DUNDAS PARKS GOLF CLUB SAFEGUARDING POLICY (CHILDREN)
- Purpose
The purpose of this Policy is to set forth Dundas Parks Golf Club‘s statement of policy and procedures for the safeguarding of children. The policy lays out the commitments made by Dundas Parks Golf Club, and informs staff, volunteers and associated personnel of their responsibilities in relation to safeguarding.
In this Policy, a child or young person is defined as someone under the age of 18 years
- Scope
- All staff contracted by Dundas Parks Golf Club
- Associated personnel whilst engaged with work or visits related to Dundas Parks Golf Club, including but not limited to the following: consultants, volunteers, contractors, programme visitors including journalists, PGA Pros, professional players, celebrities and politicians.
- Policy Statement
Dundas Parks Golf Club is fully committed to safeguarding the welfare of all children in its care. It recognises the responsibility to promote safe practice and to protect children from harm, abuse and exploitation. Staff and volunteers will work together to embrace difference and diversity and respect the rights of children and young people.
This policy outlines Dundas Parks Golf Club’s commitment to protecting children throughout its work, through the three pillars of Prevention, Reporting and Response.
These guidelines are based on the following principles:
- The welfare of children is the primary concern.
- Child protection is everyone’s responsibility.
- All children – regardless of age, gender reassignment, being married or in a civil partnership, being pregnant or on maternity leave, disability, race including colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation – have the right to protection from all forms of harm and abuse.
- Children have the right to express views on all matters which affect them, should they wish to do so.
- Dundas Parks Golf Club will work in partnership together with children and parents to promote the welfare, health and development of children.
Dundas Parks Golf Club will:
- Promote the health and welfare of children by providing opportunities for them to take part in golf safely.
- Respect and promote the rights, wishes and feelings of children.
- Promote and implement appropriate procedures to safeguard the wellbeing of children and protect them from abuse.
- Recruit, train, support and supervise its staff, members and volunteers to adopt best practice to safeguard and protect children from abuse and to reduce risk to themselves.
- Require staff, members and volunteers to adopt and abide by this Safeguarding Policy and all associated procedures.
- Respond to any allegations of misconduct or abuse of children in line with this Policy and associated procedures as well as implementing, where appropriate, the relevant disciplinary and appeals procedures.
- Regularly monitor and evaluate the implementation of this Policy and associated procedures
- Prevention
Dundas Parks Golf Club’s responsibilities
Dundas Parks Golf Club will:
- Ensure all staff and volunteers have access to, are familiar with, and know their responsibilities within this policy.
- Design and undertake all its programmes and activities in a way that protects people from any risk of harm that may arise from their coming into contact with Dundas Parks Golf Club. This includes the way in which information about individuals in our programmes is gathered and communicated.
- Implement stringent safeguarding procedures when recruiting, managing and deploying staff, volunteers and associated personnel.
- Ensure staff, volunteers and associated personnel receive training on safeguarding at a level commensurate with their role in the club.
- Follow up on reports of safeguarding concerns promptly and according to due process.
Staff and Volunteer Responsibilities
Child Safeguarding
Dundas Parks Golf Club staff, volunteers and associated personnel must not:
- Engage in sexual activity with anyone under the age of 18.
- Sexually abuse or exploit children.
- Subject a child to physical, emotional or psychological abuse, or neglect.
- Engage in any commercially exploitative activities with children including child labour or trafficking.
Protection from sexual exploitation and abuse
Dundas Parks Golf Club staff, volunteers and associated personnel must not:
- Exchange money, employment, goods or services, including team selection or the promise of team selection, for sexual activity.
Codes of Conduct
A code of conduct for working with children is used to make clear:
- What behaviour is acceptable and unacceptable
- The standards of practise expected when working on behalf of the Club
- The basis for challenging and improving practise
Everyone working with children on behalf of Dundas Parks Golf Club should sign up to the Club’s Code of Conduct. Members of the Club’s volunteers/staff must be clear about the expectations on them when involved in activities with children. Children and the parents/carers involved in activities should also be clear about what they can expect from the adults working with them. The Club’s code of conduct will be shared publicly and widely.
The Club’s volunteers/staff, children and parents/carers support understand codes of conduct best when they are involved in drawing them up and have the opportunity to discuss regularly what is acceptable and what is unacceptable behaviour.
Concerns about breach of the code of conduct will be taken seriously and responded to in line with the complaints policy, performance management policy, disciplinary procedure and/or procedures for responding to concerns.
Code of Conduct for Parents/Carers and Children
Children and their parents/carers should also be clear about the expectations placed upon them.
It can be beneficial to ask children as a group to discuss this in their group/team and to agree what the consequences of breaking these rules should be. This will be done at the start of a season, before a trip to another Club, or as part of a welcome session at any other activity at the Club.
Additionally, Dundas Parks Golf Club staff, volunteers and associated personnel are obliged to:
- Contribute to creating and maintaining an environment that prevents safeguarding violations and promotes the implementation of the Safeguarding Policy
- Report any concerns or suspicions regarding safeguarding violations to the designated Safeguarding Officer, or appropriate staff member or appropriate authority in their absence in urgent cases.
The Codes of Conduct for Coaches, Young People and Parents/Carers are included at Appendix 1.
- Reporting a Concern
Dundas Parks Golf Club will ensure that safe, appropriate, accessible means of reporting safeguarding concerns are made available to staff, volunteers and the communities we work with.
Dundas Parks Golf Club will also accept complaints from external sources such as members of the public, partners and official bodies.
How to report a Safeguarding Concern
Staff members or volunteers who have a complaint or concern relating to safeguarding should report it immediately to the Safeguarding Officer, Club Captain or other Club Council member. If the staff member or volunteer does not feel comfortable reporting to their Safeguarding Officer or other official (e.g. if they feel that the report will not be taken seriously, or if that person is implicated in the concern) they may report to any other appropriate Staff/Council member and to Scottish Golf.
Details of the Safeguarding Officer for Dundas Parks Golf Club are included at the end of this Policy.
- Response
Dundas Parks Golf Club will follow up safeguarding reports and concerns according to this policy and procedure, and legal and statutory obligations.
Dundas Parks Golf Club will apply appropriate disciplinary measures to staff or volunteers found in breach of this policy.
Dundas Parks Golf Club will offer support to survivors of harm caused by staff, volunteers or associated personnel, regardless of whether a formal internal response is carried out (such as an internal investigation). Decisions regarding support will be led by the survivor.
- Confidentiality
It is essential that confidentiality is maintained at all stages of the process when dealing with safeguarding concerns. Information relating to the concern and subsequent case management should be shared on a need-to-know basis only and should be kept secure at all times.
General Data Protection Regulations and Child Protection
GDPR emphasises the importance of asking children for consent before sharing personal information. If a child is mature enough, they should be given the opportunity to decide whether they agree to their confidential information being shared. If a child does not have the capacity to make their own decisions, their parent or carer (unless this would put the child at risk) should be asked.
However, if you have a child protection concern, you must share information with the relevant agencies, even if you have not been given consent. GDPR does not affect this principle.
- Review
This Policy and associated Procedures will be regularly reviewed:
- In accordance with changes in legislation and guidance from Scottish Golf on the protection of children or following any changes within Dundas Parks Golf Club.
- Following any issues or concerns raised about the protection of children within Dundas Parks Golf Club.
- In all other circumstances, at least every three years.
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Club Safeguarding Officer: |
Ian Fowler |
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Contact Number: |
07960917439 |
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Date:
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9th April 2021 |
APPENDIX 1 (CODES of CONDUCT)
CODE OF CONDUCT FOR COACHES
Good Practice
- Remember you are a role model – be welcoming, positive, encouraging and respectful
- Make golf fun, enjoyable and promote fair play
- Implement Dundas Parks Golf Club’s Good Practice Guidelines
- Treat all children equally, with respect, dignity and fairness
- Involve parents/carers wherever possible
- Build balanced relationships based on mutual trust
- Include children in the decision-making process whenever possible
- Work with children in a public place, wherever possible
- Put the wellbeing of each child first before winning or achieving performance goals
- Give enthusiastic and constructive feedback
- Recognise the developmental needs and capacity of children
- Challenge instances of poor practise, abuse or bullying
Unacceptable Practice
- Putting excessive pressure on children, pushing children against their will
- Giving only negative feedback
- Unequal treatment that could lead to resentment, jealousy or misinterpretation
- Spending a lot of time alone with children away from others
- Assisting with dressing or toilet tasks that children can do for themselves
- Smoking, drinking alcohol, misuse of illegal substances or the use of foul or offensive language
- Taking photographs without the appropriate consent
- Unofficial communication with a child through telephone or social media
- Allowing allegations or observations of bullying or abuse to go unchallenged, unrecorded or not acted on
- Failing to pass on a disclosure from a child about potential abuse
- Rough physical contact or games between adults and children
- Forming intimate emotional, physical or sexual relationships with children
- Touching a child in a sexually suggestive way, playing sexually provocative games or making sexually suggestive comments to a child, even in fun
- Allowing the use of swearing, sexualised, racist or homophobic language by staff/volunteers or children
- Threatening, coercing or bullying a child or deliberately reducing a child to tears as a form of control
- Inviting or allowing children to stay with you at your home or sharing a bedroom alone with a child
I have read and agree to abide by this Code of Conduct.
Name of staff member/volunteers:________________________________________
Date signed:____________________
Witnessed by:__________________________________________________________
(Club Child Safeguarding and Protection Officer/delegated staff member)
Date signed:_____________________
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CODE OF CONDUCT FOR YOUNG PEOPLE
Junior members are expected to abide by the following code of conduct:
- Participate within the rules and respect the Coaches and their decisions.
- Treat others as you would wish to be treated yourself and respect your opponents.
- Keep to the agreed times for coaching sessions and competitions and inform coaches when you are going to be late.
- Demonstrate fair play and apply golf’s standards both on and off the course.
- Respect physical, cultural and racial differences.
- Tell someone in authority if you are leaving a venue or competition.
- Treat Organisers, Coaches, Staff and Peers with respect.
- Have a positive commitment to coaching and attend as many sessions as possible to maintain a high standard.
You should not take part in any irresponsible, abusive, inappropriate or illegal behaviour which includes:
- Consuming alcohol or illegal or performance-enhancing drugs or stimulants.
- Smoking.
- Using foul language.
- Publicly using critical or disrespectful descriptions of others (including social media).
- Actions which may endanger the Health and Safety of another member or guest / child of the club.
- Improper Conduct including fighting, victimisation and harassment
- Deliberate damage to club or members’ property.
Player to Sign (and keep)
I have read and understood this Code of Conduct and I agree to abide by the rules and guidelines of Dundas Parks Golf Club.
(Keep this for your records).
Name ………………………………………….. Signature ……………………….……………. Date …………………
Signature of Parent/Carer…….……………………………
CODE OF CONDUCT FOR PARENTS/CARERS
As a Parent/Carer of a Junior Member you are expected to abide by the following code of conduct.
You should:
- Encourage your child to learn the rules and play within them.
- Discourage unfair play and arguing with Club staff/officials and coaches.
- Help your child to recognise good performance and effort, not just results.
- Never force your child to take part in golf.
- Set a good example by recognising fair play and applauding good performances of all.
- Never punish or belittle a child for losing or making mistakes.
- Publicly accept officials’ judgements.
- Support your child’s involvement and help them to enjoy their golf.
- Use correct and proper language at all times.
- Never use threatening or abusive behavior towards children, officials, coaches or other parents.
- Always notify the Junior Organiser if you will not be attending or are going to be late for a coaching session/competition.
- Ensure that coaches are made aware of any pre-existing medical conditions your child has.
- Ensure that all correspondence and consent forms are replied to by the due date.
- Ensure that your child is dropped off and picked up on time after each session.
I have read and understood this Code of Conduct and I agree to abide by the rules and guidelines of Dundas Parks Golf Club.
Name …………………………………………..
Signature ……………………….…………….
Date …………………….