Safeguarding and Child Protection - Policy and Guidelines

UK National Cadet Class Association (UKNCCA)

1. Introduction

All parents, adult assistants, coaches, volunteers and anyone deemed to be working with the UKNCCA will be aware that there is a legal duty and responsibility to protect children in its care.

The UKNCCA has Welfare officers, a policy and procedure document because it seeks to:

Safeguard children from physical or emotional harm, both on and off the water.
Assure parents that their children are safe.
Raise awareness amongst our members, volunteers or employees so that they know what to do if they are concerned about a child, whether the concern relates to the child’s welfare when they are attending events or training or something happening outside the sport that a child discloses to someone they trust.
To protect coaches, instructors, officials or volunteers by giving them some practical, common sense guidelines to avoid placing themselves in situations where they are open to allegations.
To demonstrate that the UKNCCA is inclusive, takes its obligations seriously and has taken ‘all reasonable steps’ to provide a safe environment, both on and off the water.

Definition of a child

The Children Act 1989 defined any person under the age of 18 as a ‘child’. In this document and in day to day communications the terms ‘children’ and ‘young people’ are both used, recognising that older teenagers may prefer not to be referred to as ‘children’ although they are still children in the eyes of the law.

PART 1 − POLICY

2. Policy Statements

The UKNCCA Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy

Policy Statement

The UKNCCA 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.

For the purpose of this policy, anyone under the age of 18 should be considered as a child (definition above). All members of the UKNCCA should be aware of this policy.

The UKNCCA’s aim is to create a safe, fun and welcoming environment for all children taking part in our events, both on and off the water, where they can develop their skills and confidence. We will treat all children with respect, celebrate their achievements and listen to their views and experiences. The child’s positive experience of the sport is our priority.

The UKNCCA will respond swiftly and appropriately to concerns about poor practice or suspected or actual child abuse.

This policy and procedures will be regularly reviewed by the UKNCCA committee.

UKNCCA Welfare Officers

The welfare officers can be contacted in confidence at any time:

Tim Mycroft - 07971 478721 – welfare@cadetclass.org.uk

Harriet Hancock - 07811463457 – welfare@cadetclass.org.uk

Good Practice

All members of the UKNCCA should follow the UKNCCA Good Practice Guide. Those working or volunteering with young people should be aware of the guidance on recognising abuse (see Appendix A). The UKNCCA will carefully recruit and select volunteers in roles involving close contact with children and provide them with appropriate information and training.

Adults are requested not to enter the showers and changing rooms at times when children are changing before or after junior/youth training or racing. If this is unavoidable it is advised that they are accompanied by another adult.

The UKNCCA will seek written consent from parents/carers before taking photos or video of a child at an event or training session or publishing such images. Parents and spectators should be prepared to identify themselves if requested and state their purpose for photography/filming. If the UKNCCA publishes images of children, no identifying information other than names will be included. Any concerns about inappropriate or intrusive photography or the inappropriate use of images should be reported to the UKNCCA Welfare Officer/s.

Concerns

Anyone who is concerned about a child’s welfare, either outside the sport or within the class, should inform the UKNCCA Welfare Officer/s immediately, in strict confidence. They will then follow the RYA procedures thereafter.

PART 2 – PROCEDURES

3. Designated Person

Although everyone has a role to play in ensuring that children are safe, it is recommended that a designated individual/s have specific responsibility for implementing policy and acts as the point of contact to receive information and advice from the RYA.

In the UKNCCA, the designated people are the welfare officers: Tim Mycroft and Harriet Hancock.

The safeguarding role includes the following key areas:

Maintaining up to date policy and procedures, compatible with the RYA’s own.
Ensuring that volunteers are aware of and follow the procedures, including implementing safe recruitment procedures.
Advising the management committee on safeguarding and child protection issues.
Maintaining contact details for local children’s services and police.

If there is a concern, the welfare officer/s would:

Be the first point of contact for any concerns or allegations, from children or adults, ensuring that confidentiality is maintained in all cases.
Decide on the appropriate action to be taken, in line with the organisation’s procedures and in conjunction with the person in charge (Commodore, Principal etc).
Keep the RYA informed as necessary (see flowcharts in Section 6).

Everyone in the organisation should know who the Welfare Officers are and how to contact them.

UKNCCA Welfare Officers

Tim Mycroft - 07971 478721 – welfare@cadetclass.org.uk

Harriet Hancock - 07811463457 – welfare@cadetclass.org.uk

RYA designated person

RYA Safeguarding and Equality Manager - 023 8060 4104

RYA Safeguarding Officer - 023 8060 4226 - safeguarding@rya.org.uk

4. Recruitment and training

All UKNCCA roles, whether paid or voluntary work, should be subject to an appropriate level of scrutiny. The level of checking will be proportionate to the role and the level of risk involved. The risk is higher if the person will be in regular contact with the same child or children, in sole charge of children with no parents or other adults present, and/or in a role involving authority and trust, such as an instructor or coach.

Role Level of Check

UKNCCA Welfare Officer Enhanced Criminal Records Disclosure

UKNCCA Lead Coach Enhanced Criminal Records Disclosure

Regatta Fleet Coach Self Disclosure

Staff/volunteers (that fall within regulated activity) Enhanced Criminal Records Disclosure

Safeguarding Training

The UKNCCA committee will take all reasonable steps to ensure that those acting in their official capacity as Welfare Officer for the UKNCCA have undertaken appropriate training.

Regulated Activity

Regulated Activity with children and young people aged under 18 is defined as:

Unsupervised activities: teach, train, instruct, care for or supervise children, or provide advice/guidance on well-being’ if done ‘frequently’ or ‘intensively’ – this means at least once a week, or four times in a 30 day period, or overnight.

Enhanced Criminal Records Disclosures from other Organisations

The UKNCCA will except Enhanced Criminal Records Disclosures from other organisations as long as:

It is no more than 6 months old
It is for the same workforce required for the role
It has the same level of check for the role i.e. children’s barred list
It is for a similar role /position

We will keep a record of the DBS check on our files.

5. Good practice guidelines

Culture

The UKNCCA aims to develop a culture where both children and adults feel able to raise concerns, knowing that they will be taken seriously, treated confidentially and will not make the situation worse for themselves or others.

Minimising risk

The UKNCCA promotes good practice to minimise situations where adults are working unobserved or could take advantage of their position of trust. Good practice protects everyone – children, volunteers and staff.

Avoid spending any significant time working with children in isolation
Do not take children alone in a car, however short the journey
Do not take children to your home as part of your organisation’s activity
Where any of these are unavoidable, ensure that they only occur with the full knowledge and consent of someone in charge of the organisation or the child’s parents
Design training programmes that are within the ability of the individual 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.

You should never:

engage in rough, physical or sexually provocative games
allow or engage in inappropriate touching of any form
allow children to use inappropriate language unchallenged, or use such language yourself when with children
make sexually suggestive comments to a child, even in fun
fail to respond to an allegation made by a child; always act
do things of a personal nature that children can do for themselves.

It may sometimes be 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 both the child (where possible) and their parents/carers. In an emergency situation which requires this type of help, parents/carers should be informed as soon as possible. In such situations it is important to ensure that any adult present is sensitive to the child and undertakes personal care tasks with the utmost discretion.

Additional vulnerability

Some children may be more vulnerable to abuse or find it more difficult to express their concerns. For example:

a disabled child who relies on a carer to help them get changed may worry that they won’t be able to sail any more if they report the carer
a deaf child may not be able to express themselves or speak confidentially if they need an interpreter
a child who has experienced racism may find it difficult to trust an adult from a different ethnic background
children with low self-esteem or mental health problems can be more vulnerable to bullying or abuse, as can gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender young people, or any child who has a characteristic that marks them out in others’ eyes as ‘different’.

Grooming

Grooming is when someone develops a relationship with a child over a period of time to gain their trust for the purposes of sexual abuse or exploitation. Children and young people can be groomed online or face-to-face, by a stranger or by someone they know - for example a family member, friend or professional. For more information on possible signs of grooming, see https://www.nspcc.org.uk/preventing-abuse/child-abuse-and-neglect/grooming/ Sometimes the perpetrator grooms the entire family, building a relationship with the child’s parents/carers so that they are allowed more access to the child than would normally be the case.

Similar behaviour could be used to radicalise young people and recruit them to a religious or political cause. This is unlikely to happen in a sailing club setting, but under the government’s ‘Prevent’ strategy teachers and others working with young people receive training on recognising the warning signs.

Bullying

If a child alleges bullying or shows signs of being bullied, this must be investigated. For a definition of bullying, see Appendix A. Safeguarding and child protection procedures should include an Anti-Bullying policy. The RYA’s Anti-bullying policy is available on the website under Racing & Performance, British Youth Sailing, Information, Policy Guidance or click on this link: Youth and Junior Racing Policies.

The Child Protection in Sport Unit also publishes a sample Anti-bullying policy and guidance, see https://thecpsu.org.uk/help-advice/topics/anti-bullying/ Resources and advice for young people can be found on www.kidscape.org.uk and www.childline.org.uk

Managing challenging behaviour

Guidance for instructors and coaches on handling young people who display challenging behaviour is available as a download from the RYA website www.rya.org.uk/go/safeguarding, under RYA Safeguarding and Child Protection Guidelines.

Responsibilities of volunteers

Volunteers will be given clear roles and responsibilities, made aware of our safeguarding policy and procedures and guidelines on:

following good practice
recognising signs of abuse

RYA Coaches and Instructors are expected to comply with the RYA Codes and Conduct.

Parental responsibility and UKNCCA liability

Parents play an essential part in their children’s participation, but occasionally their desire to see their child achieve success can put the child under too much pressure or give rise to friction between families or interference in coaching.

The UKNCCA has a Code of Conduct, so that everyone is aware of their responsibilities towards each other and appropriate action can be taken if anyone’s behaviour fails to meet the expectations set out in the Code.

Although the UKNCCA have a duty of care to their members, and particularly to young people who cannot take full responsibility for their own safety, parents must be responsible for their children’s welfare and behaviour, or designate another adult to take that responsibility, outside the class formal club-organised activities.

When children are attending an organised training or coaching session or activity, the organisers have a duty of care for their safety and welfare at all times. If the class requires a parent (or designated responsible adult) to be on site, it must be made clear at what point responsibility transfers from the instructor, coach or organiser to the parent.

Changing rooms and showers

Shower areas should, where possible, be designed to allow both adults and children to shower and dress in reasonable privacy. As a minimum there should be separate male and female changing rooms and, if relevant, unisex disabled changing.

It is preferable for adults to stay away from the changing rooms while there are children there. If this is unavoidable because adults are sailing at the same times, or the site is open to the public, we recommend that adults avoid being alone in a changing room with children. Parents should be made aware that adult club members and/or members of the public may be in the changing rooms.

Bullying can be an issue in changing rooms and showers

If it is essential, in an emergency situation, for a male to enter a female changing area or vice versa, it is advised that they are accompanied by another adult of the opposite sex.

First aid and medical treatment

First aid, provided by an appropriately trained and qualified person, is part of the UKNCCA’s normal duty of care. Obtain consent if medication or medical treatment is required in the absence of the parent/carer

Organising and hosting events

It will be made clear to all young competitors and their parents that there is someone responsible for their welfare who can be contacted if they have any concerns.

Away events

It is essential that those accompanying young people to away events or training camps, and the competitors themselves, have a clear understanding of their responsibilities and the conduct expected of them.

Communication and Images

The world of the internet, social media and apps is constantly and rapidly evolving and it is hard to keep up to date, but it is important for parents and for anyone working with young people to develop some understanding of how they use technology, the risks involved and how to keep them safe. Suggested sources of information, mainly intended for parents but useful for anyone, are:

https://www.nspcc.org.uk/shareaware
https://www.net-aware.org.uk
https://www.internetmatters.org
https://www.saferinternet.org.uk

Parents

The UKNCCA is responsible for the content published on our website, but parents must accept responsibility for their children’s access to and use of computers, tablets and smartphones. See the links above for guidance.

Coaches and Instructors

When working with children and young people you are advised to:

where possible have a business phone and a personal phone
only contact sailors on your business phone (or using your organisation’s text system)
avoid using over-familiar language and try to copy in the child’s parent/carer
only communicate regarding organisational matters, not for social or personal contact.

When using social media, it is recommended that you:

have a personal and a professional page for your social media
do not allow young sailors to follow or be friends with your personal account
set your privacy settings as high as possible on your personal account
challenge the way that young sailors post or comment to you or others on social media if it is inappropriate
educate young sailors about the boundaries between them and their Coach or Instructor.

Coaches working with the RYA’s Youth and Junior squads are expected to comply with the RYA British Youth Sailing Communication Policy.

Children and young people

Children and young people use modern technology as a matter of course, but they don’t always understand the risks involved and their parents are not always fully aware of their children’s risky behaviour. Online communication and texting can often be used as a means of bullying. ‘Cyberbullying’ should be treated in the same way as any other form of bullying. www.thinkuknow.co.uk and www.childline.org.uk provide guidance and support for children and young people in different age groups, as well as for parents and carers, on matters such as online bullying, sharing images and ‘sexting’.

Photography, images and video

Publishing articles, photos and videos in club newsletters, on websites, in local newspapers etc is an excellent way of recognising young people’s achievements and of promoting the UKNCCA and the sport as a whole. However it is important to minimise the risk of anyone using images of children in an inappropriate way. Digital technology makes it easy to take, store, send, manipulate and publish images.

There are two key principles to bear in mind:

Before taking photos or video, written permission must be sought from the child and their parents/guardian for their images to be taken and used

A consent form will be sent with any entry to events
Any photographer or member of the press or media attending an event should wear identification at all times and should be fully briefed in advance of the expectations they should meet
Photographers should not be allowed unsupervised access to young people at an event.
Consent should be obtained for the use of video as a coaching aid. Any other use by a coach will be regarded as a breach of the RYA’s Code of Conduct.
Any photo or video used for coaching purposes should be used in a respectful and positive way and take into consideration the feelings of the sailor. It should be the intention not to highlight negative issues.
No images should ever be used by anybody if they may cause upset, distress or embarrassment.
Care must be taken in the storage of and access to images.

When publishing images, make sure they are appropriate and that you do not include any information that might enable someone to contact the child

It is preferable to use a general shot showing participants on the water, or a group shot of the prize-winners, without identifying them by name.
If you are recognising the achievement of an individual sailor and wish to publish their name with their photo, DO NOT publish any other information (eg. where they live, name of school, other hobbies and interests) that could enable someone to contact, befriend or start to ‘groom’ the child.
Ensure that the young people pictured are suitably dressed, to reduce the risk of inappropriate use.

Most sailing activity takes place in areas that are open to the public and it is therefore not possible to control all photography, but any concerns about inappropriate or intrusive photography, or about the inappropriate use of images, should be reported to the organisation’s child protection/welfare officer and treated in the same way as any other child protection concern.

Parents and spectators should be prepared to identify themselves if requested and state their purpose for photography/filming.

All adults and young people should note that the use and/or recording of images or video using any type of camera or photographic equipment, including cameras on smartphones and tablets and action cameras used on the water, is strictly prohibited in showers or changing areas and such use will be regarded as bullying

6. Handling concerns, reports or allegations

A complaint, concern or allegation may come from a number of sources: the child, their parents or carers, someone else within the UKNCCA. It may involve the behaviour of one of your volunteers or employees, or something that has happened to the child outside the sport, perhaps at home or at school. Children may confide in adults they trust, in a place where they feel at ease.

An allegation may range from mild verbal bullying to physical or sexual abuse. If you are concerned that a child may be being abused, it is NOT your responsibility to investigate further BUT it is your responsibility to act on your concerns and report them to the appropriate statutory authorities. For guidance on recognising abuse, see Appendix A.

Handling an allegation from a child

Always:

stay calm – ensure that the child is safe and feels safe
show and tell the child that you are taking what he/she says seriously
reassure the child and stress that he/she is not to blame
be careful about physical contact, it may not be what the child wants
be honest, explain that you will have to tell someone else to help stop the alleged abuse
make a record of what the child has said as soon as possible after the event, using the child’s own words
follow your organisation’s child protection procedures.

Never:

rush into actions that may be inappropriate
make promises you cannot keep (eg. you won’t tell anyone)
ask leading questions (see ‘Recording and handling information’ below)
take sole responsibility – consult someone else (ideally the designated Child Protection/Welfare Officer or the person in charge or someone you can trust) so that you can begin to protect the child and gain support for yourself.

You may be upset about what the child has said or you may worry about the consequences of your actions. Sometimes people worry about children being removed from their families as a result of abuse, but in reality this rarely happens. However, one thing is certain – you cannot ignore it.

Recording and handling information

If you suspect that a child may have been the subject of any form of physical, emotional or sexual abuse or neglect, the allegation must be referred as soon as possible to Children’s Social Care or the Police who have trained experts to handle such cases. Do not start asking leading questions which may jeopardise any formal investigation.

A leading question is where you suggest an answer or provide options that only need a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answer, instead of allowing the child to explain things in their own words. An example would be asking ‘did X hit you?’ instead of ‘how did you get that bruise?’. Use open questions such as ‘what happened next?’. Only ask questions to confirm that you need to refer the matter to someone else. Listen to and keep a record of anything the child tells you or that you have observed and pass the information on to the statutory authorities (see Sample Document 7 for Referral Form).

All information must be treated as confidential and only shared with those who need to know. If the allegation or suspicion concerns someone within your club or centre, only the child’s parents/carers, the organisation’s Welfare Officer, the person in charge of the organisation (unless any of them are the subject of the allegation), the relevant authorities and the RYA Safeguarding and Equality Manager should be informed. If the alleged abuse took place outside the sport, the Police or Children’s Social Care will decide who else needs to be informed, including the child’s parents/carers. It should not be discussed by anyone within the organisation other than the person who received or initiated the allegation and, if different, the person in charge.

Procedures

It is essential to have clear and agreed procedures to follow. These include:

procedures to be followed by anyone concerned about a child’s welfare, either outside the sport or within your organisation (see flowcharts below)
a procedure for handling a complaint about a member.

Statutory Authorities

If contacted by the Police or Children’s Services concerning information received or a complaint made by or about a member, volunteer or employee, you are advised to contact the RYA Safeguarding and Equality Manager as soon as possible for guidance and support. Co-operate fully with official requests for factual information, but do not express any personal opinions on the person’s conduct.

Handling the media

If there is an incident at your premises which attracts media interest, or if you are contacted by the media with an allegation concerning one of your members or employees, do not give any response until you have had an opportunity to check the facts and seek advice. You may wish to contact the RYA’s Communications department on 023 8060 4215 for professional advice on handling the media.

Reporting Procedures

If you are uncertain what to do at any stage, contact the RYA’s Safeguarding and Equality Manager on 023 8060 4104 or the NSPCC free 24-hour helpline 0808 800 5000.

Details of Children’s Social Care departments and emergency duty teams are listed on local authority websites and in local phone books. If you are unable to find the appropriate contact number, call the RYA’s Safeguarding and Equality Manager or, if a child is at immediate risk, the Police.

Flowchart 1

Flowchart 2

PART 3 – INFORMATION AND SAMPLE DOCUMENTS

7 Useful Contacts

Revised Feb 2020

NSPCC 24 hour free helpline

For advice on any aspect of children’s welfare
0808 800 5000
E-mail: help@nspcc.org.uk
Website: https://www.nspcc.org.uk

Children 1st (Scotland) free helpline

08000 28 22 33
E-mail: parentlinescotland@children1st.org.uk
Text: 07860 022844
Website: https://www.children1st.org.uk

Childline 24 hour free helpline

0800 1111
Website: https://www.childline.org.uk

MIND – mental health charity

Tel: 0300 123 3393
Text: 86463
E-mail: info@mind.org.uk
Website: https://www.mind.org.uk

Social Care Services

Your local phone book or the website for your County Council or unitary local authority will list numbers for the Children and Families Services, generally with separate numbers for Children’s Social Care and for the Emergency Duty Team (out of hours service).

Royal Yachting Association

Safeguarding and Equality Manager
RYA House, Ensign Way, Hamble, Southampton, SO31 4YA
Tel: 023 8060 4104
E-mail: safeguarding@rya.org.uk
Website: https://www.rya.org.uk/go/safeguarding

RYA Cymru Wales

Pete Muskett
Tel: 01248 670814 Mob: 07824 990694
E-mail: pete.muskett@ryacymruwales.org.uk
Website: https://www.ryacymruwales.org.uk

RYA Northern Ireland

Gayle Logan, Office Administrator
Tel: 028 9182 7154
E-mail: dsco.ryani@gmail.com
Website: https://www.ryani.org.uk

RYA Scotland

Liza Linton, Development Manager
Tel: 0131 317 7388 Mob: 07770 604234
E-mail: liza.linton@ryascotland.org.uk
Website: https://www.ryascotland.org.uk

Child Protection in Sport Unit (CPSU)

Website: https://www.thecpsu.org.uk

England

Tel: 0116 366 5580
E-mail: cpsu@nspcc.org.uk

Wales

Tel: 0116 366 5590
E-mail: cpsuwales@nspcc.org.uk

Northern Ireland

Tel: 028 9035 1135
E-mail: cpsu@nspcc.org.uk

Children 1st Safeguarding in Sport (Scotland)

Website: https://www.safeguardinginsport.org.uk
Tel: 0141 419 1156
E-mail: safeguardinginsport@children1st.org.uk

Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) – RYA is Registered Body

Website: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/disclosure-and-barring-service

Volunteer Scotland Disclosure Services – RYA is Enrolled Body

Website: https://www.volunteerscotland.net/for-organisations/disclosure-services/

Disclosure Scotland (to make a referral)

Website: https://www.mygov.scot/pvg-referrals/

AccessNI – RYA is Registered Body

Website: https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/accessni

UK Coaching – provide Safeguarding and Protecting Children training

Website: https://www.ukcoaching.org

Appendix A – What is child abuse?

Revised Jan 2019 (Based on the statutory guidance ‘Working Together to Safeguard Children’ 2018)

Abuse and neglect are forms of maltreatment of a child. Somebody may abuse or neglect a child by inflicting harm, or by failing to act to prevent harm. Children may be abused in a family or in an institutional or community setting by those known to them or, more rarely, by others (including via the internet). They may be abused by an adult or adults, or another child or children.

Physical abuse may involve adults or other children inflicting physical harm:

hitting, shaking, throwing, poisoning, burning or scalding, drowning or suffocating
giving children alcohol or inappropriate drugs
a parent or carer fabricating the symptoms of, or deliberately inducing, illness in a child
in sport situations, physical abuse might also occur when the nature and intensity of training exceeds the capacity of the child’s immature and growing body.

Emotional abuse is the persistent emotional maltreatment of a child such as to cause severe and persistent adverse effects on the child’s emotional development. It may involve:

conveying to a child that they are worthless, unloved or inadequate
not giving the child opportunities to express their views, deliberately silencing them or ‘making fun’ of what they say or how they communicate
imposing expectations which are beyond the child’s age or developmental capability
overprotection and limitation of exploration and learning, or preventing the child from participating in normal social interaction
allowing a child to see or hear the ill-treatment of another person
serious bullying (including cyber bullying), causing children frequently to feel frightened or in danger
the exploitation or corruption of children
emotional abuse in sport might also include situations where parents or coaches subject children to constant criticism, bullying or pressure to perform at a level that the child cannot realistically be expected to achieve.

Some level of emotional abuse is involved in all types of maltreatment of a child.

Sexual abuse involves an individual (male or female, or another child) forcing or enticing a child or young person to take part in sexual activities, whether or not the child is aware of what is happening, to gratify their own sexual needs. The activities may involve:

physical contact (eg. kissing, touching, masturbation, rape or oral sex)
involving children in looking at, or in the production of, sexual images
encouraging children to behave in sexually inappropriate ways or watch sexual activities
grooming a child in preparation for abuse (including via the internet)
sport situations which involve physical contact (eg. supporting or guiding children) could potentially create situations where sexual abuse may go unnoticed. Abusive situations may also occur if adults misuse their power and position of trust over young people.

Neglect is 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 or development. Neglect may involve a parent or carer failing to:

provide adequate food, clothing and shelter
protect a child from physical and emotional harm or danger
ensure adequate supervision
ensure access to appropriate medical care or treatment
respond to a child’s basic emotional needs
neglect in a sport situation might occur if an instructor or coach fails to ensure that children are safe, or exposes them to undue cold or risk of injury.

Child sexual exploitation is a form of child sexual abuse. It occurs where an individual or group takes advantage of an imbalance of power to coerce, manipulate or deceive a child or young person under the age of 18 into sexual activity in exchange for something the victim needs and wants (eg. attention, money or material possessions, alcohol or drugs), and/or for the financial advantage or increased status of the perpetrator or facilitator. The victim may have been sexually exploited even if the sexual activity appears consensual. Child sexual exploitation can also occur online without involving physical contact.

Extremism goes beyond terrorism and includes people who target the vulnerable - including the young - by seeking to: sow division between communities on the basis of race, faith or denomination; justify discrimination eg. towards women and girls; persuade others that minorities are inferior; or argue against the primacy of democracy and the rule of law in our society.

Bullying (including online bullying, for example via text or social media) may be seen as deliberately hurtful behaviour, usually repeated or sustained over a period of time, where it is difficult for those being bullied to defend themselves. The bully is often another young person. Although anyone can be the target of bullying, victims are typically shy, sensitive and perhaps anxious or insecure. Sometimes they are singled out for physical reasons – being overweight or physically small, being gay or lesbian, having a disability or belonging to a different race, faith or culture.

Bullying (not included in ‘Working Together’ but probably more common in a sport situation than some of the other forms of abuse described above)

Bullying can include:

physical pushing, kicking, hitting, pinching etc
name calling, sarcasm, spreading rumours, persistent teasing and emotional torment through ridicule, humiliation or the continual ignoring of individuals
posting of derogatory or abusive comments, videos or images on social network sites
racial taunts, graffiti, gestures, sectarianism
sexual comments, suggestions or behaviour
unwanted physical contact.

The acronym STOP – Several Times On Purpose - can help you to identify bullying behaviour.

Recognising Abuse

It is not always easy, even for the most experienced carers, to spot when a child has been abused. However, some of the more typical symptoms which should trigger your suspicions would include:

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
sexually explicit language or actions
a sudden change in behaviour (eg. becoming very quiet, withdrawn or displaying sudden outbursts of temper)
the child describes what appears to be an abusive act involving him/her
a change observed over a long period of time (eg. the child losing weight or becoming increasingly dirty or unkempt)
a general distrust and avoidance of adults, especially those with whom a close relationship would be expected
an unexpected reaction to normal physical contact
difficulty in making friends or abnormal restrictions on socialising with others.

It is important to note that a child could be displaying some or all of these signs, or behaving in a way which is worrying, without this necessarily meaning that the child is being abused. Similarly, there may not be any signs, but you may just feel that something is wrong. If you have noticed a change in the child’s behaviour, first talk to the parents or carers. It may be that something has happened, such as a bereavement, which has caused the child to be unhappy.

If you are concerned

If there are concerns about sexual abuse or violence in the home, talking to the parents or carers might put the child at greater risk. If you cannot talk to the parents/carers, consult your organisation’s designated Welfare/Safeguarding Officer or the person in charge. It is this person’s responsibility to make the decision to contact Children’s Social Care Services or the Police. It is NOT their responsibility to decide if abuse is taking place, BUT it is their responsibility to act on your concerns.

Appendix B − RYA Instructor Code of Conduct

Revised Feb 2014

RYA Instructor Code of Conduct - for RYA Instructors, Coach Assessors, Trainers and Examiners

This document outlines the code of conduct under which all holders of RYA instructor qualifications and RYA training appointments (hereafter referred to as instructors) are required to comply. The code of conduct is intended to make clear to all participants, instructors and RYA appointment holders the high standards to which all are expected to conform. Instructors must:

If working with people under the age of 18, read and understand the Child Protection Policy as detailed on the RYA website at www.rya.org.uk
Respect the rights, dignity and worth of every person and treat everyone equally within the context of their sport.
Place the wellbeing and safety of the student above the development of performance or delivery of training.
They should follow all guidelines laid down by the RYA with regards specific training or coaching programmes.
Hold appropriate insurance cover either individually or through the training centre in which they are working.
Not develop inappropriate working relationships with students (especially children). Relationships must be based on mutual trust and respect and not exert undue influence to obtain personal benefit or reward.
Encourage and guide students to accept responsibility for their own behaviour and performance.
Hold relevant up to date governing body qualifications as approved by the RYA.
Ensure that the activities they direct or advocate are appropriate for the age, maturity, experience and ability of the individual.
At the outset, clarify with students (and where appropriate their parents) exactly what is expected of them and what they are entitled to expect.
Always promote the positive aspects of the sport (eg courtesy to other water users).
Consistently display high standards of behaviour and appearance.
Not do or neglect to do anything which may bring the RYA into disrepute.
Act with integrity in all customer and business to business dealings pertaining to RYA training.
Not teach or purport to provide RYA courses  or RYA certification outside of the framework of an RYA recognised training centre
Notify the RYA immediately of any court imposed sanction that precludes the instructor from contact with specific user groups (for example children and vulnerable adults).
Not carry out RYA training, examining or coaching activities whilst under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Failure to adhere to the RYA Instructor Code of Conduct may result in the suspension or withdrawal of RYA qualifications or appointments.

Appendix C – RYA Coach Code of Ethics and Conduct

Revised Dec 2018

Sports Coaching helps the development of individuals through improving their performance.

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.

Coaches should comply with the principles of good ethical practice listed below.

All RYA Coaches working with sailors under the age of 18 must have read and understood the RYA Child Protection Policy as detailed on the RYA website at https://www.rya.org.uk/go/safeguarding If you are unable to access the website please contact coachingdevelopment@rya.org.uk
Coaches must respect the rights, dignity and worth of every person and treat everyone equally within the context of their sport.
Coaches must place the well-being and safety of the sailor above the development of performance. They should follow all guidelines laid down by the RYA, follow Operating Procedures and hold appropriate insurance cover.
Coaches must develop an appropriate working relationship with sailors based on mutual trust and respect. Coaches must not exert undue influence to obtain personal benefit or reward. In particular they must not abuse their position of trust to establish or pursue a sexual relationship with a sailor aged under 18, or an inappropriate relationship with any sailor.
Coaches must encourage and guide sailors to accept responsibility for their own behaviour and performance.
Coaches must hold up to date and nationally recognised governing body coaching qualifications.
Coaches must ensure that the activities they direct or advocate are appropriate for the age, maturity, experience and ability of the individual.
Coaches must, at the outset, clarify with sailors (and where appropriate their parents) exactly what is expected of them and what sailors are entitled to expect from their coach. A contract may sometimes be appropriate.
Coaches must co-operate fully with other specialists (eg. other coaches, officials, sports scientists, doctors, physiotherapists) in the best interests of the sailor.
Coaches must always promote the positive aspects of their sport (eg. fair play) and never condone rule violations or the use of prohibited substances.
Coaches must consistently display high standards of behaviour and appearance.
Coaches must notify the RYA immediately of any court imposed sanction that precludes the coach from contact with a specific user group (eg. children and vulnerable adults).
Coaches must not carry out coaching activities whilst under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or when they have received medical advice not to continue activities that are connected with their coaching (eg. driving).
Coaches must not behave in a way which brings the sport into disrepute.

Failure to adhere to the RYA Coach Code of Conduct may result in the suspension or withdrawal of RYA qualifications or appointments and will be dealt with in line with the RYA Coaches’ Performance Guidelines. To access these Guidelines please contact coachingdevelopment@rya.org.uk