Safeguarding Policy

Safeguarding young people in sport

Approved 30/09/2015

Updated January 2017

To be formally reviewed by 31/12/2017

1 Introduction

1.1 Background to Derbyshire Sport

Derbyshire Sport is passionate about getting people active, playing sport and achieving their personal best.

It is a county sports partnership, funded primarily by Sport England and local authority partners to provide the strategic lead for the development of sport and physical activity in Derbyshire and Derby. The partnership is hosted by Derbyshire County Council (DCC), one of the local authority partners. The core staff team is employed on behalf of the partnership by Derbyshire County Council. Whilst the partnership has independent governance arrangements, it complies with the key policies of Derbyshire County Council.

1.2 Purpose of the Policy

Derbyshire Sport recognises it has a duty of care to safeguard and promote the welfare of young people involved in sport in the county. This duty of care is across all of Derbyshire Sport’s works and is not limited to School Games or school based competitions.

Derbyshire Sport has developed and will implement this safeguarding policy and associated procedures to:

  • provide guidance for Derbyshire Sport employees and volunteers on safeguarding issues, policy and procedures,
  • detail procedures to be followed if allegations are made to and/or about a Derbyshire Sport member of staff or volunteer,
  • articulate minimum safeguarding standards when Derbyshire Sport works in partnership with other organisations to provide activities for young people. See Appendix 1.

Derbyshire Sport is a partnership, hosted by Derbyshire County Council. It is recognised that many of the partners such as local authorities, NGBs, schools, HE/FE, sports clubs have their own safeguarding policies. This policy outlines the minimum safeguarding standards that funded or commissioned partners need to follow.

Any child protection matters that are reported to Derbyshire Sport will be investigated and dealt with by professionals working in accordance with the Derbyshire and Derby Safeguarding Board’s Manual.

1.3 Derbyshire Sport’s commitment

Derbyshire Sport is committed to ensuring the safety and welfare of young people. We will achieve this by:

  • demonstrating best safeguarding practice when employees, volunteers or others provide services, activities and programmes for young people,
  • recognising that some young people are more vulnerable to abuse or poor practice and will ensure that appropriate training and safeguards are put in place to reduce this increased vulnerability e.g. disabled young people, young people in local authority care, LBGT young people and elite young athletes,
  • supporting the Derbyshire Institute of Sport to develop its own policies and procedures for the elite athletes it supports,
  • working with partners to establish and agree consistent minimum safeguarding standards,
  • ensuring individuals or organisations funded by us meet specified safeguarding standards,
  • promoting safeguarding good practice, principles and training opportunities to the wider partnership,
  • responding appropriately to reported safeguarding concerns,
  • meeting and sustaining the Child Protection in Sport Unit's (CPSU) Standards for Safeguarding and Protecting Children in Sport which ensure Derbyshire Sort is compliant with safeguarding legislation,
  • reviewing the safeguarding policy, procedures and implementation plan on an annual basis and publish on the Derbyshire Sport website,
  • nominate a senior member of the staff as the safeguarding lead officer,
  • appoint a member of the board as the safeguarding lead to ensure that safeguarding remains a central principle of Derbyshire Sport and
  • support any employee or other individual who, in good faith, reports his or her concern about a young person.

1.4 Definitions

  • Safeguarding is the process of protecting young people’s wellbeing and enables them to live free from harm.
  • Child protection is one facet of the safeguarding agenda. It is the protection of individual young people identified as suffering or likely to suffer significant harm.
  • Abuse – for definitions and the signs of possible abuse and wider safeguarding concerns, see Appendix 2.

1.5 Principles

The policy and supporting procedures are based on the following principles:

  • The welfare of young people is paramount.
  • Everyone who participates in sport is entitled to experience a safe and supportive environment. Young people are entitled to expect activity organizers to fulfil their duty of care and to be nurtured and protected from abuse and poor practice.
  • Young people, whatever their age, culture, disability, gender, language, racial origin, socio-economic status, religious belief and/or sexual orientation have the right to protection from abuse and the right to be treated with dignity and respect.
  • It is everyone’s responsibility to report any concerns about a young person. It is the responsibility of statutory agencies to determine whether or not abuse has taken place.
  • Partners can expect that all suspicions and allegations of abuse or poor practice will be taken seriously by Derbyshire Sport and responded to swiftly and appropriately.
  • Derbyshire Sport will design programmes with due regard to safeguarding legislation and good practice.

2. Procedures

2.1 Recruitment, deployment and training of staff and volunteers

Derbyshire Sport will take all reasonable steps to prevent unsuitable people from working with young people,having access to significant personal data, or being placed in a position of trust over such.

2.1.1 Staff recruitment

Derbyshire Sport will follow DCC’s recruitment procedures for new staff.

  • For eligible and/or required posts, (employed and voluntary)a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, at the required level, will be carried out and results requested from the applicant. For more details of the DBS process, see Appendix 3.
  • Following advice from DCC Human Resources, a risk assessment will be undertaken by a minimum of two Derbyshire Sport staff, including the Director and Safeguarding Lead, on any positive disclosure or reference information before any appointment is confirmed and contract issued.
  • Two confidential references will be obtained, including last employer, and at least one commenting on any previous work with children/vulnerable groups.
  • Proof of qualifications and personal identification will be checked at interview.
  • DBS checks will be carried out on any existing staff and or volunteers if their role/job changes so that their contact with young people increases to eligible levels.
  • All volunteers/interns will be asked to complete a self-declaration and disclosure form.

2.1.2 Induction and CPD training

  • All new staff will undertake an induction programme. A copy of this policy, employee code of conduct and procedures will be included as part of the induction pack and meetings.
  • All staff will undertake basic safeguarding training by either attending an appropriate course or completing an on-line module.
  • Staff with designated responsibilities in relation to safeguarding will be provided with additional relevant training for this role.
  • Training and/or written guidance on safer recruitment practice will be provided for those responsible for recruiting, selecting and deploying staff and volunteers.
  • Staff will update their appropriate level of training every three years.

2.1.3 Monitoring and review

  • A record will be kept of relevant staff training and required DBS checks etc. This will be reviewed as part of the safeguarding annual review. Any training or checking needs that are identified will be reported to the individual’s line manager for implementation.
  • Failure of staff to comply with the policy and procedures will be addressed immediately and ultimately could result in disciplinary action.

2.2 Consultation with young people

Derbyshire Sport willconsult with relevant groups of young people, where possible, on the development and delivery of services for young people, including safeguarding information. Observation sessions will be carried out to funded projects involving young people e.g. Sportivate, satellite clubs, to ensure that they meet the required standards. These sessions will include feedback from young participants about their experience. Any problems or concerns raised by the young people or the observer will be followed up by Derbyshire Sport staff.

2.3 Photography, film and publication of imagery

Derbyshire Sport wants to promote positive images of young people playing sport. For this to take place Derbyshire Sport recognises the need to follow certain procedures concerning the use of imagery of young people to ensure their safety. Derbyshire Sport will useappropriate imagery of young people in hardcopy and electronic publications for media and or communication purposes.

Images will be provided to Derbyshire Sport for publicity purposes by the parents/carers(e.g. for the ICON and DIS programmes) or images will be taken by Derbyshire Sport staff or a commissioned photographer, with the consent of the parent (e.g. for school games competitions). The parental consent may be obtained on behalf of Derbyshire Sport by the young person’s school or club. As part of the consent process, it will be made clear that the image may be used for publicity purposes.

Derbyshire Sport will ensure that an agreed procedure is in place in order to safeguard young people. Details of this procedure will be documented and shared with event organisers (staff and volunteers). For events involving schools, organised by Derbyshire Sport a consistent brief will be sent to all schools prior to the event which asks the school to inform the competition organisers of any young person who does not want their photograph taken. Derbyshire Sport will ensure that any official photographer, engaged by Derbyshire Sport is aware of this procedure and any young person this applies too. All commissioned photographers will be required to wear official identification at all times.

At events organised by Derbyshire Sport, attended by parents, spectators or guests, appropriate guidance will be displayed and or circulated at the event. It is expected that those who wish to take photographs will read and comply with this guidance. At the Derbyshire School Games Event in July, where extra staff are in support, all parents or spectators wishing to take photographs will be required to register their details and have identification to show that they have permission to do so. For written guidance on the types of image to take and how they should be used, see Appendix 4.

Derbyshire Sport staff are aware of the need to select the image to usecarefully and not to publish identifiable details of the young person, when not appropriate. An exception to this is for the elite athletes on the ICON and Derbyshire Institute of Sport programmes, where permission is explicitly sought from parents, to publish their name, achievements, future competitions etc.

2.4 Use of social media

Derbyshire Sport uses various social media platformse.g. Facebook, Twitter and YouTube to promote the opportunities and benefits of participating in sport and the work of Derbyshire Sport and its partners. Guidelines on the correct use of social media have been produced for employees to follow to ensure that a professional image is presented online at all times. All social media accounts are managed and accessed by a minimum of three staff and monitored on a daily basis by the Marketing Officer. Employees will not send or accept ‘friend’ requests from service users (young people) from their personal social media accounts.

2.5 Commissioning services

Derbyshire Sport will ensure that any grant or service level agreement issued to third partner organisations specify minimum safeguarding operating standards that are required to be met as part of the agreement. Partner compliance with this will be checked as part of the observation sessions.

2.6 Accountability

It is recognised that many of the projects that Derbyshire Sport sets up or contributes to, involve two or more organisations, each with their own safeguarding policies and procedures e.g. a local authority, a School Sports Partnership, a sports club or a school. Derbyshire Sport will ensure that in the project planning stage of a partnership project, there is agreement on which organisation’s safeguarding policy and procedures will be followed in the event of a concern arising. This agreement will be minuted and shared with all relevant partners.

2.7 Dealing with allegations

It is not the responsibility Derbyshire Sport employees to individually decide whether abuse or poor practice is occurring. However, it is the responsibility of Derbyshire Sport employees to report any concerns they have, or are reported to them by others, to the appropriate agencies. This includes any concerns reported to them about members of the Derbyshire Sport core team or volunteers working on our behalf.

Derbyshire Sport will deal promptly and appropriately with any reported or observed incidents/concerns of abuse or poor practice, following the procedures set out in the reporting flow chart (Appendix 5). The reporting flow chart and incident report form (Appendix 6) will be reviewed annually and recirculated to staff as part of annual staff training.

There are situations that may arise where an allegation of abuse is made some time after the event has happened, this may be months or on occasion even years. Where an allegation such as this is made, the allegation will still be reported, following the procedures set out in the reporting flow chart, as other young people could potentially be at risk from the accused.

2.8 InformationSharing

In order to ensure that young people are effectively safeguarded, it is important that concerns are shared with appropriate people and agencies. Derbyshire Sport is mindful that this information is likely to be highly sensitive and will follow the procedures outlined in the reporting flow chart (Appendix 5) which details with whom information can/should be shared with.

Derbyshire Sport is aware of and will follow the seven golden rules for information sharing and Government guidance (see Appendices 7 and 8).

All confidential information will be stored in a secure location within the Derbyshire Sport office and will only be accessible to the Safeguarding Lead Officer.

2.9 Support for the reporter of suspected abuse

A variety of feelings and concerns may be generated by the discovery that a member of staff or a volunteer is, or may be, abusing a young person and this may raise concerns amongst other employees and volunteers.

Derbyshire Sport will fully support all employees and protect anyone who, in good faith and without malicious intent, reports his or her concern about a colleague’s practice or the possibility that a person may be being abused.

Details of the disciplinary and grievance procedures that will be followed are available through DCCIntranet (DNET)

Details of the whistleblowing policy that will be followed are available on DNET

2.10 Record retention and storage

For reported adults who are employed by DCC, including Derbyshire Sport staff, records of allegations, action taken, decisions reached will be retained on file, at least until the person reaches normal retirement age or for 10 years if that is longer. This applies even after the DCC employee has left DCC.

For reported adults who are not employed by DCC, personal information will not be held longer than 6 years after the subject’s last contact with Derbyshire Sport. Exceptions to the 6 year period will occur when records:

  • Need to be retained because the information in them is relevant to legal action that has been started.
  • Are required to be kept longer by law.
  • Are archived for historical purposes (e.g. where the organisation was party to legal proceedings or involved in proceedings brought by a local authority).
  • Consist of a sample of records maintained for the purposes of research.
  • Relate to individuals and providers of services who have, or whose staff, have been judged unsatisfactory.
  • Are held in order to provide, for the subject, aspects of his/her personal history (e.g. where the child might seek access to the file at a later date and the information would not be available elsewhere).

Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) certificates will be stored for a maximum of 6 months.

Any personal information on young people (e.g. name, school, academic year, etc.) that Derbyshire Sport has received in the process of organising an event will be held on file for at least 6 months.

3. Employee declaration

As an employee of Derbyshire Sport you will be required to sign and submit to the Lead Safeguarding Officer for retention a sign off sheet to record that you have taken the time to thoroughly read this Safeguarding Young People policy, code of conduct and procedures. By being made aware of the policy, it is our intention to ensure that all employees are pro-active in providing a safe environment for young people to participate in sport in the county, organised by Derbyshire Sport or by partners.

Any disciplinary measures required as a result of this policy will be dealt with in accordance with DCC disciplinary procedures. Copies of which are available on DNET.

Appendix 1

Derbyshire Sport Minimum Operating Standards for Safeguarding

Introduction

Children and young people have the right to be safe and enjoy the sports

activities that they take part in and parents and others have a right to believe

those organisations provide a safe environment.

Derbyshire Sport has adopted the following standards which all partners will need to meet and evidence to receive funding, support and any further resources.

The Standards

Contracted organisations or individuals must have:

  • A Child Protection/Safeguarding Policy and reporting process endorsed by an NGB, LA or relevant organisation that is shared with stakeholders. It must be clear when this policy was adopted and when it will be reviewed.
  • Clear disciplinary, concerns, allegations and complaints procedures.
  • Clear operating standards for holding and sharing information.
  • An identified Safeguarding lead person who has a clear job description and has
  • attended a minimum of three hours recognised safeguarding training within the last three years.
  • Recruitment and selection procedures for volunteers and/or employees working with young people that include:

reference checks (minimum of two),