Policy Statement 3

Contents

Page

Policy Statement 3

Confidentiality Statement 4

Child Welfare & Protection 6

Definition of Abuse 7

Definition of Emotional Abuse 8

Definition of Physical Abuse 9

Response to a Child Disclosing Abuse/Neglect 11

Reporting Suspected or Disclosed Child Abuse/Neglect 12

HSE Standard Report Form 14

Allegations against Sport Leaders 16

HSE Contact Details 18

Recruitment & Selection 22

Volunteer/Coach Application Form 23

Self Declaration/Vetting Permission Form 25

Code of Conduct for Sports Leaders 28

Code of Conduct for Sports Leaders Form 29

Accident/Incident Report Form (Standard) 31

Code of Conduct for U18 Players 33

Code of Conduct for U18 Players Form 34

Code of Conduct for Parents/Guardians Form 36

Use of Photographic & Videography Equipment 38

Complaints & Appeals Process in respect to Code of Ethics Issues 40

Leinster Hockey Association

POLICY STATEMENT

The Leinster Hockey Association (LHA) is fully committed to safeguarding the well-being of all its participants and will endeavour to create a safe environment for all individuals involved in our sport. Young people deserve to be given enjoyable, safe sporting opportunities and every individual in hockey is required to show respect and understanding for all participants’ rights, safety and welfare. They should conduct themselves in a way that reflects the principles of the organisation and the guidelines contained in the Code of Ethics and Good Practice for Children’s Sport.

Leinster Hockey will aim, at all times, to ensure that young people can perform to the best of their ability in an atmosphere that is enjoyable and safe, and in an environment free from abuse, neglect, bullying and intimidation. We will do this by:

• Recognising the rights of all underage players to participate free from harm in a safe and enjoyable environment.
• Appointing a Childrens’ Officer to work within the organisation of Leinster Hockey.
• Appointing a Designated Liaison Person to work with the Statutory Authorities.
• Responding without delay to any threats to the welfare of underage players.
• Ensuring that all sports leaders involved in Leinster Hockey are aware of and comply with our Code of Conduct.

The (IHA) Code of Conduct for Hockey for Young People applies to all hockey participants in the ROI and NI. The LHA policies, procedures and practices apply to anyone under the age of 18 (and all those eligible to play for the interprovincial Under 18 squad) involved in events that are under the direct control of the LHA.

Leinster Hockey Association

CONFIDENTIALITY STATEMENT

Confidentiality should be maintained in respect of all issues and people involved in cases of abuse, welfare or poor practice. It is important that the rights of the child, their family and the person about whom the complaint has been made are protected.

The following points should be kept in mind:

• A guarantee of confidentiality or undertakings regarding secrecy cannot be given, as the welfare of the child willsupersede all other considerations. This should be borne in mind in relation to young people, parents and sports leaders.

• All information should be treated in a careful and sensitive manner and should be discussed only with those who need to know

• Information should be conveyed to the parents / guardians of the child in a sensitive way

• Giving information to others on a ‘need to know’ basis for the protection of a child is not a breach of confidentiality or Data Protection

• All persons involved in a child protection process (the child, his/her parents/guardians, the alleged offender, his/her family, Leaders) should be afforded appropriate respect, fairness, support and confidentiality at all stages of the procedure.

• Information should be stored in a secure place, with limited access only to named personnel within the LHA.

• The requirements of the Data Protection laws should be adhered to.

• Breach of confidentiality is a serious manner.

Leinster Hockey Association

Document 1

Policy/Procedure for Child Welfare and Protection

1.0 Policy Statement

This is a clear statement of the Leinster Hockey Association’s Child Welfare and Protection Procedures.

2.0Aim / Purpose(s) of Policy

The main objective of this document is to have procedures to ensure the welfare and protection of young people within our sport.

3.0Scope of Policy

This policy applies to all adults representing the Leinster Hockey Association.

4.0 Responsibilities

This policy is intended for current Board members of the Leinster Hockey Association and they are responsible for implementing the various procedures outlined in the document.

5.0 Distribution

Once this policy/document is approved by the President of the LHA, it will be circulated to all current LHA Board Members and will be stored by LHA Administrator. Copies of this document will be forwarded to the Irish Hockey Association, and will be publicly available.

6.0 Review

This document shall be reviewed annually at the start of the hockey season,or if the need arises on an ad hoc basis to ensure that it is current and applicable. When the policy is reviewed, modified and approved, it will be circulated to all LHA Board Members, Designated Liaison Person and Childrens Officer (change in all subsequent policy statements)

7.0 Superseded / Obsolete Documents

If this document is superseded or deemed obsolete, a new policy/procedure will be prepared. The original document shall be retained for reference purposes for a period of 7years but will be clearly marked “superseded” or “obsolete” and dated accordingly.

Child Welfare and Protection

1.Child welfare and the protection of young people is the concern of all adults at all times, irrespective of their role within the Leinster Hockey Association.

2.If there are grounds for concern about the safety or welfare of a young person you should react to the concern. Concern should be passed to the LHA Designated Liaison Person (see below), unless the concern is about that individual. In that case they should contact IHA Liaison Designated Person. If there is any concern that the child is in immediate danger, contact the local Gardaí or the HSE Duty Social Worker, Children and Family Services, in the area where the child lives. The HSE cannot always be reached outside working hours or in the weekend. (Appendix 1.5)

3.Reasonable grounds for concern include a specific indication of physical, emotional, sexual abuse or neglect from a child, a statement from a person who witnessed abuse/neglect or an illness, injury or behaviour consistent with abuse or neglect. For definitions of abuse or neglect see appendix 1.1

4.All persons have a responsibility to cooperate with the Statutory Authorities, ie. Gardaí or HSE in relation to sharing information about child protection concerns at any time.

The Leinster Hockey Association Designated Person is-:

William Hehir, (086-814 0414)

Email:

Appendix 1.1

Definitions of abuse

THIS SECTION IS NEW AND ADDED, RECOMMENDED BY HSE CHILDREN’S FIRST POLICY

Child Abuse

Child abuse can be categorised into four different types: neglect, emotional abuse, physical abuse and sexual abuse.

A child may be subjected to one or more forms of abuse at any given time

Children First, Ireland’s National Guidance on Child Protection, uses the following definitions of child abuse:

Definition of neglect

Neglect can be defined in terms of an omission, where the child suffers significant harm or impairment of development by being deprived of food, clothing, warmth, hygiene, intellectual stimulation, supervision and safety, attachment to and affection from adults, and/or medical care.

Harm can be defined as the ill-treatment or the impairment of the health or development of a child. Whether it is significant is determined by the child's health and development as compared to that which could reasonably be expected of a child of similar age.

Neglect generally becomes apparent in different ways over a period of time rather than at one specific point. For example, a child who suffers a series of minor injuries may not be having his or her needs met in terms of necessary supervision and safety. A child whose height or weight is significantly below average may be being deprived of adequate nutrition. A child who consistently misses school may be being deprived of intellectual stimulation.

The threshold of significant harm is reached when the child's needs are neglected to the extent that his or her well-being and/or development are severely affected.

Definition of emotional abuse

Emotional abuse is normally to be found in the relationship between a parent/carer and a child rather than in a specific event or pattern of events. It occurs when a child's developmental need for affection, approval, consistency and security are not met. Unless other forms of abuse are present, it is rarely manifested in terms of physical signs or symptoms. Examples may include:

(i)the imposition of negative attributes on a child, expressed by persistent criticism, sarcasm, hostility or blaming;

(ii) conditional parenting in which the level of care shown to a child is made contingent on his or her behaviours or actions;

(iii)emotional unavailability of the child's parent/carer;

(iv)unresponsiveness of the parent/carer and/or inconsistent or inappropriate expectations of the child;

(v)premature imposition of responsibility on the child;

(vi)unrealistic or inappropriate expectations of the child's capacity to understand something or to behave and control himself or herself in a certain way;

(vii)under- or over-protection of the child;

(viii)failure to show interest in, or provide age-appropriate opportunities for, the child's cognitive and emotional development;

(ix)use of unreasonable or over-harsh disciplinary measures;

(x)exposure to domestic violence;

(xi)exposure to inappropriate or abusive material through new technology.

Emotional abuse can be manifested in terms of the child's behavioural, cognitive, affective or physical functioning. Examples of these include insecure attachment, unhappiness, low self-esteem, educational and developmental underachievement, and oppositional behaviour. The threshold of significant harm is reached when abusive interactions dominate and become typical of the relationship between the child and the parent/carer.

Definition of physical abuse

Physical abuse of a child is that which results in actual or potential physical harm from an interaction, or lack of interaction, which is reasonably within the control of a parent or person in a position of responsibility, power or trust. There may be single or repeated incidents.

Physical abuse can involve:

(i)severe physical punishment;

(ii)beating, slapping, hitting or kicking;

(iii)pushing, shaking or throwing;

(iv)pinching, biting, choking or hair-pulling;

(v)terrorising with threats;

(vi)observing violence;

(vii)use of excessive force in handling;

(viii)deliberate poisoning;

(ix)suffocation;

(x)fabricated/induced illness

(xi)allowing or creating a substantial risk of significant harm to a child.

Definition of sexual abuse
Sexual abuse occurs when a child is used by another person for his or her gratification or sexual arousal, or for that of others. Examples of child sexual abuse include:

(i)exposure of the sexual organs or any sexual act intentionally performed in the presence of the child;

(ii)intentional touching or molesting of the body of a child whether by a person or object for the purpose of sexual arousal or gratification;

(iii)masturbation in the presence of the child or the involvement of the child in an act of masturbation;

(iv)sexual intercourse with the child, whether oral, vaginal or anal;

(v)sexual exploitation of a child, which includes inciting, encouraging, propositioning, requiring or permitting a child to solicit for, or to engage in, prostitution or other sexual acts. Sexual exploitation also occurs when a child is involved in the exhibition, modelling or posing for the purpose of sexual arousal, gratification or sexual act, including its recording (on film, video tape or other media) or the manipulation, for those purposes, of the image by computer or other means. It may also include showing sexually explicit material to children, which is often a feature of the 'grooming' process by perpetrators of abuse;

(vi)consensual sexual activity involving an adult and an underage person. In relation to child sexual abuse, it should be noted that, for the purposes of the criminal law, the age of consent to sexual intercourse is 17 years for both boys and girls. An Garda Síochána will deal with the criminal aspects of the case under the relevant legislation.

It should be noted that the definition of child sexual abuse presented in this section is not a legal definition and is not intended to be a description of the criminal offence of sexual assault.

Appendix 1.2

Response to a Child Disclosing Abuse/Neglect

When a young person discloses information of suspected abuse/neglect you should:

(a)Respond in a sensitive way to abuse through listeningsupportively to the child rather than interviewing the child about details of what happened.

(b)Stay calm and not show any extreme reaction to what the child is saying. Listen compassionately, and take what the child is saying seriously.

(c)Reassure the child that they have done the right thing in telling you.

(d)Understand that the child has decided to tell something very important and has taken a risk to do so.

(e)Be honest with the child and tell them that it is not possible to keep information a secret.

(f)Make no judgmental statements against the person against whom the allegation is made

(g)Do not question the child unless the nature of what s/he is saying is unclear. Leading questions should be avoided. Open, non-specific questions should be used such as “Can you explain to me what you mean by that”.

(h)Give the child some age appropriate indication of what would happen next, such as informing parents/guardians, or HSE. If you don’t know what would happen next, don’t say anything. It should be kept in mind that the child may have been threatened and may feel vulnerable at this stage.

(i)Carefully record the details.

(j)Pass on this information to the Designated Liaison Person within the Branch or club

Appendix 1.3

Reporting Suspected or Disclosed Child Abuse / Neglect

The following steps should be taken in reporting child abuse/neglect to the statutory authorities (HSE, Social Services NI or Gardaí, PSNI ):

1. Observe and note dates, times, locations and contexts and any action taken in which the incident occurred or suspicion was aroused, together with any relevant information

2. Report the matter as soon as possible to the Designated Liaison Person within Leinster Hockey.

3. Following discussion with the Designated Liaison Person the most appropriate person should check out the concerns with the parents/guardians before making a report unless doing so would endanger the child.

4. If the Designated Liaison Person has reasonable grounds for believing that the child has been abused or is at risk of abuse, the DLP will make a report to the local Duty Social Worker, Children and Family Services, HSE who have statutory responsibility to investigate and assess suspected or actual child abuse.

5. A report can be made verbally initially and then followed up in writing using the standard HSE reporting form (Appendix 1.4).

6. In cases of emergency, where a child appears to be at immediate and serious risk and the Designated Liaison Person is unable to contact a duty social worker, the Gardai should be contacted. Under no circumstances should a child be left in a dangerous situation pending intervention by the Statutory Authorities.

7. If the Designated Liaison Person is unsure whether reasonable grounds for concern exist the DLP can informally consult with Duty Social Worker, HSE. The DLP will be advised whether or not the matter requires aformal report. If a decision is made not to report the concern this should be recorded with reasons for not reporting

8. A Designated Liaison Person reporting suspected or actual child abuse to the Statutory Authorities will first inform the family of their intention to make such a report, unless doing so would endanger the child or undermine an investigation.

9. A concern about a potential risk to children posed by a specific person, even if the children are unidentifiable, should also be communicated the HSE.

10. If an adult makes a retrospective disclosure of abuse, it is essential to establish whether there is any current risk to any child who may be in contact with the alleged abuser. Therefore, retrospective disclosure should be reported to the Duty Social Worker, HSE.

11.Anyone who reports child abuse ‘reasonably and in good faith’ to the Statutory Authorities is protected under common law by the defence of qualified privilege.

.

Appendix 1.4

Link to HSE Standard Report Form.

Appendix 1.5

Allegations against Sports Leaders

1)For the purpose of this document the definition of Sports Leaders includes, but is not limited to, LHA Board and members of LHA sub-committees, administrators, coaches, umpires, managers, physiotherapists, doctors, children’s officers, designated liaison persons, club officials.

2)Any person (young person, parent, sports leader) who has a child protection concern in relation to how a leader is interacting/behaving with a young person must report this to the Designated Liaison Person.

3)Two procedures will take place when an allegation of abuse is made against a Sport Leader. Except in the case of an immediate risk to a child any allegation of abuse or neglect should be made in writing.

(i)The reporting procedure in respect of the young person (reported by the Designated Liaison Person), to the local Duty Social Worker in the Children and Family Services HSE. The Designated Liaison Person may consult with the local HSE informally to seek confirmation that there is reason for concern.

(ii)the procedure for dealing with the Sports Leader (carried out by the club chair or Children’s Officer, or a person not already involved with the child protection concern)

4)The safety of the child who is making the allegation should be the first and paramount consideration and the safety of any other children who may be at risk. The LHA should take any necessary steps that may be necessary to protect children in its care. The protective action should be in proportion to the level of risk.

5)Where there is an allegation against a Sports Leader representing the LHA, the LHA President will deal with the Leader in question, unless the allegation is against the LHA President. In that case the vice-President will deal with the Leader in question.

(i)The person should be asked to stand aside pending the outcome of any investigation by the Statutory Authorities.