1 GOOD PRACTICE IN ROWING
Participant Welfare, Good Practice and Child Protection Policy and Procedures
1.1 Introduction
Everyone who participates in Rowing is entitled to do so in an enjoyable and safe environment. To ensure this, Deal Rowing Club (DRC) has adopted the principles of the Amateur Rowing Association (ARA) that all its personnel and member clubs should follow.These principles apply to all participants, but young people in particular are entitled to a higher duty of care and to be protected from poor practice or abuse. Abuse can occur within many situations including the home, school and the sporting environment. Some individuals will actively seek employment or voluntary work with children in order to harm them. Deal Rowing Club (DRC) is committed to devising and implementing policies so that everyone in the sport accepts their responsibilities to safeguard children from harm and abuse. This means following procedures to protect children and to report any concerns about their welfare to appropriate authorities.Everyone working in rowing either in a paid or a voluntary capacity, together with those working in affiliated organisations, has a role to play in safeguarding the welfare of children and preventing their abuse. Anyone may have regular contact with children and be a very important link in identifying cases where a child needs protection. The Association advises that coaches of Juniors be ARA qualified and that in any case they fully accept the Sportscoach UK Code of Conduct which is included in all ARA Coaching Course Handbooks.
All policies and procedures discussed below refer to vulnerable adults as well as to children.
DRC is committed to the following:the welfare of young people is paramount
The following terms and abbreviations are used in this document.Anyone under the age of 18 is considered to be a child/young person
CPO: Child Protection Officer (of the ARA)
CRB: Criminal Records Bureau
2.1 Introduction
To provide young people with the best possible experience and opportunities in Rowing, everyone must operate within an accepted ethical framework (such as the Sportscoach UK Code of Conduct) and demonstrate exemplary behaviour. Not only will this allow Rowing to make a positive contribution to the development of young people and safeguards their welfare, but it also protects all personnel from the risk of false allegations of abuse or poor practice.It is not always easy to distinguish poor practice from abuse, whether intentional or accidental. It is not therefore the responsibility of employees or participants in Rowing to make judgements about whether or not abuse is taking place. It is, however, their responsibility to identify poor practice and possible abuse and to act if they have concerns about the welfare of a child, as explained in section 4. This section will help you identify what is meant by good practice, poor practice and abuse.
All personnel should adhere to the following principles and actions.Before undertaking any activities involving young people, conduct a risk assessment to identify possible sources of danger and take appropriate action to minimise these risks
The following are regarded as poor practice and should be avoided by all personnel.Unnecessarily spending excessive amounts of time alone with children away from others
Abuse in all its forms can affect a child at any age. The effects can be so damaging that if not treated, they may follow an individual into adulthood. For example, an adult who has been abused as a child may find it difficult, or impossible, to maintain a stable, trusting relationship; may become involved with drugs or prostitution; may attempt suicide; or may abuse a child in the future.Children with disabilities may be at increased risk of abuse through various factors such as stereotyping, prejudice, discrimination, isolation, and a powerlessness to protect themselves, or adequately to communicate that abuse has occurred. Children from ethnic minorities, who may also be experiencing racial discrimination, may be, or feel, doubly powerless in these respects.Abuse may take a number of forms, and may be classified under the following headings:
Neglect
Physical Abuse
This is where someone physically hurts or injures children, for example by hitting, shaking, throwing, squeezing, burning, suffocating and biting or otherwise causing physical harm to a child. Giving children alcohol or inappropriate drugs would also constitute physical abuse.
In sports situations, physical abuse might occur when the nature and intensity of training disregard the capacity of the child’s immature and growing body.
Emotional Abuse
Persistent lack of love and affection, where children may be led to believe that they are worthless or unloved, inadequate or valued only insofar as they meet the needs of another person. It may involve the child being constantly shouted at, threatened or taunted which may make the child very nervous and withdrawn. It may also feature age or developmentally inappropriate expectations being imposed on children. Emotional abuse also occurs when there is constant overprotection, which prevents children from socialising.Emotional abuse in sport might include situations where children are subjected by a parent or coach to constant criticism, name-calling, sarcasm, bullying, racism or unrealistic pressure in order to perform to high expectations.
This may be bullying of a child by an adult or another child. Bullying is defined as deliberate hurtful behaviour, usually repeated over a period if time, where it is difficult for those bullied to defend themselves. It may be physical (e.g. hitting, kicking, theft), verbal (e.g. racist or homophobic remarks, threats, name-calling, graffiti, abusive text messages transmitted by phone or on the internet), emotional (e.g. tormenting, ridiculing, humiliating, ignoring, isolating from the group), or sexual (e.g. unwanted physical contact or abusive comments).In sport, bullying may arise when a parent pushes a child too hard to succeed, a coach adopts a win-at-all-costs philosophy, or a rival athlete or official uses bullying behaviour.
2.5 Indicators of abuse
Even for those experienced in working with child abuse, it is not always easy to recognise a situation where abuse may occur or has already taken place. The ARA acknowledges that most people involved in Rowing are not experts in such recognition, but indications that a child is being abused may include one or more of the following: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
Signs of bullying may includeBehavioural changes such as reduced concentration or becoming withdrawn, clingy, depressed, tearful, emotionally up and down, reluctant to go to training or to competitions
3.1 Introduction
Anyone may have the potential to abuse children in some way and it is important that all reasonable steps are taken to prevent unsuitable people from working with children. This applies equally to volunteers as well as paid staff, and to both part time and full time workers. The procedures set out below are expressed in terms that apply to paid staff, but equivalent procedures should be used in respect of volunteers. The particular circumstances of individual cases need to be taken into account, but the fundamental principle is that those in charge of activities involving young people must take all reasonable steps to satisfy themselves as to the suitability of those who are given access to the children in their care.
3.2 Controlling access to children
Applicants for positions that involve significant access to young people (for example junior coaches or junior co-ordinators) should first complete procedures designed to elicit information about their past career (including any gaps), and to disclose any criminal record or other matter that has a bearing on their suitability to work with children e.g. previous investigations with police or social services or disciplinary investigations in relation to work with children. It should be made clear that failure to disclose relevant information will result in disciplinary action and possible dismissal or exclusion.Consent should be obtained from applicants for checks to be conducted to determine whether any relevant information on them is held by the Criminal Records Bureau. At least two references should be taken up in relation to professional staff, including at least one regarding previous work with children – see Appendix 1. Similar procedures should be applied for volunteers; for example where a coach transfers from one club to another, it would be appropriate to contact the previous club to see whether there is any reason that they should not be given access to young people. All information received in relation to applicants must be kept secure and treated with strict confidentiality.
All personnel who will have significant access to young people must first be vetted to establish whether they have any criminal convictions or other past behaviour that suggests they are unsuitable to work with children. This applies equally to paid staff and volunteers. This is done by obtaining a Disclosure about the individual from the Criminal Records Bureau. The required procedure is explained in Appendix 2.In the past, before the Criminal Records Bureau was established, applicants completed a self-declaration form containing similar information, and giving their consent to have checks made about them with the police and social services. This procedure is no longer available for new applications, but those people who have previously submitted such a form in relation to their existing activities in a particular club need not obtain a Disclosure from the Criminal Records Bureau for the time being. However, anyone applying for a new position, including those who move to a different club, must now obtain the CRB Disclosure.It is important to emphasise that the absence of any relevant disclosure emerging from this vetting process does not guarantee that the individual is safe to work with children, so it should not be relied on excessively. It is only one of a number of factors in the initial assessment of the person’s suitability for such responsibilities.
3.4 The Welfare Officer within the club
DRC will seek to appoint a Welfare Officer to advise the club committee on compliance with all the procedures described in this booklet and to act as a focal point for reporting any concerns. This person will have the primary responsibility to check that everyone who has significant access to young people within the club is suitable for that role and has been vetted as described above. The person appointed should be identifiable to the junior members of the club and their parents, but should have a degree of independence from their activities – for example he or she should not be the junior co-ordinator or actively coaching juniors. The Welfare Officer should undergo the vetting procedure described at 3.3 above.
3.5 Training
4.1 Introduction
Most cases of child abuse in fact take place within the family setting. However, abuse can and does occur in other situations as well, which may include sport or other social activities, and is rarely a one-off event when it occurs within such a setting. It is crucial that those involved in rowing are aware of this possibility and that all allegations are taken seriously and appropriate action taken.It is not the responsibility of anyone within DRC, whether in a paid or a voluntary capacity, to decide whether or not child abuse is taking place. However, there is a responsibility to inform appropriate agencies of possible abuse so that they can then make inquiries and take any necessary action to protect the child. This applies both to suspicions of abuse occurring within the context of rowing activities and to allegations that abuse is taking place elsewhere. This section explains how you should respond to such concerns.
We may become aware of possible abuse in various ways. We may see it happening ourselves; we may suspect that it is occurring because of signs such as those listed in 2.5 above; it may be reported to us by someone else, or directly by the child affected.In the last of these cases, it is particularly important to respond appropriately. If a child says or indicates that he or she is being abused, or information is obtained which gives you concern that a child is being abused, you should:React calmly so as not to frighten the child
4.3 Recording information
4.4 Reporting the concern
Working within DRC
If you are working within DRC, you should inform the Welfare Officer or the person in charge of the club.
Working with athletes away from home
If you are working with athletes away from home (for example on training camps or at regattas), then you should inform the Head Coach or Team Manager.
Parents or carers
There is always a commitment to work in partnership with parents or carers where there are concerns about their children. Therefore, in most situations, it would be important to talk to parents or carers to help clarify any initial concerns. For example, if a child seems withdrawn, they may have experienced a bereavement in the family. However, there are circumstances in which a child might be placed at even greater risk were such concerns to be shared, e.g. where a parent or carer may be responsible for the abuse or not able to respond to the situation appropriately. In these situations, or where concerns still exist, any suspicion, allegation, or incident of abuse must be reported to appropriate agencies as soon as possible.
Social Services
The social services department has a statutory duty under the Children Act 1989 for the welfare of a child. When a child protection referral is made its staff have a legal responsibility to investigate. This may involve talking to the child and family and gathering information from other people who know the child. The telephone number is in the local phone book. Wherever possible, referrals telephoned to the social services department should be confirmed in writing within 24 hours. A record should also be made of the name and designation of the social services member of staff to whom the concerns were passed, together with the time and date of the call, in case any follow-up is needed.
The ARA
The person in charge may be unsure about whether the allegation constitutes abuse or not, and unclear about what action to take. There may be circumstances where allegations are about poor practice (which need not be referred to the social services or police) rather than abuse, but those responsible should consult with the Child Protection Officer (CPO) of the ARA who will gain further advice where there is any doubt. Notifying the CPO is also important because this matter may be just one of a series of other instances which together cause concern.
The discovery that a member of staff or volunteer may be abusing a child will raise feelings and concerns among other staff or volunteers, and it can be inherently difficult to report such matters. However, it is important that any concerns for the welfare of the child arising from abuse or harassment by a member of staff or volunteer should be reported immediately. DRC assures all members and volunteers that it will fully support and protect anyone who, in good faith, reports his or her concern that a colleague is or may be abusing a child.As indicated above an allegation of abuse may give rise to a child protection investigation by the social services department and/or a criminal investigation involving the police. In addition, if the abuse is alleged to have been committed in the course of a person’s employment, he or she will be subject to whatever disciplinary procedures and sanctions are provided for within the employment contract.However, for both volunteers and paid staff, if the abuse is alleged to have occurred within the context of rowing, it may also require disciplinary action by the club and/or the ARA. The Welfare Officer or other person in charge of the club should therefore inform the ARA’s Child Protection Officer of the circumstances. This may be done by letter to ARA headquarters; alternatively, the ARA’s Child Protection Officer may be contacted by telephone through the ARA’s National Manager.The ARA CPO, in consultation with the officers of the Association, will make a decision as to whether any immediate action is required.If the matter is being investigated by the police and/or social services, the ARA may decide to await the outcome of these investigations, which may well influence a disciplinary investigation, although not necessarily so. In appropriate cases, the club and/or the Association will suspend the individual concerned while an investigation is taking place. This is not intended to prejudge the outcome of the investigation, but simply to remove the individual from contact with children until the investigation is concluded. Irrespective of the findings of the social services or police inquiries, the Association will assess all individual cases under the appropriate misconduct/disciplinary procedure.
The disciplinary sanctions available include the following:
By the club – Suspension or exclusion from membership of the individual concerned, and such other sanctions are provided for within the club’s constitution
By the ARA – Suspension or withdrawal of the individual’s status as a registered member of the ARA, or his or her accreditation as a coach or an umpire, together with reprimands and fines as provided for within the Association’s Rules
4.6 Allegations of previous abuse
The Association has established a Child Protection Group to oversee the implementation of these procedures and to monitor their application in practice. It is this Group’s responsibility to check that the procedures continue to reflect the current recommendations of external agencies that specialise in child protection and are disseminated and applied by the Association’s members.The Group has designed a checklist for clubs and other organisations to monitor their own compliance with the requirements set out in this booklet; this is contained in Appendix 4. From time to time, checks will be conducted to verify the results of this self-monitoring procedure.The Group will make an annual report to the Association’s Executive Committee, through the Deputy Chairman – Corporate Governance, on the progress of its activities in implementing and monitoring these procedures, and on the incidence and outcome of cases that have arisen in the year.
Appendix 1 - Volunteer reference form
Appendix 2 - Procedures for obtaining CRB Disclosure
Appendix 3 - Incident report form
Appendix 4 - Child Protection audit checklist
Appendix 5 - Useful contact references