Welfare
Be safe and enjoy your sport, swimming should be fun, inclusive and friendly.
Child Protection Policy
Any Safeguarding or welfare issues please email the Ramsbottom Swimming Club Welfare Officer confidentially and directly.
“It is widely accepted that it is the responsibility of every adult to protect children from abuse” (NSPCC, 2001)
Statement
Ramsbottom Swimming Club recognises its responsibility to promote children’s wellbeing and to safeguard them from harm.
Club Responsibilities
- To safeguard and promote the interests and wellbeing of all children within the club.
- To take all practical steps to protect these children from harm, discrimination and degrading treatment.
- To respect the rights wishes and feelings of all children.
- Ramsbottom Swimming Club fully support the Swim England child safeguarding policies Wavepower 2020-23 | Child safeguarding for Swim England clubs (swimming.org)
Club Principles and Policy
- The Childs welfare is paramount.
- All children regardless of age, culture, disability, gender, language, racial origin, religious beliefs, and/or sexuality have the right to protection from abuse.
- All suspicions and allegations of abuse will be taken seriously and responded to swiftly and appropriately.
How can I raise a safeguarding concern?
If you have a concern that a child or adult may be at risk of harm, or being harmed, you should, without delay, contact:
- The club welfare / safeguarding officer Helen Hyder
helhyder@icloud.com
- Your county or regional welfare officer
- Swim England National Safeguarding Team safeguarding@swimming.org
If you are unable to get hold of the club welfare officer please follow the link below for guidance on reporting concerns: https://www.swimming.org/swimengland/safeguarding-contacts/
There is a detailed guide on how to raise a concern on the Swim England website. How To Raise A Concern or Complaint | Swim England Safeguarding (swimming.org)
For a concerns about how child welfare is managed at the club please follow the link below to the Swim England process for dealing with these concerns: Reporting a Child Welfare Management Concern | Swim England (swimming.org)
If you believe the child is in immediate danger, then please call one of the following local agencies:
- The Police 999, For non-emergencies 101.
- Children’s Services
- Local Authority Adult Safeguarding Team
- Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH)
- Local Authority Designated officer (LADO)
- NSPCC Child Protection Helpline 0808 800 5000
Anti Bullying Policy
The Club fully support and have adopted the recommendations of the Swim England in their latest documentation entitled ‘Wavepower 2020-2023′
Further details can be found on the British Swimming website, www.britishswimming.org, in the Wavepower Section (see page 70-74). https://www.swimming.org/swimengland/wavepower-child-safeguarding-for-clubs
Statement of Intent
We are committed to providing a caring, friendly and safe environment for all of our members so they can swim in a relaxed and secure atmosphere. Bullying of any kind is unacceptable at our club. If bullying does occur, all swimmers or parents should be able to tell and know that incidents will be dealt with promptly and effectively.
What is bullying?
Bullying is the use of aggression with the intention of hurting another person. Bullying results in pain and distress to the victim. Bullying can be:
- Emotional – being unfriendly, excluding (emotionally and physically), sending hurtful text messages, tormenting, (e.g. hiding goggles/floats, threatening gestures);
- Physical – pushing, kicking, hitting, punching or any use of violence;
- Racist -racial taunts, graffiti, gestures;
- Sexual-unwanted physical contact or sexually abusive comments;
- Homophobic -because of, or focusing on the issue of sexuality;
- Verbal – name calling, sarcasm, spreading rumours, teasing.
Why is it Important to respond to bullying?
Bullying hurts. No one deserves to be a victim of bullying. Everybody has the right to be treated with respect. Swimmers who are bullying need to learn different ways of behaving. A club has a responsibility to respond promptly and effectively to issues of bullying.
Objectives of this policy
All committee members, coaches and teachers, swimmers and parents should have an understanding of what bullying is. All committee members, teaching and coaching staff should know what the club policy is on bullying and follow it when bullying is reported. All swimmers and parents should know what the club policy is on bullying and what they should do if bullying arises. As a club, we take bullying seriously. Swimmers and parents should be assured that they would be supported when bullying is reported.
BULLYING WILL NOT BE TOLERATED
Swimline
Are you a worried or concerned swimmer?
or
Are you worried or concerned about a swimmer?
If you do not know or need advice, give us a ring (SWIMLINE 0808 100 4001):
You will have two choices –
- If it is urgent you can transfer to the NSPCC Child Protection Helpline (0800 800 500).
- If you would rather discuss your problem with someone who understands swimming – leave a message with you daytime or evening telephone number and a contact time and a member of our Child Protection Group will ring you back.
Who is Swimline for?
This service is provided for anyone involved in swimming. Including children and young people who believe that the welfare of a child is at risk. This could be neglect or abuse or fear of someone, or anything that is worrying you and you do not know who to discuss this with.
Who will take the calls and what happens?
When you ring you will hear a message. This will explain that if you wish to speak to someone urgently – or it would be convenient or safe to call you back – you can press a number to transfer you straight to the NSPCC Child Protection Helpline. This will be answered by trained and experienced counsellors who will advise you and will act to protect children.
Other things you should know.
Swimline calls are free and do not appear on itemised bills unless the call is made from a mobile phone.
Swimline does not use the 1471 code or any other call return or call display facilities. If you leave a message, we aim to ring back during the next working day. If you phone over the weekend, we will aim to contact you on Monday.
You can call the FREE 24 hour NSPCC Child Protection Helpline direct on 0800 800 500 or Childline on 0800 11 11.