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Written by Andrew Charlesworth

 

 

 

 

Old Bordenian Hockey Club

 

 

 

 

Safeguarding and Protecting

Young People Policy

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

March 2011

 


 

INTRODUCTION

This policy has been developed in accordance with the principles established by the Children Act 1989 and 2004, The Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006,

The Framework for the Assessment of Children in Need and their Families, Working Together to Safeguard Children and Protecting Young People in Hockey (2011)

The members of the Old Bordenian Hockey Club take seriously our responsibility to promote the welfare and safeguard all the children and young people entrusted to our care.

The Club has or more Designated Child Protection Co-ordinators (DCPC) who will be nominated by the club committee.

As part of the ethos of the clubs we are committed to:

 

  • Maintaining the welfare of children and young persons as a paramount concern.

 

  • Providing an environment in which children and young people of all ethnic and national groups feel safe, secure, valued and respected; confident to talk openly and sure of being listened to.

 

  • Recognising that we live in a multi-cultural and multi-faith community and thereby seek to provide suitable support and guidance for children and young people that acknowledges this. These and all other practices within the club will actively promote the value of all cultures and promote racial harmony

 

  • Working with parents to build an understanding of the club’s responsibility to ensure the welfare of children and young people including the need for referral to other agencies in some situations

 

  • Ensuring all club members are able to recognise the signs and symptoms of abuse and are aware of the club’s procedures and lines of communication

 

  • Keeping any child protection records confidential and stored securely.

 

  • Promoting race equality within all Child Protection practices and procedures

 

 

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

 

Old Bordenian Hockey Club

The club is responsible for ensuring that all action taken is in line with the Kent Child Protection Committee’s Child in Need/Child Protection procedures.

The role of the club within this procedure is to contribute to the identification, referral and assessment of children in need including children or young people who may have suffered, be suffering or who are at risk of suffering significant harm.

All adults in club have a role to play in promoting the welfare and protecting children and young people from harm.

The role of the club in situations where there are child protection concerns is NOT to investigate but to recognise and refer.

Designated Child Protection Co-ordinator (DCPC)

The Designated Child Protection Co-ordinator(s) is responsible for:

  • Co-ordinating safeguarding action within the club.
  • Ensuring that locally established procedures are followed including reporting and referral processes.
  • Acting as a consultant for members to discuss concerns.
  • Making referrals as necessary.

 

Contact details for the DCPC (s) will be published within club documentation and website so they are readily available to all members.

 

GENERAL STRATEGIES

Photography and persons under the age of 18

Images taken by any member of the Old Bordenian Hockey Club for use in association with any club activity using digital photographic processes and any adaptation using appropriate software may be used within the confines of the club for prescribed display purposes. Digital images which identify individual children and young people under the age of 18 taken as part of any club related activity will not be used for publicity purposes outside the clubhouse environment or posted on any Internet website without the prior written consent of the parent/carer of each child concerned.

Video images may be collected and used by designated members of the club’s coaching staff for the sole purpose of retrospective coaching within the coaching structure of the club and following agreement by the club committee. Material collected in this manner may not be used for external purposes without the explicit approval of the committee and without the prior written consent of the parent/carer of each child concerned.

The club does not seek to prohibit parents from taking stills or video footage of their son/daughter undertaking a club activity on the understanding that any such material is only for their own personal use.

The use of camera telephones within a changing room environment for any purpose is strictly forbidden at any time.

 

PROCEDURES

Recognition and categories of abuse

All members should be aware of the definitions and signs and symptoms of abuse. There are four categories of abuse. These are:

 

 

The signs and symptoms of abuse are clearly displayed in the clubhouse at Borden Grammar School and additional information will be distributed to club members as appropriate.

Responding to concerns

Concerns for a child or young person may come to the attention of member in a variety of ways for example through observation of behaviour or injuries or disclosure. Any club member who has a concern for a child or young person however insignificant this might appear to be should discuss this with the DCPC(s) as soon as is practically possible.

If a child makes a disclosure of abuse to a member of the club they should:

Record keeping

Members can play a vital role in helping children in need or at risk by effective monitoring and record keeping. Any incident relating to a child or young person that gives cause for concern should be recorded. It is important that records are factual and reflect the words used by the child or young person. Opinion should not be given unless there is some form of evidence base that can also be quoted. All details (including all additional notes) must be signed and dated. It is important to remember that issues are strictly confidential. Relevant documentation will be supplied to the Social Services team as required.

Referrals to Social Services

Where it is brought to the attention of officials in the club it is the responsibility of the DCPC to make a referral to Social Services.  Advice may also be sought from Social Services who offer opportunities for consultation as part of the Child in need / child protection process. In all but the most exceptional cases parents / carers will be made aware of the concerns felt for a child or young person at the earliest possible stage and in the event of this becoming necessary, their consent to a referral to Social Services will be sought.

If a child or young person is referred, the DCPC will ensure that the Chairperson of the Old Bordenian Hockey Club is aware that a referral has been made.

Any member of the club can make a personal referral to Social Services if they feel that this is appropriate but they should notify the DCPC(s) or Chairperson of their decision should it relate to activities of the club.

Concerns involving club members

Any concerns that involve allegations against any member of the Old Bordenian Hockey Club should be referred immediately to the Chairperson of the club who will notify the DCPC.

Following consultation  with Social Services a ‘Member Disciplinary Sub-Committee’, nominated by the full club committee, will convene to decide any action in line with club disciplinary policy. This sub-committee may not include the Chairperson of the Old Bordenian Club who will be responsible for considering any appeal related to decisions made by the ‘Member Disciplinary Sub-Committee’.

Any action taken by any club committee will not influence decisions to involve Social Services or any other agency

CODE OF PRACTICE

All club members should take care not to place themselves in a vulnerable position with relation to child protection.  It is always advisable for work with individual children or parents to be conducted in view of other adults.  Physical intervention should only be used when the child or young person is likely to endanger him/herself or others and such events should be recorded and signed by a witness.

All club members should work towards providing an environment and atmosphere for children and young people to enable them to feel safe to talk.  However, club members should never promise a child or young person to keep certain information confidential.  It must be explained that club members have certain duties to help keep that child or young person safe, which may involve informing others.

TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES

The club committee, in conjunction with the DCPC(s) will ensure that:

The DCPC(s) will ensure all members are made aware of issues relating Child Protection and to whom they should speak to should any concern be brought to their attention at the beginning of each season.

MONITORING AND REVIEW

All members of the club will have had access to a copy of this policy through the club website. The contents of the policy will be discussed and ratified by the committee of the Old Bordenian Hockey Club.

 

The policy will be reviewed at the first committee meeting after the conclusion of the 2011 - 12 season.

  • Physical abuse
  • Sexual abuse
  • Emotional abuse
  • Neglect
    • Allow the child or young person to make the disclosure at their own pace and in their own way.
    • Avoid interrupting except to clarify what the child is saying.
    • Not ask leading questions or probe for information that the child or young person does not volunteer.
    • Reassure the child or young person that they have been heard and explain what you will do next and to whom you will talk.
    • Record the conversation as soon as possible.
    • Inform the DCPC(s)
    • Information related to child protection is clearly displayed in the clubhouse and available to all club members
    • Those members responsible for the welfare of children or young persons undertaking a club activity have received awareness training related to child protection.
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