Safeguarding Commitment and Principles

INTRODUCTION

Sport & Physical Activity (SPA) is committed to ensuring so far as is reasonably practicable the safety of children and vulnerable adults (protected persons) who are on its property or who are engaged in SPA activities at any location.

SPA recognises the value of sport and the important role it plays in protected persons lives.

SPA is committed to ensuring all are able to enjoy and achieve through sport by being safe and free from harm when they take part.

SPA acknowledges that all protected persons have the right to be treated fairly.

This policy outlines SPA arrangements for the protection of any protected persons who come into contact with SPA, but is also intended to safeguard the interests of staff and students who work or come into contact with protected persons.

ARRANGEMENTS

Safe recruitment

All SPA staff and staff working on behalf of SPA who work directly with protected persons delivering a regulated activity will be subject to a Disclosure and Barring Check (DBS) or will be requested to view their portable DBS.

SPA will also check any qualifications required by staff for the regulated activity they undertake.

Record keeping

SPA will ensure records are kept of staff DBS and qualifications and renewals made every 3 years or as required where staff roles change or develop.

Induction and Training

During induction all SPA staff will have their responsibilities towards protected persons explained.

All SPA staff not in direct contact with protected persons will receive a copy of “Safeguarding: An Introduction.”

SPA staff who work directly with protected person will be expected to have attended a safeguarding training course through SPA or through a recognised National Governing Body.

Update training will take place as and when required such as any legislative changes or concerns being raised.

Safe Activities

SPA will ensure that written risk assessments are completed for all activities organised for protected persons which can be made available on request.

Any member of staff without a DBS who works directly with protected persons will be supervised by an SPA staff member with the appropriate check.

Safeguarding Concerns

All staff are encouraged to raise any conduct by a third party or concern about a protected person to named individuals, see below.

SPA takes any concern seriously and encourages any child or parent/guardian with any concerns about the conduct of another person or child to raise them with the people below.

Please raise any safeguarding concerns with:

Suzanne Glavin – Head of Sport & Physical Activity service via The Edge reception.

Andrew Lockwood – Assistant Head of Sport (Development) via The Edge reception.

All concerns will be treated in strict confidence.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Head of Sport will ensure:

  • Training is provided and time allowed to complete training.
  • Review all concerns and incidents and if appropriate initiate any disciplinary action.
  • Relevant incidents/concerns are escalated to University Senior Staff or the Local Authority Designated Officer
  • Act as the point of contact for any consultation over concerns

Senior Managers within SPA will ensure that:

Events and activities are organised and implemented in accordance with this guidance and the University Policy on Safeguarding Children, Young Person and Vulnerable Adults, together with the Protocol on Organising Activities for Children or Vulnerable Adults.

Will ensure risk assessment are completed and sent for approval assessments.

Will ensure that any safeguarding incident or concern is brought to the attention of the Head of Sport or Assistant Head of Sport (Development).

Staff for which they are responsible for are trained.

Health and Safety Officer will ensure that:

  • Risk assessments are reviewed and approved.

SPA Event/Activity Deliverers will ensure that:

Events and activities are delivered in accordance with this guidance and the University Policy on Safeguarding Children, Young Person and Vulnerable Adults, together with the Protocol on Organising Activities for Children or Vulnerable Adults.

Will ensure risk assessment are completed and sent for approval assessments.

Will ensure that any safeguarding incident or concern is brought to the attention of the Head of Sport or Assistant Head of Sport (Development).

SPA Staff:

Have a duty to behave appropriately towards protected persons and in line with any training provided.

Have a duty to ensure that any safeguarding incident or concern is brought to the attention of the Head of Sport or Assistant Head of Sport Development.

Third Party Hirers of SPA Facilities

It is a condition of hire that all hirers will fully co-operate at all times with the management of the site and the investigation of any safeguarding issue.

Prior to booking (where appropriate) third-party hires involving protected persons, may be required to confirm they have adequate supervision (by DBS check staff) and sign a code of conduct. Where an individual fails to co-operate with any official or blocks investigations into a specific safeguarding issue then their hire arrangement may be revoked with immediate effect.

Monitoring

Safeguarding issues including: training, policies, procedures, and concerns are monitored at the SPA Health and Safety Review Meetings.

Sport and Physical Activity Service – Safeguarding Principles

Purpose:

SPA recognises the value of sport and the important role it plays in children, young people and vulnerable adults (protected persons) lives. We are committed to ensuring all are able to enjoy and achieve through sport by being safe and free from harm when they take part.

For some roles you will be expected to have attended a safeguarding course and have completed a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. For all roles you should be given a copy of “Safeguarding: An Introduction”. This is a briefing for all staff and is aimed at staff who work in sports facilities which children and young people attend.

Core Expectations and Behaviours:

  • All children and vulnerable adults have the right to be valued and respected on our premises
  • You will show respect and treat all individuals with dignity whatever their age, ability, sex, race or role
  • You should avoid 1:1 contact whenever possible.
  • Do not engage in any unnecessary physical contact.
  • Do not give out your personal mobile number to a protected person or accept requests on social media
  • Do not make any sexually suggestive comments or use any unprofessional language within ear shot of any protected person.
  • Never swear or make insensitive comments or jokes.
  • Be mindful of your language and interactions with your peers and colleagues particularly in the presence of children and other customers
  • Do not allow inappropriate use of language without challenge e.g. racist, abusive, sexist
  • Do not take photographs of children on site without justification or consent
  • Staff should always be excellent role models
  • Never deter any protected person from making an allegation.
  • Report and follow the correct procedures when dealing with accident, incidents, behaviour and safeguarding concerns as outlined in your training
  • You must not ignore or stay quiet about any safeguarding concerns you may have or incidents you may observe (even if this involves a person who you know or work with)

What to do if a child is left on your site (e.g. late guardian pick up)

Be caring towards the child, place them in an open public place ensuring that a member of staff is supervising. If the delay becomes serious or raises any concerns, you should:

  1. The parent/guardian should be called in the first instance and a message left if we are unable to reach them. The child should continue to be supervised by one or more staff members in an open public space such as the Edge reception area.
  2. The parent/guardian should be called every 10-15 minutes if we have not received a response.
  3. If the parent/guardian has not been in contact with us and we are still taking care of the child after 2 hours, the police will be called.

Raising Concerns

All concerns will be treated in strict confidence.

If a protected person displays any behaviour or informs you of something that concerns you, try and remember what the child said/or did that caused you concern. You may wish to write some notes to assist you with this and then speak to one of the key contacts listed below who will speak to the University safeguarding leads as required.

If you are concerned about the behaviour of an external coach/teacher or instructor towards a protected person, its important you escalate your concern to your manager or one of the key contacts listed below who will take the appropriate steps.

It is not your responsibility to decide whether or not abuse or bullying is taking place or has taken place, but it is your responsibility to act upon any concerns you may have about poor practice or potential abuse.

The reporting of such concerns should never be delayed, and allegations made by children or young people must never be dismissed.

Managers should contact one of the SPA key contacts (on the CIMP contact list)

Head of Sport- Suzanne Glavin

Assistant Head of Sport (Development) – Andrew Lockwood

Signed:

Suzanne Glavin, Head of Sport & Physical Activity

Andrew Lockwood, Assistant Head of Sport (Development)