Tenby United RFC

Tenby Swifts WELFARE & CHILD PROTECTION POLICY

Section OneINTRODUCTION

1.1Tenby Swifts, the Mini and Junior Sections of Tenby United RFC (TURFC), recognises its moral and legal obligation to ensure that, the coaches and volunteers who have a responsibility for young people within the club provide them with the highest possible standard of care.

1.2Through the implementation of this Welfare & Child Protection Policy, and the support of its coaches and volunteers, Tenby Swifts will maintain the professionalism and safeguards of good practice which are associated with the game.

The policy outlines the following key areas:
It recognises the responsibility of all those involved in the club to safeguard and promote the interests and well being of the young people with whom they are working
It provides a framework on the recruitment, selection, suitability and deployment of individuals working with young people
It emphasises the value of working closely in partnership with coaches, parents, professionals and volunteers to protect children and young players from harm and discrimination
It acknowledges that abuse does take place in sport and that raising awareness and understanding of the main forms of abuse and establishing communication and reporting procedures if abuse is suspected will further safeguard the young players, coaches and all others working within the club

1.3The key principles reflected in the policy are:
The welfare of all young people is paramount
All young people, whatever their age gender, culture, ability, language, religious belief, racial origin, and/or sexual identity should be able to enjoy the game in a fun, environment safe from abuse of any kind
All suspicions and allegations of abuse will be taken seriously and responded to swiftly and appropriately
All individuals within the club who work with young people will be made aware of good practice in order to ensure that they are not placed in situations where unmerited allegations are made
Tenby Swifts will work with parents/carers to ensure that all youngsters within the club enjoy the game in a safe environment
Tenby Swifts recognises the statutory responsibilities of Social Services Departments and the Police to ensure the welfare of young people and is committed to complying with Local Area Child Protection Committee

1.4Tenby Swifts endorses the WRU guidance on prohibited practices that individuals involved with the Club should never:
Take young people to their home or other secluded places where they will be alone
Engage in rough, physical games, sexually provocative games or horseplay with young people
Take part as a player in any dynamic contact games or training sessions with young people. If there is a need for an adult to facilitate learning within a coaching session through the use of coaching aids e.g. contact pads, this should be done with the utmost care and with due regard to the safety and well being of the young players*
Share a room with a young person unless the individual is the parent/guardian of that young person
Allow any form of inappropriate touching (not specifically related to the coaching of the game)
Make sexually suggestive remarks to a young person even in fun.
Use inappropriate language or allow young players to use inappropriate language unchallenged
Allow allegations by a young person to go unchallenged, unrecorded, or not acted upon
Do things of a personal nature for a young person that they can do for themselves unless you have been requested to do so by the parents/carer (it is recognised that some young people will always need help with things such as lace tying, adjustment of Tag belts, fitting head guards)
Depart the Rugby Club until the safe dispersal of all young people is complete
Cause an individual to lose self esteem by embarrassing, humiliating or undermining the individual
Supervise changing rooms alone
Change in the same place and at the same time as young players*

If it should arise that such situations are unavoidable they should only take place with the full knowledge and consent of someone in charge in the club/governing body and/or a person with parental responsibility for the player.

1.5The Club has developed Codes of Conduct for;
Players
Coaches
Parents and Guardians
Spectators
These Codes of Conduct form an integral part of the Club’s approach to Child Protection. All members of the Club are expected to adhere to these Codes of Conduct at all times.

1.6All adults who work with young people are in a position of trust, which has been invested in them by the parents, the sport and the young person. Tenby Swifts endorses a Code of Conduct on the Abuse of Trust that states:
Any behaviour, which encourages a physical, or emotionally dependant relationship to develop between the person in a position of trust and the young person in their care must be avoided.
All those within the club have a duty to raise concerns about the behaviour by coaches, officials, volunteers, administrators which may harmful to the young people in the club, without prejudice to their own position.
Allegations relating to a breach of this code of conduct will be investigated according to the Club’s Disciplinary Procedures. (Appendix 1)

1.7Anyone under the age of 18 within the club should be considered as a young person for the purposes of this document. Tenby Swifts acknowledges that within WRU regulations a male player is permitted to play in the adult game on reaching his 17th birthday. In these circumstances those prohibited practices marked * above cannot practically be applied. However, the club recognises its responsibility to be mindful of the safety and well being of the player.
Section TwoRECOGNISING ABUSE AND POOR PRACTICE

2.1In order to provide young people in the club with the best possible experiences and opportunities in Rugby Union, it is imperative that all club members operate within an accepted ethical framework and demonstrate exemplary behaviour. This not only ensures that Rugby Union makes a positive contribution to the development of young people and safeguards their welfare, but also protects all club personnel from false allegations of abuse or poor practice.

It is not always easy to differentiate poor practice from abuse. It is not, therefore, the responsibility of adults within the club to determine 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 a concern about the welfare of a young person/s.

2.2The four main types of abuse are:

2.2.1Emotional abuse
In a rugby situation, emotional abuse may occur when coaches:
Provide repeated negative feedback
Repeatedly ignore a young player’s efforts to progress
Repeatedly demand performance levels above those of which the young player is capable

2.2.2Abuse by neglect

In a rugby situation neglect may occur when:
Young players are left alone without proper supervision
A young player is exposed to unnecessary heat or cold without fluids or protection
A young player is exposed to an unacceptable risk of injury

2.2.3Physical abuse
In a rugby situation physical abuse may occur when:
Coaches, Managers or helpers expose young players to exercise/training, which disregards the capacity of the player’s immature and growing body
Coaches, Managers or helpers expose young players to overplaying, over training or fatigue
Coaches, Managers or helpers expose young players to alcohol, or give them the opportunity to drink alcohol below the legal age
Coaches, Managers or helpers expose young players to performance enhancing drugs and recommend that they take them

2.2.4Sexual abuse
The close proximity of coaches and others, to young people provides opportunities for potential abusers to exploit their position of trust to sexually abuse.

2.3Poor practice
Poor practice constitutes any behaviour that:
contravenes the club Coaches Codes of Conduct (Appendix 2) Infringes on an individuals rights
Is a failure to fulfil the highest standards of care

Section ThreeBULLYING

3.1The competitive nature of Rugby Union makes it a potential environment for the bully. Bullying is not always easy to define and will not always be an adult abusing a young person. It is often the case that the bully is a young person. There are three main types of bullying:
Physical e.g. hitting, kicking, theft
Verbal e.g. racist or homophobic remarks
Emotional e.g. persistent negative feedback
All are characterised by:
Deliberate hostility and aggression towards a victim
A victim who is weaker and less powerful than the bully or bullies
An outcome that is always painful and distressing for the individual

Bullying behaviour may also include:
Other forms of violence
Sarcasm, spreading rumours, persistent teasing
Tormenting, ridiculing, humiliation
Racial taunts, graffiti, gestures
Unwanted physical contact or abusive offensive comments of sexual nature

3.2All cases of possible bullying should be reported to the appropriate coach, or Welfare Officer. In that event, Tenby Swifts will:
Take the problem seriously
Ensure all alleged incidents are reported to a Welfare Officer
Ensure the Welfare Officer investigates all incidents by talking to the bully(ies) and victim(s) separately
Decide on appropriate action, such as:
-Obtain apology from the bully(ies) to the victim
-Inform parents of the bully(ies)
-Insist on the return of items “borrowed” or stolen
-Insist bullies compensate the victim

Section FourROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

4.1The role of the Rugby Club

To adopt, publicise and implement the Welfare & Child Protection Policy and associated Codes of Conduct to provide a safe environment for young players and identify procedures for dealing with concerns about abuse
To accept that all officers and committee members have a responsibility in this area and be prepared to respond to any indication of poor practice or abuse and to put in place structures and systems to ensure that this is followed in practice
To appoint a Welfare Officer(s) who will act as the first point of contact for concerns about the welfare of young people
To ensure that all relevant members who have regular supervisory contact with children or a management responsibility for those working with young people undertake a Criminal Records Bureau disclosure.
To ensure that relevant training is available for all those working with young people.
To adopt, publicise and implement the Disciplinary Procedures for dealing with complaints and concerns about poor practice ( Appendix 4)
To ensure written records of player attendance and parent contact details are kept

4.2The Role of the Welfare Officers

To ensure the Club has an up to date Child Protection Policy
To ensure the Policy and Codes of conduct are well publicised and adhered to
To ensure, in consultation with the County Welfare Officer that all reported incidents are managed at the appropriate level in line with this Policy and WRU procedures
To ensure all relevant club members are aware of Child Protection training opportunities
To ensure all parents/guardians are aware of this Policy and the correct protocols for voicing concerns

4.3Coaches’ Responsibility

To be familiar with and adhere to the club Welfare & Child Protection Policy and Coaches’ Code of Conduct
To undertake any relevant training provided by the Club.
To undertake a CRB Disclosure.

4.3Parents’ Responsibility

To be familiar with and adhere to the Parents/Guardians Code of Conduct
To ensure the club has all relevant details relating to their son or daughter
To share any concerns initially with a club Welfare Officer.
To be involved in club activities.
To assist in the supervision of the young player where able and when appropriate

Section FiveTAKING APPROPRIATE ACTION WHERE THERE ARE
CONCERNS ABOUT POOR PRACTICE AND POSSIBLE ABUSE WITHIN THE RUGBY CLUB

Concerns may be raised about anyone working with young people within the Rugby Club including volunteers, coaches, club helpers and administrators. The club will take all allegations seriously and appropriate action will be pursued.

5.1Tenby Swifts will always take the following action when concern is expressed about the behaviour of someone involved with the Club towards a young person
The person hearing the concern will compile full written record of what has been said, heard or seen as soon as possible
A club Welfare Officer will be informed immediately
Club Welfare Officer will report the matter to the WRU Ethics and Equity Manager, with copy to the County Welfare Manager
If the young person requires immediate medical attention this will be arranged and the doctor should be informed of the nature of the concern.

If the WRU Ethics and Equity Manager or the County Welfare Manager advise that the issue is Poor practice then the club Welfare Officer will
follow club disciplinary procedures for a first report of poor practice (Appendix 1)
Forward a written report on action taken to County Welfare Manager and WRU Ethics and Equity Manager

If an individual is identified by the club as being guilty of poor practice on subsequent occasions then the County Welfare Manager in consultation with the WRU Ethics and Equity manager may conclude that the issue constitutes abuse and should be referred to the WRU Disciplinary Officer.

If the WRU Ethics and Equity Manager or the County Welfare Manager advise that the issue is Abuse then the club Welfare Officer will:

Refer the allegation to Police or Social Services. They will give advice relating to the contacting of parents/guardians. Possible outcomes include;
Inform the County Welfare Officer and the WRU Ethics and Equity Manager of the outcome of the advice from the police and forward a written report utilising the Incident Referral Form

5.2Tenby Swifts will always take the following action if the club becomes aware of possible abuse occurring in any setting outside the club

The safety of the young person will be ensured. If he/she requires immediate treatment, call an ambulance, inform doctors of concerns and ensure they are aware that this is a Child Protection issue.

The following procedures will then be followed:
Report concerns to a club Welfare Officer
Club Welfare Officer may seek advice from WRU Ethics and Equity Manager, County Welfare Manager, WRU Child Protection Helpline or NSPCC. If there is any delay in receiving advice contact must be made with Social Services.
Parents/carers will be informed of the concern unless they have been implicated. In these circumstances advice will be sought from Social Services or the Police.
If a formal referral is made it will be made clear to Social Services/Police that this is a Child Protection referral.

5.3In all cases Tenby Swifts recognises that:
It is often more difficult for some young people to disclose abuse than others. Young people from ethnic minorities may have regularly experienced racism that may lead them to believe that certain groups including those in authority roles do not really care about their well being. They may well feel they have good reason to question whether the response may be different.
Disabled young people may have to overcome additional barriers before feeling that that they can disclose abuse. They may rely on the abuser for their daily care and not know of alternative sources of care. The abuse may be the only attention/affection they have experienced. There may be communication difficulties and they will almost certainly have to overcome prejudices that block our willingness to believe they may be abused or to use their medical condition to explain away indicators, which in an able bodied young person, would concern us.

5.4In all cases every effort will be made by the club to ensure that confidentiality is maintained. Information will be handled and disseminated on a need to know basis to;
•The club Welfare Officer / County Welfare Officers
•Designated Officers within the WRU
•Person making the allegation
•Social Services and Police
•Parents of the young person alleged to have been abused

5.5If an adult involved with the Club accidentally hurts a player, or causes distress in any manner, or the player appears to respond in a sexual manner; or misunderstands, or misinterprets the actions of a coach something you have done, report the incident to a colleague supported by a written report of the incident as soon as possible. Parents/carers should also be informed of the occurrence.

Section SixRECRUITMENT AND SELECTION OF COACHES & VOLUNTEERS

Tenby Swifts recognises that anyone may have the potential to abuse young people in some way and will therefore ensure that unsuitable people are prevented from working with young people within the Rugby Club. The club recognises that, under the Protection of Children Act 1999, all individuals working on behalf of the club are treated as employees whether paid or volunteers.

Tenby Swifts will carry out the following recruitment checks

6.1Advertising

If any form of advertising is used to recruit staff, it will reflect the
Responsibilities of the role
Level of experience or qualification required
The club stance on Child Protection

6.2Checks and References
All adults within the club who have regular supervisory contact with young people will undertake Criminal Records Bureau disclosure (CRB).
These people will include:
Professional Staff (if relevant)
Coaching Coordinators
All Head Coaches and Assistant coaches
Team Managers
All referees who manage Mini, Junior and Youth games
Welfare Officers

6.4Interview/induction
All professional appointments for full or part time posts will undergo formal interview
All staff paid or voluntarily working with young people will undergo an induction process where
-Coaching qualifications, if applicable are verified
-Codes of Conduct and Club Policies are signed up to
-The roles, responsibilities and expectations of the role are clarified
-Child Protection Procedures are explained
-Training needs are identified

6.5Training
Tenby Swifts will offer training that will enable all adults working with young people to recognise their responsibilities with regard to their own good practice and the reporting of poor practice or concerns of possible abuse.

6.6Monitoring and Appraisal
Tenby Swifts will provide appropriate feedback to adults working with young people which will:
Identify training needs
Set new goals
Highlight concerns about inappropriate behaviour

Section SevenPHOTOGRAPHIC IMAGES

7.1Tenby Swifts recognises that publicity and pictures of young people enjoying rugby are essential to promote the sport and a healthy lifestyle, but the following rules will be observed:
All parents/guardian/young person will be asked each year to give their written consent for the taking and publication of photographic images
All young people must be appropriately dressed for the activity taking place
Photography or recording should focus on the activity rather than a particular young person and personal details which might make a young person vulnerable, such as their exact address, will not be revealed
Where an individual has achieved success in the game (eg when selected for representative side or showing triumph over adversity) permission must be gained from parent/guardian and young person to use photographs/recordings and relevant details
Where possible, to reflect the WRU Equity Policy photographs/recordings should represent the diverse range of young people participating in rugby
Anyone taking photographs or recording at any rugby event must have a valid reason for doing so and seek the permission of the organisers/persons in charge. They should make themselves known to the event organisers/persons in charge and be able to identify themselves if requested to do so during the course of the event

7.2All concerns regarding inappropriate or intrusive photography should be reported to a Welfare Officer.

Section EightUSEFUL CONTACT DETAILS

Tenby Swifts Welfare Officer: Anthony Mattick - Mobile 07980 726 199

Tenby Swifts Child Protection Officer: Russ Millns – Mobile 07814 980 718

County Welfare Manager: tbc.
PDJRA Development Officer is Kenny Davies – Mobile 07968 360 297

WRU Child Protection Unit: Tel 029 2082 2442
Child Protection Unit
Welsh Rugby Union
Westgate Plaza
Millennium Stadium
Westgate Street
Cardiff CF10 1NS
WRU 24 Hour Child Protection Contact Number – Mobile 07738 311 366
(for use by professionals and people wishing to report Child Protection or Equity incidents outside of office hours)

WRU CRB Officer: Tel 029 2082 2442
email: crb@wru.co.uk

NSPCC Helpline
Telephone: 0808 800 5000
Welsh Helpline: 0800 100 2524
Deaf Users Textphone: 0800 056 0686
www.nspcc.org.uk
This is a 24 hour free and confidential telephone Helpline that provides counselling, information and advice to anyone concerned about a child at risk of ill treatment or abuse.

Child Protection in Sport Unit (CPSU)
3 Gilmour Close, Beaumont Leys, Leicester LE4 1EZ
Telephone: 0116 234 7200 www.sportprotects.org.uk