Safeguarding and Equality Statements 2023

Safeguarding

• The Child's Welfare is paramount.
• All children whatever their age, culture, disability, gender, language, racial origin, religious belief and/or sexual identity, have the right to protection from abuse.
• All suspicions and allegations of inappropriate behaviour will be taken seriously and responded to swiftly and appropriately.
• As defined in the Children Act 1989, anyone under the age of 18 years should be considered to be a child for the purposes of this document. This also applies to vulnerable adults.

1 - Policy Statement  

Starcross Yacht Club  is committed to safeguarding children taking part in its activities from physical, sexual or emotional harm, neglect or bullying. 

We recognise that the safety, welfare and needs of the child are paramount and that any child, irrespective of age, disability, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual or gender identity or social status, has a right to protection from discrimination and abuse. 

Starcross Yacht Club takes all reasonable steps to ensure that, through safe recruitment, appropriate operating procedures and training, it offers a safe and fun environment to children taking part in its events and activities.

For the purposes of this policy anyone under the age of 18 should be considered as a child. This also applies to vulnerable adults.

All members of the Club should be aware of the policy.

All suspicions and allegations of inappropriate behaviour will be taken seriously and responded to swiftly and appropriately.  

2 - Club Welfare Officer 

The Club Welfare Officer is:

Kez Cutler-Sharp 07481 706191 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The Club Child Protection Officers are:  

John Allen (SYC Committee) 01392 256688  / 07972 735732  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Kez Cutler-Sharp07481 706191 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Ian Bamsey 07941 279452 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Catherine Scott Baker 07401 407106 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Equality 

We aim to ensure that all present and potential members, instructors, coaches, competitors, officials, volunteers and employees are treated fairly and on an equal basis, irrespective of sex, age, disability, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, marriage and civil partnership, gender reassignment or social status.

SafeGuarding for Instructors and Volunteers  

All instructors, helpers and committee who have regular contact with juniors (defined as 3 or more times a month) will be asked to:

• Apply for an Enhanced Criminal Records Disclosure, with Barred List check if appropriate complete an enhanced DBS check. This will be reviewed yearly.
• Complete a yearly self-declaration
• Complete the RYA Safe and Fun Course.

This will be kept under periodic review, concerning legislation and RYA guidelines.  

Prevention of Abuse  

This list is not exhaustive but the intention is to give guidance which will avoid instructors/staff/volunteers from placing themselves in situations where they might be   compromised or their integrity questioned.  

Good Practice Guide for Instructors /All Staff / Volunteers  

Good Practice Guide

• Do not spend excessive amounts of time alone with children away from others.  
• Do not take children alone in a car on journeys, however short, unless you have consent of the parents/guardian. 
• Do not take children to your home, unless you have consent of the parents/guardian.
• Where any of these are unavoidable, ensure they only occur with the full knowledge and consent of someone in charge or the organisation or the child’s parents.  
• Design training programmes that are within the ability of the individual child.  
• Do not photograph or video, or publish their pictures, without the knowledge and consent of their parents. Be sensitive to the risk, although it is probably slight in our sport, that images could be misused by a third party.  
• Do not publish information, in print or on a website, that might enable someone to contact the child.  
• If a child is having difficulty with a wetsuit or buoyancy aid, ask them to ask a friend to help if at all possible 
• If you do have to help a child, make sure you are in full view of others, preferably another adult 
• Restrict communications with young people via mobile phone, e-mail or social media to group communications about organisational matters.
• If it’s essential to send an individual message, copy it to the child’s parent or carer.
• No pictures/video without parental consent.  

• Changing rooms: try to avoid changing at the same time as children, and keep your time in the changing room to a minimum, but on no account change when only one child is present (unless you are that child's parent or guardian) - change with a larger number or stagger the changing.

You should never:

• Engage in rough, physical or sexually provocative games, including horseplay.  
• Allow or engage in inappropriate touching of any form.  
• Allow children to use inappropriate language unchallenged.  
• Make sexually suggestive comments to a child, even in fun.  
• Let allegations a child makes go unchallenged or unrecorded; always act.  
• Do things of a personal nature that children can do for themselves.  

However, it may be sometimes necessary to do things of a personal nature for children, particularly if they are very young or disabled. These tasks should only be carried out with the full understanding and consent of parents. In an emergency situation, which requires this type of help, parents should be fully informed. In such situations, it is important to ensure that all staff are sensitive to the child and undertake personal care tasks with the utmost discretion.  

Important 

All instructors and volunteers should read the organisation’s comprehensive safeguarding policies including Child Protection Policy & Proceduresand have access to it at all times.  

What to do if abuse is suspected, also see Code of Practice 

If abuse is suspected or reported then it is vital that the matter is taken seriously.  This abuse could be Physical, Neglect, Sexual,  Emotional or Bullying. 

Discuss any child protection issues with one of the Child Protection Officers, in strict confidence.  

Inform the Club Welfare Officer immediately, in strict confidence:
Kez Cutler-Sharp 07481 706191 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

SYC Social Media Policy