Welfare – Safeguarding

Perry Beeches SSS Swimming Club is committed to the welfare of all swimmers and children as detailed in our child protection policy.  Safeguarding children should be an integral part of all club activities, so that we can create a culture that provides a safe, happy and fun environment in which children can learn to swim and develop to a level appropriate for their ability. The purpose of these pages are to set out guidance and procedures that outline the responsibilities of staff, swimmers, parents who are members of or associated to those within Beeches Swimming Club.  Our Welfare Officer is Karen Westwood who can be contacted at any time to talk to or ask for help.

The club holds Swim21 Club Accreditation, which we have held since 2010.  This is the ASA’s ‘quality mark’. It recognises nationally and regionally the clubs that are committed to providing safe, effective and quality services for the benefit of their members. It is also the ASA’s Club Development model – a planning tool, based on the principles of Long Term Athlete Development, enabling clubs to help athletes, teachers, coaches and administrators to achieve their full potential. It focuses particularly on the needs of athletes – striving to provide them with the best possible support and environment.

As part of providing a safe environment, as well as welfare which is covered in the next section, we expect all swimmers, parents and members to be know about and agree to the club’s codes of conduct.

This policy runs in accordance with the overall Code of Conduct, available on our website it should be read by every swimmer and signed by swimmers and/or parents (or those with parental responsibility). Beeches Swimming Club fully endorses and operates in accordance with the ASA Child Protection Policy (Wavepower) and the ASA Code of Ethics, details of which can be found on the ASA website or by speaking with the Club Welfare Officer (details below).

Beeches Swimming Club has adopted and implemented the ASA Child Safeguarding Policy and Procedures.  These are laid out in the ASA’s Wavepower 2012/15 manual.  Wavepower is about safeguarding children and young people in line with current legislation and guidance.

WAVEPOWER MANUAL

Wavepower 2012/15 is the ASA Child Safeguarding Policy and Procedures manual and replaces all previous ASA Child Safeguarding Policy and Procedures documents. All ASA affiliated clubs should adopt and implement Wavepower 2012/15.

The theme of Wavepower 2012/15 is to safeguard children and young people in line with current legislation and guidance.  The responsibility to safeguard children in our clubs and related activities lies will all those involved in the sport and is not the sole responsibility of any one person at club, county or national level.  Safeguarding children should become an integral part of all club activities and create a culture that provides a safe, happy and fun environment in which children can learn to swim and develop to a level appropriate for their ability.

The aim of Wavepower 2012/15 is to enable everyone in our sport to play their part in safeguarding children offering practical guidance for those who are directly involved in working with children and providing awareness of both mandatory requirements and good practice guidance.

The manual is fully indexed and divided into sub-sections tailored to different groups.

The document will be fully updated in 2016 but in the meantime if there are any changes in Policy of new guidance becomes available new pages will be added to this section of the website.

Swim England’s Wavepower 2016 / 2019:

• Wavepower15 Intro  Full index with page numbers
• Wavepower15 Section1  Information and contents
• Wavepower15 Section2  Introduction to Wavepower (Pages 8-17)
• Wavepower15 Section3  Toolbox (Pages 18-89)
• Wavepower15 Section4  Child safeguarding responsibilities  (Pages 90-93)
• Wavepower15 Section5  Guidance for coaches, teachers and poolside helpers (Pages 94-105)
• Wavepower15 Section6  Templates, forms and checklist (Pages 106-123)

 

For more information from Swim England (formerly known as the ASA) please check out the link below:

Wavepower 2016-19: Child safeguarding policy and procedures for clubs

Perry Beeches SSS Swimming Club complies with the ASA Child Protection Policy and Procedures. National Standards have been developed by the NSPCC that aim to promote best practice so that a safe environment for children and young people is achieved.
Safeguarding and Protecting Children in Sport
Club Statement

Perry Beeches SSS Swimming Club believe that the welfare of the children is everyone’s responsibility, particularly when it comes to protecting children from abuse.

Everyone involved in swimming at the club – administrators, club officials, coaches, teachers, parents, friends, children themselves – can help.

Abuse can occur anywhere there are children – at home, school, in the park, at the club. Sadly, there are some people who will seek to be where children are, simply in order to abuse them.

We believe that everyone in the ASA/Swimming Club has a part to play in looking after the children with whom we are working. This is both a moral and arguably a legal obligation.

The child protection procedures within the club stem from the following principles:

• The child’s welfare is the first consideration
• All children, regardless of age, disability, gender, racial origin, religious belief and sexual identity have a right to be protected from abuse.

Swimline

If you would rather talk to someone outside the club, the ASA in association with NSPCC (National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children) runs a confidential free help line.

This is for anyone involved in swimming, adults or children, who believe that the welfare of someone under the age of 18 is at risk.  This concern could be neglect, abuse, bullying or fear of someone or anything that is worrying you and you don’t know who to discuss it with.
Ring 0808 100 4001