S.S.&.B.C.
Policy Statement
Children within the Club.
SS&BC is fully committed to
safeguarding the welfare of its members. Every individual in the club should,
at all time, show respect and understanding for their rights, safety and
welfare and conduct them selves in a way that reflects the principles of the
club and the guidelines contained in the Code of Ethics and Good Practice for
Children’s Sport in Ireland.
To ensure that the best practice is
followed by SS&BC we shall work closely with our governing body, the ISA
(Irish Sailing Association).
In order to promote the best practice
in children’s sport, we shall comply with the guidelines of the Code
of Ethics and Good Practice for Children’s Sport; as set out in section
2.7 which are:
2.7 SPORTS CLUBS
To
ensure that best practice is being followed, all sports clubs should work
closely with their Governing Body of Sport. In promoting best practice in
children's sport and in implementing this Code at club level each club should:
Adopt
and implement the Code of Ethics and Good Practice for Children's Sport in
Ensure
that the Club Management Committee is elected or endorsed by registered club
members at each AGM.
Adopt
and consistently apply a safe and clearly defined method of recruiting and
selecting Sports Leaders.
Clearly
define the role of committee members, all Sports Leaders and parents/guardians.
Appoint
at least one Children's Officer. In the event that a club caters for both boys
and girls, one Children's Officer of each gender would ideally be appointed.
Have
a Designated Person to act as liaison with the Statutory Authorities in
relation to the reporting of allegations or suspicions of child abuse. Any such
reports should be made according to the procedures outlined in this Code.
Ensure
best practice throughout the club by disseminating its code of conduct,
including the disciplinary, complaints and appeals procedures in operation
within the club to all its members. The club's code of conduct should also be
posted in all facilities used by the club.
Have
in place procedures for dealing with a concern or complaint made to the
Statutory Authorities against a committee member or Sports Leader or other
members of the club. Regulations should stipulate that a Sports Leader who is
the subject of an allegation, which has been reported to the Statutory
Authorities, should stand aside, while the matter is being examined. S/he
should be invited to resume full duties immediately if s/he is vindicated.
Ensure
that relevant Sports Leaders report to the Club Management Committee on a
regular basis.
Encourage
regular turnover of committee membership while ensuring continuity and experience.
Develop
effective procedures for responding to and recording accidents.
Ensure
that any unusual activity (high rate of drop-out, transfers, etc.) is checked
out and reported by the Club Chairperson to the Governing Body of Sport.
Ensure
that all club members are given adequate notice of AGMs and other meetings
ensure that all minutes of all meetings (AGMs/EGMs/,
Committee) are recorded and safely filed.
NOTE: In
addition to the above the attached fact sheet is provided by way of guidance.
FACTSHEET
Child
Welfare and Protection
The
following guidelines are taken from chapter five of the Code of the Ethics
and Good Practice for Children’s Sport and are based on the guidelines of
the Statutory Authorities, Children First: National Guidelines for the
Protection and Welfare of Children and Our Duty to Care.
Some
points of importance
1.
Children First outlines that all adults have a responsibility for the
protection and welfare of children, all adults whether paid, voluntary, in a
position of authority, on a committee, a member or non-member of the club
2.
Children’s Officers do not have the
responsibility of investigating or validating child protection concerns within
the club and have no counseling or therapeutic role.
These roles are filled by the Statutory Authorities as outlined in Children
First and Our Duty to Care.
3.
It is possible that child protection
concerns will be brought to the attention of the Children’s Officer. In this
event it is essential that the correct procedures are followed, i.e. that
reports are passed on immediately to the designated person with responsibility
for reporting within the club / organisation and/or to the Statutory
Authorities.
4. All adults
have the option to go directly to the Health Board as a concerned individual.
The promotion of a
child centred ethos should go hand in hand with identifying and eliminating
practices that impact negatively on the safe and enjoyable participation of
children in sport. A Sports club/organisation, like any other club that
includes children among its members, is vulnerable to the occurrence of child
abuse. This possibility should be openly acknowledged and addressed in its
formal policies and procedures. An environment in which awareness of what
constitutes abusive behaviour is the most likely to achieve effective implementation
of child welfare and protection measures. It is only by discussing and agreeing
procedures and best practice that all Sports Leaders can be assured that they
are providing the safest and most enjoyable experiences for sports for the
children and for themselves.
Child welfare and
the protection of young people is the concern of all adults at all times,
irrespective of their role within the organisation. Each club and organisation
must accept this as part of their responsibility and duty to care for young
people. Research has shown that most abuse takes place at home and that
sporting organisations are not more or less likely to cause or harbour abuse
than any other aspect of society. However, abuse of children is not specific to
any one organisation or location, so adults need to be aware of its existence.
The prevention and
detection of child abuse depends on the collaborative effort of everyone
concerned. The following factors are central to effective child protection in sport:
·
Acceptance
by all involved with young people that abuse, whether physical, psychological
or sexual is wrong, severely damages children and must be confronted
·
Awareness of the behavioural, physical and
developmental indicators of various forms of abuse
·
Knowledge
of the appropriate response and action to be taken where abuse is
revealed or suspected
·
Vigilance and avoidance of all situations conducive
to risk
·
Open, trusting and co-operative relationships
within the club/organisation, and with parents/guardians and others concerned
with children’s progress or welfare
·
Willingness
to co-operate with Statutory Authorities (police and health boards), in
relation to sharing information about child protection concerns at any
time.
It is important to
realise that children may be subjected to abuse by parents/guardians or other
family members, persons outside their family, other children or those who have
responsibility for their care for one reason or another for short or long
periods of time.
Children
in certain situations may be especially vulnerable to abuse. These include
children who, for short of long periods of time, are separated from parents or
other family members and depend on other adults for their care and protection.
Children with disabilities may also be more at risk as the nature of their
disability sometimes limits communication between themselves and others. They
may depend more on a variety of adults to meet their needs, for example, for
care/intimate care and transport.
·
Each
club should have clear procedures for responding to reports or concerns
relating to the welfare and safety of children.
·
All
Sports Leaders, children parents/guardians should be aware of how to report and
to whom concerns should be reported within the club/organisation. These
procedures should be consistent with the Statutory Authority guidelines, i.e Children First and Our Duty to Care and with the
procedures outlined in the Code of Ethics and Good Practice for Children’s
Sport.
·
Copies
of the Code of Ethics and its accompanying leaflets for Parents, Leaders and
Club Committees should be widely distributed within clubs and organisations
·
Copies of the Statutory Authority guidelines
should be available in all sports clubs/organisations.
·
Everyone
involved in child protection matters should be aware of their responsibility to
work in co-operation with the statutory child protection authorities.
Recognising
and Reporting Abuse
The ability to
recognise child abuse depends as much on a person’s willingness to accept the
possibility of its existence as it does on knowledge and information. It is
important to note that child abuse is not readily visible, and may not be as
clearly observable as the ‘text book’ scenarios might suggest. If a Sports
Leader or a parent/guardian has a concern about a child’s safety or welfare
they should talk to the designated officer with responsibility
for reporting within their club and/or duty social worker within the local
health board. See also Reporting Procedures, Chapter 5 of the Code.
Consider the
possibility of child abuse if there are reasonable grounds for concern.
Examples of reasonable grounds are:
·
A
specific indication from a child that s/he has been abused
·
A
statement from a person who witnessed abuse
·
An
illness, injury or behaviour consistent with abuse
·
A
symptom which may not itself be totally consistent with abuse, but which is
supported by corroborative evidence of deliberate harm or negligence
·
Consistent
signs of neglect over a period of time
In some cases of abuse the alleged perpetrator will also be a child and
it is important that behaviour of this nature is not ignored. Grounds for
concern will exist in cases where there is an age difference and/or difference
in power, status or intellect between the children involved.
Persons unsure about whether or not certain behaviours
are abusive and therefore reportable, should contact the duty social worker in
the local health board or social services department where they will receive
advice.
Reporting Procedures:
It is important to note that Children’s Officers do not have the
responsibility of assessing, investigating or validating child protection
concerns within the organisation. It is possible that child protection concerns
will be brought to the attention of the Children’s Officer, as they may be
regarded as being in a position of trust by the participants they come into
contact with. If they do receive a disclosure they should be aware of the
reporting procedure within their club and liaise with their designated officer.
Remember all adults have a responsibility for the welfare of children in their
care.
Reporting Child Abuse
The following steps should be taken in reporting child abuse to the
statutory authorities:
(a)
Observe
and note dates, times, locations and contexts in which the incident occurred or
suspicion was aroused, together with any other relevant information
(b)
Report
the matter as soon as possible to the person designated for reporting abuse(the
senior officer holder, normally the chairperson). If the Designated Officer has
reasonable grounds (as outlined above) for believing that the child has been
abused or is at risk of abuse, s/he will make a report to the health
board/social services who have statutory responsibility to investigate and
assess suspected or actual child abuse
(c)
In
cases of emergency, where a child appears to be at immediate and serious risk
and the Designated Officer is unable to contact a duty social worker, the
police authorities should be contacted. Under no circumstances should a child
be left in a dangerous situation pending intervention by the Statutory
Authorities
(d)
If the
Designated Officer is unsure whether reasonable grounds for concern exist of
not, s/he should informally consult with the local health board/social
services. S/he will be advised whether or not the matter requires a formal
report, (see contact sheet overleaf).
(e)
A
Designated Officer reporting suspected or actual child abuse to the Statutory
Authorities should first inform the family of their intention to make such a
report, unless doing so would endanger the child or undermine an investigation
(f)
A
report should be given by the Designated Officer to the Statutory Authorities
in person by phone and in writing
(g)
It is
best to report child abuse concerns by making personal contact with the
relevant personnel in the Statutory Authorities
Response to a child reporting any form of abuse
The following points should be taken into consideration:
(a)
It is
important to deal with any allegation of abuse in a sensitive and competent way
through listening to and facilitating the child to tell about the problem,
rather than interviewing the child about details of what happened
(b)
It is
important to stay calm and not to show any extreme reaction to what the child
is saying. Listen compassionately, and take what the child is saying seriously
(c)
It
should be understood that the child has decided to tell something very
important and has taken a risk to do so. The experience of telling should be a
positive one so that the child will not mind talking to those involved in the
investigation
(d)
The
child should understand that it is not possible that any information will be
kept a secret
(e)
No
judgmental statement should be made against the person whom the allegation is
made
(f)
The
child should not be questioned unless the nature of what s/he is saying is
unclear. Leading questions should be avoided. Open, non-specific questions
should be used such as “Can you explain to me what you mean by that”
(g)
The
child should be given some indication of what would happen next, such as
informing parents/guardians, health board or social services. It should be kept
in mind that the child may have been threatened and may feel vulnerable at this
stage
See also Appendix 6, page 53 of the Code of Ethics and
Good Practice for Children’s Sport, (sample reporting form).
Categories of Abuse
All
Sports Leaders should be familiar with signs and behaviours that may be indicative
of child abuse. Though a child may be subjected to more than one type of harm,
abuse is normally categorised into four different types: neglect, emotional
abuse, physical abuse and sexual abuse. For detailed definitions of abuse refer
to Children First: National Guidelines for the Protection and Welfare of
Children (Department of Health & Children) and Co-operating to Protect
Children (Volume 6 of the Children (NI) Order regulations). The categories of
abuse may be summarised as follows:
Neglect is
normally defined in terms of omission, where a child suffers significant harm
or impairment of development by being deprived of food, clothing, warmth,
hygiene, intellectual stimulation, supervision and safety, attachment to and
affection from adults, or medical care. It may also include neglect of a
child’s basic emotional needs.
Neglect generally
becomes apparent in different ways over a period of time rather than at one
specific point. For instance, a child who suffers a series of minor injuries is
not having his or her needs for supervision and safety met. The threshold of
significant harm is reached when the child’s needs are neglected to the extent
that his or her well being and /or development is severely affected.
Emotional abuse is
normally to be found in the relationship between an adult and a child rather
than in a specific event or pattern of events. It occurs when a child’s need
for affection, approval, consistency and security are not met. It is rarely
manifested in terms of physical symptoms. For children with disabilities it may
include over protection or conversely failure to recognise or understand a
child’s disability. Examples of emotional abuse include:
(a)
Persistent
criticism, sarcasm, hostility or blaming;
(b)
Where
the level of care is conditional on his or her behaviour
(c)
Unresponsiveness,
inconsistent or unrealistic expectations of a child;
(d)
Premature
imposition of responsibility on the child
(e)
Over
and under protection of the child
(f)
Failure
to provide opportunities for the child’s education and development
(g)
Use of
unrealistic or over-harsh disciplinary measures
(h)
Exposure
to domestic violence
Children show
signs of emotional abuse by their behaviour for example, excessive clinginess
to or avoidance of the parent/guardian, their emotional state (low self-esteem,
unhappiness), or their development (non-organic failure to thrive). The
threshold of significant harm is reached when abusive interactions dominate and
become typical of the relationship between the child and the parent/guardian.
Physical abuse is
any form of non-accidental injury that causes significant harm to a child,
including:
(a)
Shaking
(b)
Use of
excessive force in handling
(c)
Deliberate
poisoning
(d)
Suffocation
(e)
Munchausen’s
syndrome by proxy (where parents/guardians fabricate stories of illness about
their child or cause physical signs of illness)
(f)
Allowing
or creating a substantial risk of significant harm to a child
(g)
For
children with disabilities it may include confinement to a room or cot, or
incorrectly given drugs to control behaviour.
Sexual abuse
occurs when a child is used by another person for his or her gratification or
sexual arousal, or for that of others. For example:
(a)
Exposure
of the sexual organs or any sexual act intentionally performed in the presence
of a child
(b)
Intentional
touching or molesting of the body of a child whether by a person or object for
the purpose of sexual arousal or gratification
(c)
Masturbation
in the presence of a child or involvement of the child in the act of
masturbation
(d)
Sexual
intercourse with the child, whether oral, vaginal or anal
(e)
Sexual
exploitation of a child
It may include
non-contact activities, such as involving children in looking at pornographic
material or watching sexual activities, or encouraging children to behave in
sexually inappropriate ways.
For more detailed information see the national statutory guidelines,
Children First and Our Duty to Care and the Code of Ethics and Good Practice,
chapter 5.
Some facts about abuse:
·
Abuse
occurs across all social classes, professions and ethnic groups
·
75% of
children effected by abuse know their abuser
·
A
child will seldom make false accusations or take back accusations
·
A
child will rarely be moved from the home, it’s usual to remove the abuser from
the situation
·
Boys
and girls are abused. Disabled children are more vulnerable to abuse, less able
to speak about it and more dependant on adults and their care
·
90% of
abusers are male heterosexual but women also abuse