sport situations which involve physical contact (eg. supporting or guiding children) could potentially create situations where sexual abuse may go unnoticed.  Abusive situations may also occur if adults misuse their power over young people.

Emotional abuse is the persistent emotional maltreatment of a child such as to cause severe and persistent adverse effects on the child’s emotional development.  It may involve:

• conveying to children that they are worthless, unloved or inadequate
• not giving the child opportunities to express their views, deliberately silencing them or ‘making fun’ of what they say or how they communicate
• imposing expectations which are beyond the child’s age or developmental capability
• overprotection and limitation of exploration and learning
• preventing the child from participating in normal social interaction
• serious bullying (including cyberbullying), causing children frequently to feel frightened or in danger
• the exploitation or corruption of children
• emotional abuse in sport might also include situations where parents or coaches subject children to constant criticism, bullying or pressure to perform at a level that the child cannot realistically be expected to achieve.

Some level of emotional abuse is involved in all types of maltreatment of a child.

Bullying (including cyberbullying) may be seen as deliberately hurtful behaviour, usually repeated or sustained over a period of time, where it is difficult for those being bullied to defend themselves.  The bully may often be another young person.  Although anyone can be the target of bullying, victims are typically shy, sensitive and perhaps anxious or insecure.  Sometimes they are singled out for physical reasons – being overweight, physically small, having a disability or belonging to a different race, faith or culture.

Recognising Abuse                                                                            

 It is not always easy, even for the most experienced carers, to spot when a child has been abused.  However, some of the more typical symptoms which should trigger your suspicions would include:

 unexplained or suspicious injuries such as bruising, cuts or burns, particularly if situated on a part of the body not normally prone to such injuries

• sexually explicit language or actions
• a sudden change in behaviour (eg. becoming very quiet, withdrawn or displaying sudden outbursts of temper)
• the child describes what appears to be an abusive act involving him/her
• a change observed over a long period of time (eg. the child losing weight or becoming increasingly dirty or unkempt)
• a general distrust and avoidance of adults, especially those with whom a close relationship would be expected
• an unexpected reaction to normal physical contact
• difficulty in making friends or abnormal restrictions on socialising with others.

 It is important to note that a child could be displaying some or all of these signs, or behaving in a way which is worrying, without this necessarily meaning that the child is being abused.  Similarly, there may not be any signs, but you may just feel that something is wrong.  If you have noticed a change in the child’s behaviour, first talk to the parents or carers.  It may be that something has happened, such as a bereavement, which has caused the child to be unhappy. 

If you are concerned

If there are concerns about sexual abuse or violence in the home, talking to the parents or carers might put the child at greater risk.  If you cannot talk to the parents/carers, consult your organisation’s designated Child Protection/Welfare Officer or the person in charge.  It is this person’s responsibility to make the decision to contact Children’s Social Care Services or the Police.  It is NOT their responsibility to decide if abuse is taking place, BUT it is their responsibility to act on your concerns.

Appendix B - RYA Code of Ethics and Conduct for Instructors, Trainers and Coaches        

 Sports training and coaching helps the development of individuals through improving their performance

This is achieved by:

 Identifying and meeting the needs of individuals.

• Improving performance through a progressing programme of safe, guided practice, measured performance and/or competition.
• Creating an environment in which individuals are motivated to maintain participation and improve performance.

 Instructors, Trainers and Coaches should comply with the principles of good ethical practice listed below.  They must:

 If working with young people under the age of 18, have read and understood the Child Protection Policy as detailed on the RYA website at www.rya.org.uk  under Working with Us.

 Respect the rights, dignity and worth of every person and treat everyone equally within the context of their sport.

 Place the well-being and safety of the student above the development of performance.  They should follow all guidelines laid down by the sport’s governing body and hold appropriate insurance cover.

 Develop an appropriate working relationship with students (especially children), based on mutual trust and respect and not exert undue influence to obtain personal benefit or reward.

1.  Encourage and guide students to accept responsibility for their own behaviour and performance.
2.  Hold relevant up to date and nationally recognised governing body qualifications.
3.  Ensure that the activities they direct or advocate are appropriate for the age, maturity, experience and ability of the individual.
4.  At the outset, clarify with students (and where appropriate their parents) exactly what is expected of them and what they are entitled to expect.
5.  Always promote the positive aspects of their sport (eg. courtesy to other water users).
6.  Consistently display high standards of behaviour and appearance.
   

Appendix C – RYA Coach Code of Ethics and Conduct

 Sports Coaching helps the development of individuals through improving their performance.

 This is achieved by:

1. Identifying and meeting the needs of individuals.
2. Improving performance through a progressing programme of safe, guided practice, measured performance and/or competition.
3. Creating an environment in which individuals are motivated to maintain participation and improve performance.

 Coaches should comply with the principles of good ethical practice listed below.

1          All RYA Coaches working with sailors under the age of 18 must have read and understood the Child Protection Policy as detailed on the RYA website at www.rya.org.uk.  If you are unable to access the website please contact the Racing Department for a copy.

2          Coaches must respect the rights, dignity and worth of every person and treat everyone equally within the context of their sport.

3          Coaches must place the well-being and safety of the performer above the development of performance.  They should follow all guidelines laid down by the sport’s governing body and hold appropriate insurance cover.

4          Coaches must develop an appropriate working relationship with performers based on mutual trust and respect.  Coaches must not exert undue influence to obtain personal benefit or reward.

5          Coaches must encourage and guide performers to accept responsibility for their own behaviour and performance.

6          Coaches should hold up to date and nationally recognised governing body coaching qualifications.

7          Coaches must ensure that the activities they direct or advocate are appropriate for the age, maturity, experience and ability of the individual.

8          Coaches should, at the outset, clarify with performers (and where appropriate their parents) exactly what is expected of them and what performers are entitled to expect from their coach.  A contract may sometimes be appropriate.

9          Coaches should co-operate fully with other specialists (eg. other coaches, officials, sports scientists, doctors, physiotherapists) in the best interests of the performer.

10        Coaches should always promote the positive aspects of their sport (eg. fair play) and never condone rule violations or the use of prohibited substances.

11        Coaches must consistently display high standards of behaviour and appearance