Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy

Children in sports and activities

Sport has a positive influence on children. Not only can it provide opportunities for enjoyment and achievement, but it can also develop valuable qualities such as leadership, self-confidence, and teamwork. However, these positive outcomes can only be achieved if the coaches and leaders of the sports and activities place the welfare of all children first, and adopt practices that support, protect, and empower them.

The reality is that abuse does take place in sport and activities and trusted adults have been guilty of this. Every adult has a legal and moral responsibility to protect children and young people in sport and activity from abuse.

It is crucial that systems are in place to ensure that staff & volunteer recruitment, background checks, induction and education takes safeguarding issues into consideration. It is important that coaches and volunteers are able to recognise and respond to signs of abuse whilst at camp or after school clubs. Adopting best practice will help to safeguard children and young people from potential abuse, as well as reducing the likelihood of allegations being made against coaches and other adults in positions of responsibility. Camp 4 Champs recognises that we all have a duty of care towards children and can help to protect them from poor practice and abuse.

Who are we?

We are a team of qualified PE teachers and sports & multi skills coaches who want to give 4-14 year olds the opportunity to grow, have fun, and learn some new activities. Camp 4 Champs was set up to provide an active environment where kids can experience fun, make friends, and learn new skills.

We offer a safe and exciting environment where excellent coaches can help kids understand the power of sport, without the pressure of competition. Our activities are inclusive to all abilities so that everyone will be able to achieve and have fun.

Policy Statement

Camp 4 Champs acknowledges the duty of care to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and is committed to ensuring safeguarding practice reflects statutory responsibilities, government guidance and complies with best practice and Ofsted requirements.

Principles

The policy recognises that the welfare and interests of children are paramount in all circumstances. It aims to ensure that regardless of age, ability or disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation, socio-economic background, all children

Have a positive and enjoyable experience of sport at Camp 4 Champs in a safe and child centred environment
Are protected from abuse whilst participating in sport, cookery, arts & crafts or outside of the activity.

Camp 4 Champs acknowledges that some children, including disabled children and young people or those from ethnic minority communities, can be particularly vulnerable to abuse and we accept the responsibility to take reasonable and appropriate steps to ensure their welfare.

Operational responsibilities

As part of our safeguarding policy Camp 4 Champs will

Comply with Ofsted registration requirements and follow any relevant legislation, including laws about health and safety, disability discrimination, food hygiene, fire, and planning requirements.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/childminders-and-childcare-providers-register-with-ofsted/registration-requirements

Give parents/carers details of Ofsted’s address, as shown below.

Piccadilly Gate Store Street. Manchester. M1 2WD

Promote and prioritise the safety and wellbeing of children and young people
Respect and promote the rights, wishes and feelings of children
Ensure everyone understands their roles and responsibilities in respect of safeguarding and is provided with appropriate learning opportunities to recognise, identify, and respond to signs of abuse, neglect and other safeguarding concerns relating to children and young people
Ensure appropriate action is taken (incident reporting form) in the event of incidents/concerns of abuse and support provided to the individual/s who raise or disclose the concern
Ensure that confidential, detailed, and accurate records of all safeguarding concerns are maintained and securely stored
Prevent the employment/deployment of unsuitable individuals by ensuring a full and exhaustive background check (reference check, DBS check, relevant qualifications, and experience) are made
Ensure robust safeguarding arrangements and procedures are in operation

The policy and procedures will be widely promoted and are mandatory for everyone involved in Camp 4 Champs. Failure to comply with the policy and procedures will be addressed without delay and may ultimately result in dismissal/exclusion from the organisation.

Strategic responsibilities

All Camp 4 Champs staff and volunteers have a role to play in ensuring that the organisation’s strategic responsibilities are upheld.

Role of management team

Camp 4 Champs has a manager at each site (Surrey, Herts & Essex). Together the management team will:

Oversee arrangements to ensure the organisation fulfils its ‘duty of care’ towards children
Contribute to the development and implementation of policies for the safeguarding and protection of children in sport and multi skills activities
Develop, maintain, and review other organisational policies and procedures which contribute to safeguarding children, including those related to safer recruitment, complaints and disciplinary procedures
Work collaboratively with external agencies on cases of serious poor practice or abuse
Implement an organisational culture of listening to children as reflected in organisational plans and practices

Role of designated safeguarding lead (DSL)

Camp 4 Champs designated safeguarding lead (DSL) is Helen Moreira. The safeguarding lead deputy is Alison Read. The role of the DSL is to:

Lead the development and establishment of Camp 4 Champs approach to safeguarding children
Lead responsibility for dealing with any concerns about the protection of children
Work to maintain, develop and review policies and procedures to safeguard children in line with national guidance
Advise staff on implementation of organisational policies and procedures
Advise on Camp 4 Champs safeguarding training needs and development of its training strategy
Support those working with children to respond appropriately to concerns about children’s welfare or safety
Effectively communicate with schools regarding specific concerns about a child
Co-ordinate distribution of policy, procedures, and resources throughout Camp 4 Champs as appropriate
Direct individuals to sources of support during and following an incident, allegation of abuse, or complaint

Role of staff

All staff working directly with children and young people will:

Be aware of what is meant by safeguarding, protecting, and promoting the welfare of children and the different ways in which children and young people can be harmed
Be alert to potential indicators of abuse or neglect
Be alert to the risks which individual abusers, or potential abusers may pose to children
Communicate effectively and develop working relationships with other staff, volunteers, children, and parents to safeguard, protect and promote the welfare of children
Be aware of the roles of other practitioners and agencies in supporting and advising families and safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children
Adhere to the relevant codes of conduct appropriate to their role

Volunteers that are Under 18 years of age

The Manager must ensure that any person aged under 18 caring for children is supervised at all times by a person aged 18 or over.

Child Walking Home Alone

Camp 4 Champs stipulate that a child has to be aged 10 or over to be able to walk home by themselves and we MUST have written permission via email or text message from their parent/carer prior to the child leaving. This is the responsibility of a manager and/or Director to ensure permission has been received.

Recognition

Even for those experienced in working with child abuse, it is not always easy to recognise a situation where abuse may occur or has already taken place. However, they do have a responsibility to act immediately if they have any concerns about the behaviour of someone (an adult or another child) towards a child or young person, by reporting their concerns to the designated safeguarding children officer or manager.

Abuse & neglect

All Camp 4 Champs staff should have an understanding of abuse and neglect and know how and when to act. Camp 4 Champs will put in place training and support programmes to ensure that all are able to effectively deal with any suspicions of poor practice, abuse, or neglect.

‘Child abuse and neglect’ are forms of maltreatment of a child. These terms include serious physical and sexual assaults as well as cases where the standard of care does not adequately support the child’s health or development.

Children may be abused or neglected through the infliction of harm, or through the failure to act to prevent harm. Abuse can occur within the family or in an institution or community setting. Abuse can also take place using electronic communication.

Abuse can occur within all social groups regardless of religion, culture, race, social class, age, gender, sexual orientation, or financial position. Children may be abused by those known to them or, more rarely, by a stranger. They may be abused by an adult/s or other child/ren. There are four broad categories of abuse:

Physical abuse
Emotional abuse
Sexual abuse
Neglect

These categories overlap and an abused child frequently suffers more than a single type of abuse.

Physical abuse

Physical abuse may involve hitting, shaking, throwing, poisoning, burning, or scalding, drowning, suffocating, or otherwise causing physical harm to a child.

It may also be caused when a parent/carer fabricates symptoms of, or deliberately induces illness in a child.

Examples of physical abuse in sport and maybe when the nature and intensity of training and competition exceeds the capacity of the child’s immature and growing body; where drugs are used to enhance performance or delay puberty.

Emotional abuse

Emotional abuse is the persistent emotional ill treatment of a child such as to cause severe and persistent effects on the child’s emotional development, and may involve:

Conveying to children they are worthless or unloved, inadequate, or valued only as they meet the needs of another person (verbally or via electronic and written communication)
Imposing developmentally inappropriate expectations e.g. interactions beyond the child’s developmental capability, overprotection, limitation of exploration and learning, preventing the child from participation in normal social interaction
Causing children to feel frightened or in danger e.g. witnessing domestic abuse, seeing or hearing the ill treatment of another
Exploitation or corruption of children
Serious bullying

Some level of emotional abuse is involved in most types of ill treatment of children, though emotional abuse may occur alone.

Emotional abuse in sport may occur if children are subjected to constant criticism, name-calling, sarcasm, bullying or unrealistic pressure to consistently perform to high expectations.

Sexual abuse

Sexual abuse involves forcing or enticing a child to take part in sexual activities, whether or not the child is aware of what is happening.

Sexual activities may also include non-contact activities, e.g. involving children in looking at, or in production of abusive images, watching sexual activities or encouraging them to behave in sexually inappropriate ways.

This may include use of photographs, pictures, cartoons, literature or sound recordings e.g. the internet, books, magazines, audio cassettes, DVD’s & CD’s.

Children under 16 years of age cannot provide lawful consent to any sexual activity, though in practice many are involved in sexual contact to which, as individuals, they may have agreed.

In sport, coaching techniques which involve physical contact with children could potentially create situations where sexual abuse may go unnoticed.

The power of the coach over young performers, if misused, may also lead to abusive situations developing.

Neglect

Neglect involves the persistent failure to meet a child’s basic physical and/or psychological needs, likely to result in the serious impairment of the child’s health and development.

Neglect may occur during pregnancy as a result of maternal substance misuse. Once the child is born, neglect may involve failure to:

Provide adequate food, clothing, or shelter (including exclusion from home or abandonment)
Protect from physical and emotional harm or danger
Meet or respond to a child’s basic emotional needs
Ensure adequate supervision including use of adequate caretakers
Ensure access to appropriate medical care or treatment
Ensure that her/his educational needs are met

Neglect in sport and multi skills activity could include a coach not ensuring children were safe, exposing them to undue cold, heat or to unnecessary risk of injury.

Recognising abuse & neglect factors

Described below are frequently found in cases of abuse and/or neglect. Their presence is not proof abuse has occurred, but:

Must be regarded as indicators of possible significant harm
Justify the need for careful assessment and discussion with the designated safeguarding children officer
May require consultation with and/or referral to local social service

Indications that a child may be experiencing abuse include the following:

The child appears frightened of the parent/s
The child acts in a way that is inappropriate to her/his age
Unexplained or suspicious injuries such as bruising, cuts or burns, particularly if situated on a part of the body not normally prone to such injuries
An injury for which the explanation seems inconsistent
Unexplained changes in behaviour
Inappropriate sexual awareness
Engaging in sexually explicit behaviour
Distrust of adults, particularly those with whom a close relationship would normally be expected
Has difficulty in making friends
Is prevented from socialising with other children
Displays variations in eating patterns including overeating or loss of appetite
Loses weight for no apparent reason
Becomes increasingly dirty or unkempt

It is not the responsibility of those working for Camp 4 Champ to decide that child abuse is occurring, but it is their responsibility to act on any concerns.

Race & Racism

Children and families from black or ethnic minority groups may have experienced harassment, racial and/or religious discrimination and institutional racism. Racial harassment exists in many forms, from subtle discrimination to violent physical abuse.

Racial harassment of children can have long-term damaging effects on all the dimensions of the child’s growth and development and prevent them from achieving their full potential.

Families may suffer religious and/or racial harassment sufficient in frequency and seriousness to undermine parenting capacity. In responding to concerns about children, full account needs to be taken of this context and all reasonable efforts made to end the harassment.

Camp 4 Champ promotes equality, diversity and strives to combat unfair treatment in sport and multi skill activity.

Bullying

It is important to recognise that in some cases of abuse, it may not always be an adult abusing a young person. An abuser may be a child, for example in the case of bullying. Bullying is a common form of deliberately hurtful behaviour, usually repeated over a period of time, against which it is difficult for victims to defend themselves.

The damage inflicted by bullying is often underestimated and can cause considerable distress to children to the extent that it affects their health and development. In the extreme it can cause significant harm, including self-harm.

It can take many forms, but can include:

Physical (e.g. hitting, kicking), theft

Verbal (e.g. racist or homophobic remarks, threats, name calling)

Emotional (e.g. isolating an individual from social activities)

The competitive nature of sport makes it an ideal environment for the bully. The bully in sport can be:

A parent who pushes too hard
A coach who adopts a win-at-all costs philosophy
A player who intimidates inappropriately
An official who places unfair pressure on a person

There are a number of signs that may indicate that a young person is being bullied, such as:

Behavioural changes such as reduced concentration and/or becoming withdrawn, clingy, depressed, tearful, emotionally up and down, reluctance to go to school, training, or sports club
A drop in performance at school or standard of play
Physical signs such as stomach-aches, headaches, difficulty in sleeping, bed-wetting, scratching and bruising, damaged clothes and binging for example on food, cigarettes, or alcohol
A shortage of money or frequent loss of possessions

Disabled children

Evidence suggests disabled children are at increased risk of abuse and the presence of multiple disabilities increases the risk of both abuse and neglect. A disabled child may be especially vulnerable because of:

A need for practical assistance in daily living, including intimate care
Carers/staff lacking ability to communicate adequately with her/him
A lack of continuity in care leading to an increased risk that behavioural changes go unnoticed
Carers working with the disabled person in isolation
Physical dependency with consequent reduction in ability to be able to resist abuse
Communication or learning difficulties preventing disclosure
Some sex offenders may target disabled children in the belief that they are less likely to be detected

In addition to the universal indicators of abuse/neglect mentioned, the following abusive behaviours must be considered:

Force feeding
Unjustified or excessive physical restraint
Rough handling
Extreme behaviour modification including the deprivation of liquid, medication, food or clothing
Misuse of medication, sedation, heavy tranquillisation
Invasive procedures against the person’s will
Deliberate failure to follow medically recommended regimes
Misapplication of programmes or regimes
Ill-fitting equipment e.g. callipers which may cause injury or pain, or inappropriate splinting

Safeguards for disabled children are essentially the same as for non-disabled children and should include enabling them to:

Make their wishes and feelings known
Receive appropriate personal, social and health (inc. sex) education
Raise concerns
Have a means of communication and a range of adults with whom they can communicate

Abuse of position of trust

A position of trust is one in which an adult holds a position of authority or influence over children by virtue of the work or nature of the activity being undertaken.

It is important to understand the need for those working in sport to maintain appropriate boundaries in dealing with children and young people. Intimate or sexual relationships between staff and young people under 18 years of age, irrespective of sexual orientation, will be regarded as a grave breach of trust, and may be a criminal offence.

Response

It is not the responsibility of Camp 4 Champs staff to take individual responsibility for deciding whether or not child abuse or poor practice is actually taking place. However, it is the responsibility of every member of staff to report concerns in order that appropriate agencies can then make enquiries and take any necessary action to protect the child.

All information received and discussed must be treated in confidence and only shared with those individuals within the organisation who will be able to manage and resolve the situation.

On occasion it may be necessary to seek advice or inform the statutory agencies i.e. Children’s Social Services/LSCB or the Police.

Reporting

There are a number of ways in which abuse can become apparent. In any of the following circumstances, a report should be immediately referred to the designated Safeguarding Children’s Officer.

A disclosure by a child of poor practice/abuse

A Suspicion that poor practice/abuse may have taken place

An allegation of poor practice/abuse

In being vigilant of child protection, it is crucial that all staff are aware of the steps used to recognise signs of child abuse.

As soon as possible after the disclosure/allegation/suspicion, an incident report form must be completed accurately, legibly and in as much detail as possible and submitted within 24 hours to the designated safeguarding children officer, who will notify children’s social services/LSCB/Police.

If as a result of the report, the young person becomes an identified ‘Child in Need’ or should the LADO (Local Authority Designated Officer) need clarification or further information, staff may be asked to take part in discussions – this could be over the telephone or at an initial strategy meeting. If the situation is one of child abuse, or a child is in imminent danger, the designated safeguarding children officer should contact the relevant council (see contact below).

If the designated safeguarding children officer and/or the manager are not available, the person discovering or being informed of the abuse should immediately contact children’s social services/LSCB or the police, who will decide how and when parents/carers/guardians will be informed and ultimately become responsible for what steps to take next (see contact below).

The authority will decide within 24 hours if a formal ‘referral’ (further action) is required. Within 7 working days, an initial assessment will be completed based on the child’s development needs, family and environment factors, and parenting capacity.

Surrey contact details

If you wish to have a consultation before making a referral please contact the LADO Business Support on 0300 123 1650 option 3 and ask to speak to the Duty LADO.

If immediate action is required to protect a child, please discuss this with the Surrey children’s single point of access (C-SPA) on 0300 470 9100 (option 1 for Children’s Services and then option 5).

Outside of office hours (9am-5pm), contact the Emergency Duty Team on 01483 517898 or local Surrey Police 101 or 01483 571212.

Essex contact details

Local Authority Designated Officers:

There are four LADOs for Essex County Council and they are based within the Children’s Safeguarding Team. They can be contacted by phone on 03330 139 797 or by e-mail: lado@essex.gov.uk (Please note this is not a secure address so any information sent must be password protected).

Any referral should be followed up with a referral form. This can be accessed via the Essex Safeguarding Children Board website.

If a concern is raised outside of office hours, and an immediate referral to Social Care is required, this should be made to Essex Social care on 0845 606 1212. The LADO should then be informed at the first available opportunity.

Hertfordshire Contact Details

Local Authority Designated Officers are:

Andrea Garcia-Sangil: Sangil@hertfordshire.gov.uk

Yvette Morello: Yvette.Morello@hertfordshire.gov.uk

To contact them please call 01992 556372

Disclosure by a child

Children who are being abused will only tell people they trust and with whom they feel safe.

By listening to and taking seriously what a child is telling you, you will already be helping to protect them.

If a child starts to disclose abuse, use the following guidelines:

React calmly so as not to frighten or deter the child
Reassure the child that s/he is right to tell you and is not to blame
Do not make promises of confidentiality; explain that you have to make sure that s/he is safe, and that you may need to ask other adults to help you to do this
Take what the child says seriously, recognising the difficulties inherent in interpreting what is said by a child who has a speech disability and/or differences in language
Keep questions to the absolute minimum to ensure a clear and accurate understanding of what has been said
Questions should only consist of Who…? What…? When…? Where…?
Questions should be not be leading
Let the child tell you what s/he wants to tell you and no more
S/he may have to disclose to a specialist later, and too much detail now may interfere with later investigations
When the child has finished, make sure s/he feels secure
Explain what you are going to do next
Make a full written record of what has been said, heard and/or seen, including the date and time, and sign them
Record as much as you can remember, using the child’s own words
Fill in a Camp 4 Champs Incident reporting form (at end of this document)
Ensure the safety of the young person – if they need immediate medical attention, call an ambulance, inform doctors of concerns and ensure that they are aware it is a child protection issue
Immediately inform the designated safeguarding children officer

Suspected abuse

Any suspicion that a child has been abused by either a member of staff or a volunteer should be reported to the designated safeguarding children officer, who will take such steps as considered necessary to ensure the safety of the child in question and any other child who may be at risk. i.e. is the situation URGENT?

If not, complete and submit a written report within 24 hours.

The designated safeguarding children officer will seek advice from Children’s Social services/LSCB who may involve the police

The parents or carers of the child will be contacted as soon as possible following advice from the social services department

If the designated safeguarding children officer is the subject of the suspicion/allegation, the report must be made to the safeguarding children manager, who is then responsible for taking the action outlined above.

Sharing concerns with parents

Camp 4 Champs is committed to working in partnership with parents if there are concerns about their children. Therefore, in most situations, it would be important to talk to parents to help clarify any initial concerns. For example, if a child seems withdrawn, there may be a reasonable explanation. S/he may have experienced an upset in the family. If you are unsure what to do, discuss this with the designated safeguarding children officer.

There are circumstances in which a young person might be placed at even greater risk if concerns are shared (e.g. where a parent or carer may be responsible for the abuse or not able to respond to the situation appropriately). In these situations, or where concerns still exist, any suspicion, allegation or incident of abuse must be reported to the designated safeguarding children officer in charge as soon as possible and recorded.

Allegations against staff

Any concerns for the welfare of the child, arising from abuse or poor practice by a member of staff or volunteer, must be dealt with in the same way as allegations against other people and reported immediately to the designated safeguarding children officer. If the allegation is about the designated safeguarding children officer, the report should be made to the safeguarding children manager.

Where there is a complaint of abuse against a member of staff or volunteer, there may be three types of investigation:

Criminal
Child protection
Disciplinary or misconduct

Civil proceedings could also be initiated by the person/family of the person who alleged the abuse. Camp 4 Champs disciplinary investigations will consider all relevant information, including the results of any police and social services investigations and those of other partners.

Internal enquiries and suspension

Camp 4 Champs will follow strict disciplinary procedures with regards to the suspension of any individual accused of abuse, pending further police and social services inquiries.

Irrespective of the findings of the social services or police inquiries, Camp 4 Champs will assess all individual cases under the appropriate misconduct/disciplinary procedures, to decide whether a member of staff or volunteer should be reinstated and how this can be sensitively handled with other staff or volunteers. This may be a difficult decision, particularly where there is insufficient evidence to uphold any action by the police. In such cases, Camp 4 Champs will reach a decision based on the available information that could suggest, on a balance of probability, it is more likely than not that the allegation is true. The welfare of children will always remain paramount.

Poor Practice

If, following deliberation, the allegation is clearly about poor practice, the matter will be referred to the management team, to decide how to deal with the allegation and whether or not disciplinary proceedings should be initiated.

Support for staff

Camp 4 champs will ensure adequate support is made available, that is appropriate to children, parents, members of staff and volunteers. It is acknowledged that feelings generated by the discovery that a member of staff or volunteer is, or may be, abusing a child, will raise concerns among other staff or volunteers. This includes the difficulties inherent in reporting such matters. Camp 4 Champs assures all staff that they will fully support and protect anyone who, in good faith (without malicious intent), reports his or her concern about a colleague’s practice or the possibility that a child may be being abused.

Staff are entitled to free, confidential counselling sessions with an independent, experienced professional counsellor

Allegations of Previous Abuse

Allegations of abuse may be made some time after the event (e.g. by an adult who was abused as a child or by a member of staff who is still currently working with children). Where such an allegation is made, the procedures as detailed above should be used and the matter reported to the police, as other children, either within or outside sport, may be at risk from this person. Anyone who has a previous criminal conviction for offences related to child abuse is automatically excluded from working with children.

Action if Bullying is Suspected

All personnel will be provided with training, support, and information as appropriate.

Procedure for dealing with bullying includes:

Record the incident using an Incident Report Form
Speak to the bully separately and agree a course of action
Follow up to ensure the victim is safe
Aim to integrate the victim into the group
Praise the bully for any subsequent positive behaviour
Track any further action, including speaking to other agencies or parents, or undertaking any mediation or other meetings
Inform the designated safeguarding children officer

Good practice

All Camp 4 Champs staff will be encouraged to demonstrate excellent behaviour in order to promote the welfare of young people and reduce the likelihood of allegations being made.

Code of ethics and conduct

All staff, whether paid or volunteers, must agree to follow Camp 4 Champs Code of Ethics and Conduct.

The Code encourages the development of an open and positive atmosphere so that:

Poor practice is identified and addressed
Investigations are carried out
Disciplinary action is taken if appropriate

Use of photographic filming equipment

Where photography or filming equipment has been organised for publicity purposes, consent will have been sought from parents or carers.

DBS (Disclosure & Barring) Disclosure

The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act gives individuals the right not to disclose details of old offences if asked about their criminal record – as they are deemed to be ‘spent’. However, for certain excepted professions, offices and employment, employers are allowed to ask about these offences, and this is called being allowed to ask an ‘exempted question’.

Positions involving contact with children are one of these exemptions. Others are set out in the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975.

A DBS Disclosure need to be sought for posts where normal duties include:

Caring for, training, supervising or being in sole charge of children, or:
Unsupervised contact with children under arrangements made by a responsible person (for example, a parent, guardian, or primary carer.

Information released on a disclosure is sensitive. It is therefore important to do everything possible to protect the civil rights of individual candidates and information must only be released in strict accordance with the code of conduct as laid down by the Criminal Records Bureau.

Staffing & Supervision Ratios

It is important to ensure that, in planning and running sports and multi skills activities for children and young people, consideration is given to providing an appropriate staffing/supervision ratio of adults to participants. This will minimise any risks to participants, enhance the benefits they draw from the activity, reassure parents and carers, and provide some protection for those responsible for providing the activity (in the event of concerns or incidents arising.)

Use of Electronic Communication

There is growing concern being expressed about what is and what is not permissible in the area of communication between adults and children and young people in sport.

Understandably, with the rapid development of mobile phones, text messaging, email and other forms of electronic communication, these methods of communicating have become a feature of the sporting landscape.

There is evidence of the use of mobile phones and other electronic communication for grooming or other purposes by coaches and others in positions of trust in relation to children throughout sport.

It is important to acknowledge the potential risks and additional vulnerability of children and young people and adopt good practice for the use of mobile phones and other forms of electronic communication. Camp 4 Champs has a strict no phones policy for its campers on day camp, and for children in after school clubs. Coaches are not permitted to be on mobile phones whilst at camp, or whilst coaching after school clubs.

The only exception to this rule is the manager of the camp or if the coach is the lead coach for an after school club. This is to ensure parents and carers can contact the manager or lead coach at all times.

Duty of Care

It is widely accepted that in relation to children and young people, sports organisations have a duty of care.

In essence, duty of care means that a sports body needs to take such measures as are reasonable in the circumstances to ensure that individuals will be safe to participate in an activity to which they are invited to or which is permitted.

There is no general duty of care upon members of the public towards the public at large. If there is a formal relationship, however, for example between a Camp 4 Champs and a camp member, there is a duty of care. When children and young people are involved in organised sports and multi skill activities and are to any extent under the care and/or control of one or more adults. The adult(s) have a duty to take reasonable care to ensure their safety and welfare.

Managing Challenging Behaviour

Staff delivering sports and multi skills activities to children may, on occasions, be required to deal with a child’s challenging behaviour. In responding to challenging behaviour, the response should always be proportionate to the actions, be imposed as soon as is practicable and be fully explained to the child and their parents/carers.

Staff, children, young people, and parents/carers should be involved in developing an agreed statement of what constitutes acceptable and unacceptable behaviour (code of conduct) and the range of sanctions which may be applied in response to unacceptable behaviour.

Codes of Ethics and Conduct

Introduction

Sport not only provides opportunities for enjoyment and achievement, but it can also develop valuable qualities such as self-esteem, leadership, and teamwork. These positive effects for children and young people can only take place if sport is in the right hands – in the hands of those who place the welfare of all young people first, and adopt practices that support, protect, and empower them.

The reality is that abuse does take place in sport and in some cases coaches and other trusted adults in sport have been convicted. Every adult has a legal and moral responsibility to protect children and young people in sport from abuse.

Adopting best practice will help safeguard children and young people from potential abuse, as well as reducing the likelihood of allegations being made against coaches and other adults in positions of responsibility.

We all have a duty of care towards young and vulnerable performers and can help to protect them from abuse. All staff acting on behalf of Camp 4 Champs are a vital part of the development of individuals through improving their enjoyment and performance in sport.

This is achieved by:

Identifying and meeting the needs of individuals
Improving performance through a progressive programme of safe, guided practice, measured performance and/or competition
Creating an environment in which individuals are motivated to maintain participation and improve performance

The following Codes of Conduct should be used for all Camp 4 Champs activities

Where an event is co-ordinated in partnership with (an)other organisation(s), agreement should be reached as to which organisation will be responsible for implementing its Codes of Conduct and associated disciplinary action.

Camp 4 Champs staff will be provided with copies of our Safeguarding Children Policy upon which this Code of Ethics and Conduct is based. Camp 4 Champs also supports and embraces National Governing Bodies of Sport Codes of Conduct.

Code of Ethics and Conduct – Coaches

We all have a duty of care towards children and can help to protect them from abuse. As a coach, you will play a vital part in the development of individuals through enhancing their enjoyment and performance in sport and multi skills activity.

This is achieved by:

Identifying and meeting the needs of individuals
Improving performance through a progressive programme of safe, guided practice, measured performance and/or competition
Creating an environment in which individuals are motivated to maintain participation and improve performance

You should therefore follow the principles of good ethical practice listed below:

You must respect the rights, dignity and worth of every person and treat everyone equally, fairly, and sensitively within the context of their sport or activity
You must place the well-being and safety of children and young people above the development of their performance
You must follow all guidelines laid down by the sport’s governing body and must hold appropriate qualifications and insurance cover (Camp 4 Champs provides insurance for its staff who work directly for Camp 4 Champs)
You must develop an appropriate working relationship with participants, based on mutual trust and respect. You must avoid any behaviour which might allow an inappropriate relationship to develop with a child or young person, who holds you in a position of trust.
You must encourage and guide children and young people to accept responsibility for their own behaviour and performance
You must ensure the activities you plan and coach are appropriate for the age, maturity, experience and ability of the participants. You should, at the outset, clarify with participants (and where appropriate with their parents) exactly what is expected of them and what participants are entitled to expect from their coach
You should cooperate fully with other specialists (e.g. other coaches, officials, sports scientists, doctors, physiotherapists) in the best interests of the participants
You should always promote the positive aspects of sport (e.g. fair play) and never condone rule violations.
You must consistently display high standards of behaviour and appearance. Discriminatory, offensive, or violent behaviour is unacceptable.

It is important to protect yourself from situations which could leave you open to the possibility of accusation. The following points are to be strictly adhered to:

Do:

Avoid situations where you could be alone with one child
Keep doors open if working in an enclosed environment
Exercise extreme caution where physical contact with a child is required

Don’t:

Personally, take part in rough or physical games with children
Allow or engage in inappropriate touching of a child
Allow children to use inappropriate language
Do things of a personal nature that children can do for themselves
Let allegations made by a child go unchallenged or unrecorded

Code of Ethics and Conduct – Parents & Carers

We all have a duty of care towards young and vulnerable performers and can help to protect them from abuse.

As a parent or carer, you will play a vital part in the development of your child through enhancing their enjoyment and performance in sport. This can be achieved by:
Identifying and meeting the needs of young people
Improving their performance through a progressive programme of safe, guided practice, measured performance and/or competition
Creating an environment in which young people are motivated to maintain participation and improve performance

We therefore expect parents and carers to demonstrate the principles of good ethical practice listed below:

You must ensure your child has the appropriate equipment, clothing, and refreshments
You must inform the coach, activity leader or manager of any special requirements your child has, or any illness, injury, or medical condition, and ensure your child has access to any required medication
You must provide Camp 4 Champs with emergency contact details, and inform them immediately should these change
You should be punctual when dropping off and collecting your child
You should always be encouraging and respectful to participants, coaches, officials, volunteers, and spectators
You should set a good example by recognising fair play and applauding the good performances of all
You should encourage your child to learn the rules and play within them
You should discourage unfair play and disagreeing with officials, and publicly accept officials’ judgements
You must help your child to recognise good performance, not just results
You must never force your child to take part in sport
You must never punish or belittle a child for losing or making mistakes
You should take an active interest in your child’s participation and progress, and help them to enjoy their sport
You must use correct and proper language at all times

Principles of participation and code of conduct – Children & young people

Sport and multi skills activity are for everyone, and is a great way to make new friends, stay fit and healthy, learn new skills and to have FUN! Sport and multi skills activity can be exciting, rewarding, challenging and competitive, and gives you a great sense of achievement when you take part. But remember sport and multi skills activity should be fun and you should always feel SAFE! It is the responsibility of everyone – coaches, officials, parents, and spectators – to make sure you can stay safe and have fun in sport. But you can also help to make sure sport is an enjoyable experience for all players, by following these principles of participation.

Fair Play	Treat others with the same respect and fairness that you would like them to show you
Equity	Respect differences in gender, disability, culture, race, ethnicity, and religious belief systems between yourself and others
Inclusiveness and tolerance	Appreciate that all participants bring something valuable and different to sport and multi skills activity Value and learn from the diversity of people you meet and show patience with others and act with dignity at all times Always use polite language, and never engage in bullying behaviour
Responsibility	Look out for yourself and the welfare of others Do not engage in any irresponsible behaviour Make sure you know what you can do if you are concerned about someone’s behaviour towards you somebody else
Friendship	Take time to thank those who help you take part – whether family, organisation or teammates
Respect	Play to your best ability at all times Do what your coach asks you to do, as long as you are comfortable to do so, and it is within the rules of the game Show respect to referees and officials, and accept all decisions without disagreement and always be respectful to other participants, coaches and volunteers

Coaching Procedures – School Holiday Camps

These procedures apply to our school holiday sports camps. It is essential that every coach follows these procedures. Every point is valid and gained through experience. Please remember you have children in your care, and nothing is more important than their safety and wellbeing.

Before Camp

Coaches to arrive half an hour before Camp
All staff must wear a Camp 4 Champs T-Shirt – at all times
Read through Risk Assessment and take any measures necessary
Familiarise yourself with the surroundings i.e. toilets, cold water etc.
Set up equipment/courts – SCHOOL EQUIPMENT MUST NEVER BE USED
Coaches to empty litter bins (morning/noon and after camp)
Coach to be waiting at child drop off area
Show children where to leave their coats/bags/packed lunch etc

During Camp

NO COACH TO LEAVE SITE DURING CAMP (we suggest you bring a packed lunch and drink with you)
Manager to take the register once all children have arrived, before starting any activities.
DO NOT ACCEPT ANY NEW CHILDREN WITHOUT FULLY COMPLETED ALL ABOUT ME FORM AND PAYMENT
Call Helen Moreira (Essex) & Alison Read (Surrey) to advise of any new children and any payments taken
Do a head count and make sure it tallies with the register
Work through the ‘Morning at camp script’ before sessions begin (this will familiarise or remind all children with the surroundings i.e. toilets, cold water etc)
Please try to make sure ALL children go to the toilet when the Camp starts and schedule further designated toilet breaks throughout the day – thus eliminating the need for children to go off on their own
Coaches to recount heads, before, during and at the end of every session
Manager to check toilets are clean at break and lunchtime
Sign children out when their parents/guardians arrive, do not allow children to leave without the parent/guardian providing the password for their child (unless the child is over 10 and you have had prior written consent from the parents/guardian or the school that the child may leave alone)
PLEASE CHECK THERE ARE NO STRANGERS AROUND, ABOUT WHOM YOU HAVE NOT BEEN INFORMED (BUILDERS/MAINTENANCE WORKERS ETC) if there is, the manager will inform Helen or Alison IMMEDIETELY

After Camp

Coaches put all equipment away
Clean up all areas used to include hall & classrooms
Make sure all areas used are securely locked and LEFT CLEAN AND TIDY
UPDATE THE REGISTER EACH DAY AFTER CAMP – ready for the next day (making note of any extra/new children with contact details, any booking forms & payments you are holding)
It is essential that the manager telephones Helen Moreira (Essex) & Alison Read (Surrey & Herts) every afternoon, without fail, to report Camp numbers and details of any problems/accidents.

Staff Mobiles

All managers must have their mobile on and stay in touch with Helen Moreira (Essex) & Alison Read (Surrey & Herts) when necessary. Please ensure you inform Camp 4 Champs of any change of number immediately.

Accident Procedure

In the event of an accident, one coach MUST stay with the group while the other deals with the child/children involved in the accident
Call an ambulance if necessary
Notify Helen Moreira (Essex) or Alison Read (Surrey & Herts) and the parent(s)
Fill in an Accident Report Form, located in the First Aid Box

Accident Procedure

Coaches should be aware of the procedure for accidents and who the next port of call is at the School – E.g. Welfare Officer, Head Teacher etc. All coaches MUST have their First Aid bags and use, if necessary

If the child can continue with session, parents should still be informed (after the session) as to what happened, and an accident and incident report forms MUST be filled in. For serious cases Helen Moreira (Essex) or Alison Read (Surrey) must be notified immediately.

Incident Reporting Form

Your name:		Name of organisation: Camp 4 Champs
Your role:
Contact information (you): Address: Postcode: Telephone numbers: Email address:
Child’s name:		Child’s date of birth:
Child’s ethnic origin: Please state		Does child have a disability: Please state
Child’s gender: Male Female
Parent’s / carer’s name(s):
Contact information (parents/carers): Address: Postcode: Telephone numbers: Email address:
Have parent’s / carer’s been notify of this incident? Yes No If YES please provide details of what was said/action agreed:
Are you reporting your own concerns or responding to concerns raised by someone else: Responding to my own concerns Responding to concerns raised by someone else
If responding to concerns raised by someone else: Please provide further information below
Name: Position within Camp 4 Champs or relationship to the child: Telephone numbers: Email address:
Date and times of incident:
Details of the incident or concerns: Include other relevant information, such as description of any injuries and whether you are recording this incident as fact, opinion or hearsay.
Child’s account of the incident:
Please provide any witness accounts of the incident:
Please provide details of any witnesses to the incident: Name: Position within Camp 4 Champs or relationship to the child: Date of birth (if child): Address: Postcode: Telephone number: Email address:
Please provide details of any person involved in this incident or alleged to have caused the incident / injury: Name: Position within Camp 4 Champs or relationship to the child: Date of birth (if child): Address: Postcode: Telephone number: Email address:
Please provide details of action taken to date:
Has the incident been reported to any external agencies? Yes No
If YES please provide further details:
Name of organisation / agency: Contact person: Telephone numbers: Email address: Agreed action or advice given:
Your signature:		Print name:
Date:

Contact Helen Moreira – Designated safeguarding officer (in line with Camp 4 Champs) reporting procedures.

Monitoring

The policy will be reviewed a year after development and then every 12 months, or in the following circumstances:

Changes in legislation and/or government guidance
As a result of any other significant change or event.

(Last reviewed October 2022)

Date October 2022

To be reviewed October 2023