GREATER MANCHESTER COUNTY NETBALL ASSOCIATION

CHILD PROTECTION POLICY AND PROCEDURES

POLICY STATEMENT

1. The Greater Manchester County Netball Association (the County) recognises the personal dignity and the rights of children/young persons/vulnerable adults (clients) towards whom it has a special responsibility and duty of care.

2. The County undertakes to do all in its power to promote a safe environment for the clients and protect them from abuse.

3. The County will set up disciplinary and appeals procedures, as outlined in the constitution, to respond to reported incidents of ‘poor practice’.

4. The County will liaise closely with statutory agencies to ensure that any allegations of abuse are dealt with promptly and fairly.

STATEMENTS OF PRINCIPLE AS A BASIS FOR ACTION

  1. Managing the County
  1. Adopt a policy statement on safeguarding the welfare of children/young persons/vulnerable adults (the client).
  2. Plan the work of the County to minimise situations where the abuse of the client may occur.
  3. Appoint a Child Protection Officer.
  4. Records of any disclosure/discussion to be kept.
  1. Managing paid staff and volunteers
  1. Apply agreed procedures for protecting the client to all paid staff and volunteers.
  2. Give all paid staff (when appropriate) and volunteers clear roles.
  3. Use supervision as a means of protecting the client.

C. Choosing the right paid staff and volunteers

  1. Treat all would be staff and volunteers as job applicants for any position involving contact with the client.
  2. Gain 2 references from people who have known the applicant for at least 2 years. One of who may be a family member.
  3. Explore all applicants’ experience of working/contact with the client in interview before appointment.
  4. Find out if any applicant has any convictions for criminal offences against the client.
  5. Make paid and volunteer appointments conditional on the successful completion of a probationary period.
  1. Dealing with abuse
  1. Issue guidelines on how to deal with the disclosure or discovery of abuse.

E. Training

  1. Train paid staff and volunteers, line managers or supervisors and policy makers in the prevention of child abuse.

DOCUMENTATION FOR ACTION

  1. Managing the Organisation (the County)
  1. The Committee agree and implement the agreed Policy.
  2. Squads should have:

2 leaders minimum

Registers

Parental Consent

Medical Information (Permission for medical attention)

Transport to fixtures (1 adult to 10 players)

Name and Telephone number of Child Protection Officer

Players’ Forum – for each squad – to take place at least twice between the start of practices until the end of the season

General Forum to take place during January consisting of 2 Representatives from each Squad and County Officers

  1. Name and telephone number of the Child Protection Officer, Social Services and Police to be made available to all clients
  2. Records of disclosure/discussion written up and kept by The Child Protection Officer.
  3. Register of all accepted volunteers to be kept each season and sent to the Lead Signatory.
  1. Managing paid staff and volunteers
  1. Code of Conduct for Staff and Volunteers.
  2. Job descriptions to Coaches, Assistant Coaches, Team Managers to be signed by them in agreement.

C. Choosing the right paid staff and volunteers

  1. Application Form and Job Description
  2. Referees
  3. Interview
  4. CRB Check
  5. Letter of Appointment

D. Dealing with abuse

  1. Child protection procedures for volunteers/paid personnel.
  2. Child protection procedures for Child Protection Officer.

E. Training

1. The County to pay for attendance and updating courses on child protection issues.

CODE OF CONDUCT FOR VOLUNTEERS

As a volunteer in the Netball Association I will try to work within the following guidelines:

Always ensure I am never left alone with one child/client. Avoid situations where an individual child/client and myself are completely unobserved.

If any form of physical support is required, it will be provided openly and according to guidelines as provided by the AENA.

Where possible, parents/carers will take on the responsibility for their young people in the changing rooms. If young people have to be supervised in the changing rooms, I will try to ensure coaches work in pairs.

Encourage an open environment (i.e. no secrets, always explain why I am doing something in that way, encourage a diplomatic approach to the Association’s activities with young people being able to put their views forward).

Where there are mixed teams away from home, I will ensure they are accompanied by an adult male and an adult female coach/official.

If working with girls/young women’s team, I must agree with parents/carers when, or if, it is appropriate to enter the changing area.

Include young people in committee decisions to ensure their voice is hear.

Aware of ‘power’, ‘position’ and ‘influence’ over clients.

Inform parents/guardians of activities, travel and competition arrangements.

I will avoid:

  • Spending excessive amounts of time alone with young people away from others
  • Taking young people alone on car journeys, however short.
  • Taking young people to my home where they will be alone with me.

I will never

Engage in rough, physical or sexually provocative games, including horseplay

Share a room with a young person

Allow or engage in any form of inappropriate touching

Allow young people to use inappropriate language unchallenged

Make sexually suggestive comments to a young person, even in fun

Do things of a personal nature for young people that they can do for themselves

Invite or allow young people to stay with me at my home unsupervised

Allow allegations made by a child to go unchallenged, unrecorded or not acted upon.

Use topics or language of an inappropriate level to the clients.

CODE OF CONDUCT FOR YOUNG PLAYERS

Make Manchester even Greater

Make ever effort to play fairly

Accept decision of umpires who are there to interpret the rules.

Never use bad language or insult opponents, coaches or spectators.

Commitment to squad.

Have fun, reach for the top and always try your best.

Enjoy yourself, know the rules of Netball and play by the spirit of the rules.

Support one another on and off court.

Treat team-mates, coaches, umpires and opponents with respect.

Everyone has the right to participate and improve.

Realise that without opponents, there would not be a game.

Remember

A stranger is someone you do not know. You must never go anywhere with anyone you don’t know. You must always ask your parents/carers if it is OK to go with someone.

Other people (even relations) are not always good. They can hurt, bully and upset young people, so you must be very careful. Good adults do not ask young people to keep secrets. You must tell.

If you tell your parents/carers or coach that you are going somewhere, you should always go there. If you change your mind you should let them know before you go.

Your body belongs to you and the parts of your body that are covered by a swimming costume are private and should not be touched. Sometimes a Doctor or Nurse might have to touch there, but your parents/carers must always be there. If not, you can ask for someone else to be there.

If anyone does anything you do not like, you must tell an adult that you trust. If they do not believe you, you must tell another adult until you are believed.

You should know your address and telephone number, and know how to make a reversed charge call should you need picking up or are in any sort of trouble.

If your parents/carers send someone to pick you up from Netball, they should use a secret code word, which your parents/carers and you have arranged. Your parents/carers should let your coach know when someone other than them is collecting you.

If you see a friend getting into a care or going off with a stranger, you must not go near enough for them to get you, but you should shout and tell them not to go, and then go and tell an adult.

It is always OK to say ‘no’ to someone, even a grown up, who is trying to make you feel uncomfortable.

Shout and run away if someone frightens you or follows you. Go towards places where there are people, or knock on someone’s door and ask for help.

Remember keeping safe is the important thing. You can break normal rules in order to stay safe.

EXAMPLE CODE OF CONDUCT FOR ALL PLAYERS

  1. All players must be fully committed to the squad and its members.
  1. All players must respect all officials, coaches, opponents and team players.
  1. Players must always wear the correct kit, no jewellery, hair tied back and short nails, with laces tied.
  1. No player must consume alcohol, take drugs or smoke whilst representing the County.
  1. All reasons for not attending training sessions must be valid. Players must inform coaches or the team manager. Without a valid reason, the player will not play the following match.
  1. All players must listen to advice and instructions carefully, play with enthusiasm and to the best of their ability.
  1. Players must ensure they have plenty of fluids and snacks at training and competitions.
  1. Players should play as a team, for the team and not as individuals.
  1. All mobiles must be switched off during training sessions and competitions.

CODE OF CONDUCT FOR PARENTS/GUARDIANS

  1. Encourage your child/young person/vulnerable adult (client) to learn the rules and play within them.
  1. Discourage unfair play and arguing with officials.
  1. Help the client to recognise good performance, not just results.
  1. Never force the client to take part in sport.
  1. Set a good example by recognising fair play and applauding the good performances of all.
  1. Never punish or belittle a client for losing or making mistakes.
  1. Publicly accept officials’ judgements.
  1. Support the client’s involvement and help them to enjoy their sport.
  1. Use correct and proper language at all times.
  1. All mobiles must be switched off during training sessions and competitions.
  1. If a client is removed from the care of a coach the corresponding parent/ guardian must complete and sign a copy of the form below (Appendix XII), which will be available from the Team Manager.

If an onlooker/supporter/parent does not follow this code of conduct, an Umpire or County Official is empowered to have them removed from the court.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF REMOVAL

Event……………………………………….

Date………………………………………...

Name of Player…………………………….

SIGNATURE………………………………Date………………………….

Parent/Guardian

SIGNATURE………………………………Date………………………….

Coach

First Response

Sign, Symptom or Disclosure

ACTION

In an emergencyIs the child inReassure the child,

Get medical helpimmediate danger oryoung person that

risk?it is not their fault

YESNO

Immediate contact theContact the Child Protection

Officer

Police

Telephone No:Telephone No:

Social Services

Telephone No:

RESPONDING TO DISCLOSURE

If a child/young person/vulnerable adult (Client) chooses to tell you that something has happened to them the following guidelines might be of assistance:

Do listen to a client and let them know that you are glad that they have told you

Do reassure the client that they were right to come to you

Do establish whether they need immediate help

Do explain that you want to try and help

Do explain that in order to try to help them you will need to talk to others

Do establish how they feel about that

Do try to give them some information about next steps, who you will be talking to, when, what might happen

Do explain what their rights are

Do deliver if you promise

Do ask the client’s permission to write down what they have told you

Do explain why you have to write things down

Do make an accurate record – fact not fiction

Do consult the County Child Protection Officer immediately

Do Not question the client about what they have told you

Do Not promise anything you cannot deliver

Do Not show horror or revulsion or show upset, whatever a client tells you

Do Not do things without telling the client first

Do Not panic

PHOTOGRAPHY

1Complete Registration form to be retained by Tournament Referee or nominated person.

2Issue badge to be worn by anyone wishing to use photographic equipment.

3Complete Notification form to be given to opposing team representative.

4A poster A4 size to be displayed at all home fixtures and competitions.

APPENDICES

I What is Abuse?

II Permission to use photographic equipment

III Consent form for parents/carers

IVPlayers Registration

VRisk Assessment form

VIAccident Report form

VIIJob Application Form and A Self-Declaration Form

VIIIJob Descriptions

IXLetter to Referee

XLetter of Appointment

XIRegistration of Volunteers

XIIRemoval Acknowledgement

WHAT IS ABUSE

There are four main forms of abuse: Neglect, Physical, Sexual and Emotional.

Neglect: Where adults fail to meet a child’s basic needs like food or warm clothing, fail or refuse to give young people love, affection and attention. Constantly leaving your people alone or unsupervised would fall into this category.

Neglect in Netball could include a coach not ensuring your people are safe, exposing them to undue cold or to unnecessary risk of injury.

Physical abuse: Where adults and other young people, physically hurt or injure others by hitting, shaking, squeezing, burning or biting, bullying or by giving them alcohol, inappropriate drugs or poison. Attempted suffocation or drowning also comes within this category.

In Netball, physical abuse might occur when the nature and intensity of training exceeds the capacity of the child’s immature and growing body or if illegal drugs are advocated to improve the young person’s performance.

Sexual abuse: Girls and boys are abused by adults – both male and female – who use them to meet their own sexual needs. This could include full sexual intercourse, masturbation, oral sex, anal intercourse and fondling. Showing young people pornographic material (books, videos, pictures) is a form of sexual abuse. Taking pornographic photographs and videos of young people in inappropriate sporting positions is also classified as sexual abuse. Sports, which necessitate physical support with young people, could potentially create situations where sexual abuse may go unnoticed.

In Netball, physical support is generally unnecessary; therefore physical contact should be minimal.

Emotional abuse: Persistent lack of love and affection, where a young person may be constantly shouted at, threatened or taunted, which may make the child very nervous and withdrawn. Emotional abuse may also occur when there is constant overprotection (which prevents young people from socialising), or where there is neglect, physical or sexual abuse. Racism is a form of emotional abuse.

In Netball, emotional abuse might occur if young people are subjected to constant criticism, bullying or unrealistic pressure to perform to high expectations consistently. The power of the coach over young performs, if misused, may also lead to abusive situations developing.

Indications that a young person may be being abused include but are not limited to the following:

Someone else (a young person or adult) expresses concern about the welfare of another young person

Unexplained changes in behaviour (e.g. becoming very quiet, withdrawn or displaying sudden outbursts of temper)

Distrust of adults, particularly those with whom a close relationship would normally be expected

Has difficulty in making friends

Displays variations in eating patterns including overeating or loss of appetite/weight

Is prevented from socialising with other young people

Becomes increasingly dirty or unkempt

Inappropriate sexual awareness

Engaging in sexually explicit behaviour

The young person describes what appears to be an abusive act involving him/her

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

An injury for which the explanation seems inconsistent.

GUIDELINES FOR USE OF PHOTOGRAPHIC EQUIPMENT

The AENA Duty of Care guidelines recommend that all clubs should record the name and address of any spectator who wishes us use photographic equipment to record the activities at a tournament.

In line with this recommendation, the county of any event require that any person wishing to engage in any photographic activity should register their details with staff at the event organiser’s desk before carrying out any such photograph.

The event/tournament organiser reserves the right of entry to this event/tournament and reserves the right to decline entry to any person unable to meet or abide by the event/tournament organiser’s conditions. If you are concerned about any photography-taking place at this event/tournament, please contact the event/tournament organiser who will be pleased to discuss the matter with you.

REGISTRATION FORM

FOR USE OF ANY PHOTOGRAPHIC EQUIPMENT

DATE:______VENUE:______

Name & Address