FINS SWIMMING CLUB POLICIES

Index

  • Safeguarding Information and Emergency Contact DetailsPage 2
  • Child Safeguarding PoliciesPage 4

-Anti-bullying PolicyPage 5

-Whistleblowing Policy and ProcedurePage 6

-Complaints / Allegations ProcedurePage 7

  • Equity PolicyPage 8
  • Privacy PolicyPage 11

Fins Swimming Club SafeguardingInformation and Emergency Contact Details

Welfare Officer
Name:Hannah Sorrell
Tel: 07521 096614

Welfare Officer (External)
Name: Ian Paterson
Tel: 07521 096614

Children’s Services
Tel: 0300 123 1630

Out Of Hours/Emergency Duty Team
Tel: 01483 517898

Local Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB)
Tel: 01372 833330

Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO)
Tel: 0300 200 1006

Police Child Protection Investigation Team
Tel: 101, ext 39667

Multi Agency Safeguarding Hob (MASH)
Tel: 01483 518505

National Governing Body (NGB)
Swim England Legal Affairs Department
Pavilion 3, SportPark
3 Oakwood Drive
Loughborough University
Leicestershire LE11 3QF
Tel: 01509 640270
E-mail:
Website:

Swim England Child Safeguarding Team
Keith Oddy: Independent Child Protection Officer (ICPO)

Jenni Dearman: National Child Safeguarding Coordinator (NCSC)

At the NGB address above.
Tel: 01509 640270
E-mail:

Swim England Disclosure and Barring Service
Samantha Massey: DBS Coordinator
Tel: 01509 618738
E-mail:

Child Power
Leaflets available from

Website and under 16s section:

Swim England Office of Judicial Administration (OJA)
Tel: 0161 2731044
E-mail:

Swimline Swim England/NSPCC Child Protection Helpline
Tel: 0808 100 4001

Swim England Signposting Help Desk
E-mail:

Other Services

NSPCC Child Protection in Sport Unit (CPSU)
Tel: 0116 366 5590
E-mail:
Website:

NSPCC Helpline
Tel: 0808 800 5000
Website:

ChildLine
Tel: 0800 1111
Website:

Kidscape
Tel: 020 7730 3300
Website:

FSC Child Safeguarding Policies

Fins Swimming Club refers to the Policies and Procedures contained in the Wavepower files on the British Swimming website as a guideline for best practice. The files contain mandatory requirements, practical information and good practice guidance all in one place. Fins Swimming Club has adopted the Wavepower policies and procedures where mandatory and will be working towards adopting other policies where appropriate.

The responsibility to safeguard children does not belong to any one person, but instead belongs to everyone who plays a part in delivering our sporting activities. Wavepower is intended for anyone involved in these activities and offers practical guidance and information on mandatory requirements and good practice.

It is to be used by all employed and self-employed staff, parents, children and all those who work with young members so that everyone involved in the sport can play their part in safeguarding children and young people.

Child Safeguarding Policy Statement

Fins Swimming Club (FSC) is committed to providing an environment in which all children and young people participating in its activities have a safe and positive experience. All staff at FSC have a part to play in looking after the children with whom we are working. We recognise that the welfare of the child is paramount, as enshrined in the Children Act 1989.

Our aims:-

  • To ensure that the child’s welfare is the first consideration.
  • To recognise that all children, regardless of age, disability, gender, racial heritage, religious belief, sexual orientation or identity, have a right to equal protection from all types of harm or abuse.
  • his or her concerns that a child is at risk of, or may actually be, being abused.
  • Ensure that all individuals who work with children at FSC, whether paid or voluntary, provide a positive, safe and enjoyable experience for children.
  • Appoint a welfare officer who will take the lead in dealing with all child safeguarding matters raised within the organization.
  • Ensure that the welfare officer’s name and contact details are known to all staff, swimmers and parents of swimmers.
  • Ensure the welfare officer is available to discuss issues of concern on matters of safeguarding and deal with such concerns appropriately.
  • Ensure that all individuals who work with children at FSC have undertaken appropriate training, have had the relevant DBS checks and follow practices for safeguarding children as outlined in Wavepower.
  • Provide all staff of FSC and parents of swimmers with the opportunity to raise concerns in a safe and confidential manner if they have a concern about a child’s welfare.
  • Ensure that all child safeguarding matters, whether they be concerns about child welfare or protection, are dealt with appropriately following the guidance set out in Wavepower.
  • Ensure that confidentiality is maintained appropriately and in line with the best interests of the child.
  • Ensure all papers relating to child safeguarding matters are held in a safe and secure manner.

Anti-Bullying Policy

Statement of Intent

Fins Swimming Club is committed to providing a caring, friendly and safe environment for all of our colleagues and swimmers so they can work/swim in a relaxed and secure atmosphere. Bullying of any kind is unacceptable at our club. If bullying does occur, all colleagues, swimmers or parents should be able to tell and know that incidents will be dealt with promptly and effectively. This means that anyone who knows that bullying is happening is expected to report this to the Manager.

For further information on bullying, please follow the link below to the Swim England Child Safeguarding Policies and Procedures document Wavepower.

Procedures

  • Report incidents of bullying to the Manager/Welfare Officer or another officer/employee of Fins Swimming Club.
  • In cases of serious bullying, the incidents are to be recorded by that person and referred to the welfare officer if he/she is not already aware.In serious cases, parents should be informed and will be asked to come in to a meeting to discuss the problem.
  • If necessary and appropriate, the police will be consulted.
  • The bullying behaviour, or threats of bullying, must be investigated and the bullying must be stopped quickly.
  • If bullying is found on the ‘balance of probability’ to have taken place, then appropriate action will be taken. This includes attempting to help the bully/bullies to change their behaviour.

Outcomes

  • The bully/bullies may be asked to genuinely apologise. Other consequences may take place.
  • In serious cases, suspension or even exclusion will be considered.
  • If possible, the members will be reconciled.
  • After the incident(s) have been investigated and dealt with, each case will be monitored to ensure repeated bullying does not take place.

Whistleblowing Policy and Procedure

For further information on whistleblowing, please follow the link below to the Swim England Child Safeguarding Policies and Procedures document Wavepower.

The concept of whistleblowing is important in any organisation that is committed to maintaining appropriate levels of safeguarding and good practice. Whistleblowing allows individuals to raise the alarm on any potential incident of poor practice or misconduct by members and staff. Fins Swimming Club is committed to developing a culture that is safe and encourages all those involved in aquatics to raise concerns of poor and/or unacceptable practice, breaches in safeguarding and/or incidents of abuse.

What to do if you want to report a concern

Contact our Office Manager either by telephoning 07944 165604 or by .

Your concern will be investigated fully and referred to the Director/s and/or necessary authorities where required.

The concern you raise will be treated in confidence and will be shared only on a need-to-know basis.

You will be given updates on how the enquiry is progressing if it is possible to do so.

Fins Swimming Club has a responsibility to protect you from harassment of any kind that results from your disclosure.

If the matter is proven/found on the balance of probabilities to be so the appropriate action will be taken against the individual(s) concerned.

If the matter is unproven/unfounded on the balance of probabilities to not have occurred, providing you raised the concern in good faith, no action will be taken against you.

Malicious allegations will be considered as a disciplinary offence.

Every effort will be made to provide feedback to you on the outcome and action taken on the matter you referred, but how much detail can be reported back to you will vary according to the nature and result of the investigation.

Complaints / Allegations Procedure

We take complaints or allegations about our work, staff and levels of service very seriously. If you are not satisfied, please follow the process for raising a formal complaint or allegation.

If you want to speak to someone about a complaint or allegation, you can call our office on 07944 165604 (office hours are 9:00am to 5:30pm Monday to Friday, excluding bank holidays), where we will try to resolve the issue if we can.

If you prefer to put your complaint in writing, please either send an email for the attention of The Manager r post to Fins Swimming Club, c/o Kings International College, Watchetts Drive, Camberley, Surrey GU15 2PQ.

What information we’ll need from you

We will need:

  • a clear, detailed description of what your complaint is about
  • copies of any letters or emails related to the complaint

We aim to respond to complaints within 2 working days. If we can’t reply to you within this time, we will let you know and tell you when you can expect a reply.

What happens next

When you’ve made your complaint, we will:

  • send an email to let you know that we’ve received it (as long as you’ve provided a valid email address)
  • fully investigate your complaint (looking at whether your questions were answered and what remedy would be fair and proportionate in the circumstances)

What to do if you’re not satisfied

If you are not satisfied with the outcome of your formal complaint you can ask for your complaint to be escalated to the Director/s.

Equity Policy

Fins Swimming Club is committed to ensuring that equity is incorporated across all aspects of its development. In doing so it acknowledges and adopts the following Sport England definition of sports equity:

Sports equity is about fairness in sport, equality of access, recognising inequalities and taking steps to address them. It is about changing the culture and structure of sport to ensure it becomes equally accessible to everyone in society. The swimming club respects the rights, dignity and worth of every person and will treat everyone equally within the context of their sport, regardless of age, ability, gender, race, ethnicity religious belief, sexuality or social/economic status.

The swimming club is committed to everyone having the right to enjoy their sport in an environment free from threat of intimidation, harassment and abuse. All swimming club clients have a responsibility to oppose discriminatory behaviour and promote equality of opportunity. The swimming club will deal with any incidence of discriminatory behaviour seriously and appropriately.

Disabled / Special Needs

Any person who approaches Fins Swimming Club to participate in our lessons that are disabled / special needs / minority groups are welcomed and participate within the normal programme.

All office staff are briefed on how to take a booking and the following is the swimming club procedures for accommodating the above groups within the programme:

At the time of booking ask the prospective client about their requirements and explain how we would be able to accommodate them within our programme. We endeavour to have only one disabled / special needs client within each class at any one time. The information received about the disability / special need is noted by code on the registers and given to the teacher. Should additional knowledge be required, we then check via the internet to get full facts about the disability / special need and should more technical knowledge be required, we will consult a GP to help us understand how we would best teach that client and what difficulties there might be. Please note there are some physical access limitations due to the school swimming pools used.

Equal Opportunities in Swimming

Equal Opportunity is about celebrating difference and diversity and as such providing a swimming structure that can respond to this in a proactive and positive manner. Fins Swimming Club is totally committed to the principals and practice of equal opportunities across all of its aquatic disciplines, both as an employer, provider and as facilitator of such practices by all its members. In our work with key partners, such as the athletes, clubs, teachers, coaches, officials and administrators, we will advocate our policies and make every effort to ensure that all participation has equity at its core. Swimming is a 'sport for all'. It can and should be enjoyed and made accessible to everyone and to achieve this.

Farnborough Fins Swimming Club:-

- Is committed to work towards ensuring that swimming is accessible to the many, rather than the few.

- Recognises the need to acknowledge the diversity of provision that is required to ensure that all people, regardless of their race, sex / gender, disability, age, sexual orientation, social or economic background can access swimming and develop at a level that is appropriate to them.

- Recognises the need to celebrate differences and diversity of provision as a means of creating entitlement and accessibility to our structures.

- Recognises that equal opportunity is about recognizing that people are different and therefore require different provision.

- Recognises the need to consult widely in order to respond to diversity.

In addressing equal opportunities, Fins Swimming Club will respond to issues of equity by: -

- Recognising that swimming as an organisation, our staff, athletes, coaches, teachers, officials and administrators need to adapt and work flexibly in order to respond to the needs of a wide and diverse range of people.

- Take positive action to increase the involvement from under-represented groups in all aspects of our organisation, participation, coaching, teaching, officialdom etc.

In doing so Fins Swimming Club supports three key principals as being fundamental to ensuring that everyone can participate in our sport and the achievement of equality of opportunity:-

Entitlement: People have a right to participate in and access quality and appropriate experiences within diving, swimming, synchronised swimming and water polo.

Accessibility: It is the responsibility of Swim England - our teachers, coaches, officials and administrators - to adapt provision to fit the needs of the many.

Inclusion: Wherever and whenever possible, all to access the same quality of provision, and if necessary to use positive action to ensure this.

Integrity: Whatever we do as an Association to change or adopt provision, it must be of equal worth, challenging, relevant and in no way patronising.

Children with Specific Needs

Fins Swimming Club will embrace those children who may require specialised care due to disabilities and will ensure that:

-All parents/guardians are aware of the qualifications of Fins Swimming Club Teachers involved in the aquatic development of children with specific needs and disabilities.

-The views of the child and parent/carer are always obtained prior to any activity, specifically those requiring any physical handling or of a physical nature, to gain both consent and agreement of all concerned.

-No child is discriminated against in any manner by Farnborough Fins or any swimmer or from taking part in an activity which it is safe and proper for them to undertake.

Some children will suffer with an illness but show no outward appearance of being a child with specific needs, such as those diagnosed with epilepsy or diabetes. Fins Swimming Club will co-operate with parents on their child’s needs should they develop an attack at the lessons. Such children will not be excluded or prevented from taking part in any sporting activity in which all other swimmers are entitled to take part, as this would be discriminatory. With the correct knowledge and information, and the required parental support, children with such illnesses can enjoy their lessons as any other swimmer.

Humanity at Fins Swimming Club

Teachers and other colleagues at Farnborough Fins must respect the rights, dignity and worth of every human being and their ultimate right to self-determination. Specifically, Teachers and colleagues must treat everyone equally within the context of their activity, regardless of sex, ethnic origin, religion, disability or political persuasion.

Relationships at Fins Swimming Club

Farnborough Fins will be concerned primarily with the well being, health and future of the individual performer and only secondary with the optimisation of performance.

A key element in a teacher relationship is the development of independence. Teachers are responsible for setting and monitoring the boundaries between a working relationship and friendship with their performers. The Teacher must realise that certain situations or friendly actions could be misinterpreted, not only by the performer, but by outsiders motivated by jealousy, dislike or mistrust and could lead to allegations of sexual misconduct or impropriety. The relationship between Teacher and performer relies heavily on mutual trust and respect.

Commitment at Fins Swimming Club

Farnborough Fins should clarify in advance with performers and parents/guardians the number of sessions, fees and method of payment. They should also explore with performers/parents/guardians the expectation of the outcome of teaching.

Integrity at Fins Swimming Club

Teachers should refrain from public criticism of fellow Teachers. Differences of opinion should be dealt with on a personal basis by Anna Strong or Sarah Beavis.

Personal Standards of Fins Swimming club

The Teacher must consistently display high personal standards and project a favourable image of their sport and of teaching - to performers, other Teachers/colleagues, spectators, the media and the general public. Personal appearance is a matter of individual taste but Teachers have an obligation to project an image of health, cleanliness and functional efficiency.

Safety at Fins Swimming Club

Teachers have a responsibility to ensure the safety of the performers with whom they work as far as possible within the limits of their control. All reasonable steps should be taken to establish a safe working environment. The work done and the manner in which it is done should be in keeping with regular and approved practice within that sport.