CLUB SAFEGUARDING POLICIES

ADULT SAFEGUARDING POLICY

Safeguarding Leads

Safeguarding Officer –

Paul Felton  Tel: 07528 522231  paulyfelton@me.com

Chair

Fran Wall   Tel: 07914 083747 

franwall@proton.me

POLICY

Broadwas Croquet Club expects ALL club members to play a role in safeguarding adults at risk (also referred to as vulnerable adults)  by protecting them from harm. The club also expects all members to maintain appropriate and respectful boundaries in their interactions with other members, visitors, and vulnerable adults and youngsters under the age of 18.

Broadwas Croquet Club requires that ALL club members and bowls players adhere to the safeguarding principles in this policy and ensure they are familiar with the main requirements of the policy.

Section 1: Safeguarding Adults at Risk Policy

Definition

  1. An adult at risk is defined as someone over 18, who:
  1. has a need for care and support (whether or not the local authority is meeting any of those needs) and;
  • is experiencing, or at risk of, abuse or neglect, and;
  • as a result of those care and support needs is unable to protect        themselves from either the risk of, or the experience of, abuse or neglect.
  • carer is an adult chosen by or for an adult at risk and accompanying them to protect them from harm or abuse.
  • In every case, it is expected that an adult at risk will be accompanied by a carer capable of managing the adult at risk’s needs, including their protection from harm or abuse.
  • Some club members may have physical  limitations (e.g. sight, hearing, mobility, mental), either temporary or permanent, which impact their wellbeing. Such personal circumstances are not to be confused with those of an adult at risk.
  • To be classed as an adult at risk the individual must be both at risk of harm through abuse or neglect and be unable to protect themselves from those threats. Given the nature of our club, it can be concluded that our Safeguarding Adults at Risk Policy will only ever apply to a very small number of people.

Introduction

Broadwas Croquet Club will endeavour to safeguard adults at risk by ensuring that our activities are delivered in a way that protects all such adults from harm through abuse or neglect, including those adults that may not be members, but come into contact with the club through taster sessions or other organised activities or visits.

This safeguarding policy and associated procedures are in line with national legislation and relevant guidelines.

Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to safeguard adults at risk when they are within the Broadwas Croquet Club domain.

Safeguarding adults at risk requires:

Knowing how adult abuse or neglect manifests itself.

Recognising adults who may be at risk and the circumstances that may increase their risk.

Taking measures to promote their safety from harm by reducing the risks.

Being willing to report safeguarding concerns.

Policy

Broadwas Croquet Club expects ALL club members to play a role in safeguarding adults by protecting them from harm. The club also expects all members to maintain appropriate and respectful boundaries in their interactions with other members, visitors and vulnerable adults.

Broadwas Croquet Club requires that ALL club members and bowls players adhere to the safeguarding principles in this policy and ensure they are familiar with the main requirements of the policy.

Reporting Concerns

Any club member concerned that an adult is potentially at risk while at the club should raise their concerns immediately and directly with a club organiser, coach or club captain, or contact the club’s Safeguarding Officer, Paul Felton, directly on 07528 522231.  He can also be contacted at paulyfelton@me.com.

The club requires that:

Everyone involved with croquet and bowls at the club safeguards adults at risk by protecting them from harm.

Any concern that an adult is at risk of harm from abuse or neglect is taken seriously, responded to promptly, and followed up.

Adults at risk will be actively supported to communicate their views and the outcomes they wish to achieve.

Any actions taken will respect the rights and dignity of all concerned and be proportionate to the risk of harm.

Confidential, detailed and accurate records of all safeguarding concerns are maintained and securely stored in line with Data Protection legislation. 

Monitoring, Review and Continuous Improvement

This policy will be reviewed:

In accordance with changes in legislation and guidance on safeguarding as reflected in the Safeguarding Policy of  Croquet England.

This policy will be monitored by:

Keeping records of incidents, concerns and their outcomes.

Safeguarding Adults at Risk: Implementation

Broadwas Croquet Club has implemented the Croquet England’s Safeguarding Adults at Risk Policy.

The club will:

Establish a procedure whereby an adult at risk involved in any activity can make known their specific support needs, should the need arise.

Seek to reduce the risk of possible harm through mitigating actions.

Aim to identify concerns about people who are known to be at risk and circumstances which may increase their risk.

Encourage all to be willing to report safeguarding concerns appropriately.

Raise awareness of how adult abuse or neglect manifests itself and promoting safeguarding best practice.

Require the Safeguarding Officer to report to the club’s committee, detailing how risks to safeguarding are being addressed and how any concerns/issues have been addressed.

Summaries of the club’s Safeguarding Notices are displayed within the Broadwas Croquet Club pavilion.  The full policy is available on the  Broadwas Croquet Club website (https://broadwascroquetclub.org.uk/).

The Safeguarding Officer will:

Monitor safeguarding activities to ensure the policy remains fit for purpose and where appropriate recommend changes.

Report to the club chairman, club captain and members of the committee on any safeguarding issues, whilst ensuring confidentiality is maintained for specific cases.

Raise awareness of this policy and its procedures.

Challenge behaviour that breaches the policy or its procedures.

Keep abreast of developments in the field of safeguarding by attending courses.

Ensure that all CE coaches have ongoing training in safeguarding.

Advise on training opportunities for volunteers and coaches.

Respond appropriately to incidents or concerns that relate to safeguarding.

Maintain confidential records of reported cases and responses.

Where required, liaise with statutory agencies and ensure they have access to all necessary information.

Advise on issues of Regulated Activity and associated DBS checks.

Manage the processes required by DBS checks.

Act as the Croquet England contact person on matters relating to safeguarding.

Role of the Safeguarding Officer

The name and contact details of the Safeguarding Officer (Paul Felton) is registered on the CE members’ database.

The Safeguarding Officer will liaise with the Croquet England Safeguarding Officer and other Local Safeguarding Officers in spreading best practices.

The Safeguarding Officer will work closely with the club’s committee to ensure that this safeguarding policy works effectively within the club.

Advise the club’s event and team managers, coaches and volunteers on their roles in safeguarding.

Act as the club’s contact person on safeguarding.

Ensure all safeguarding incidents within their Club are correctly recorded and reported in accordance with the Croquet England’s policy.

Identify when DBS Enhanced Certificates are required by a club member and work with the CE SO to obtain them, ensuring they are registered with the DBS Update Service.

Authorise any coaching activity with adults at risk.

Identification of Adults at Risk Procedure

It is expected that adults at risk will self-identify so that appropriate arrangements can be put in place, or that the club will be informed by the adult’s representative, relative, or carer. In all cases, it is expected that an adult at risk will be accompanied by a carer capable of managing the adult at risk’s needs, including their protection from harm or abuse. Thus, initially, it will be the carer’s responsibility to ensure that the adult at risk is safeguarded by making their needs known to the club’s activity organiser.

When an outside organisation books club facilities, they should be asked whether any within their group requires extra assistance. Where this includes Adults at Risk, the group should be required to provide the appropriate level of assistance, while a member of the club should also be present throughout.

Concern Management Procedure

When any concern arises concerning safeguarding, it is important that it is managed in the manner the Croquet England Council has approved, namely this Concern Management Procedure, based on Ann Craft Trust guidance, which states that the club:

Seeks consent from the person concerned. If you feel that they do not have capacity to consent, we can act without consent but you must first log our decision.

Collect all available relevant facts and appropriate information.

Make a written record of the concern.

Tell the person involved what we are going to do about the concern and note any views that they may have regarding how they wish the matter to be dealt with.

Tell only the people who need to know – such as our Safeguarding Officer.

Consider the balance between listening to someone’s wishes and needing to refer information where others may be at risk.

Inform the person involved about the outcome of any process.

When a concern about the risk of harm to an Adult at Risk arises, the first decision must be whether it requires immediate action by the emergency services, in which case a call to 999 must be made without delay.

Whether or not the emergency services have been involved, the concern must be confidentially reported without any delay, and only to our Safeguarding Officer  or in his absence Croquet England’s Safeguarding Officer via the CE office.

Having been told about a concern, the club’s Safeguarding Officer will be  responsible for recording the concern details in the formal Concern Record, gathering such information as is necessary, without compromising the confidentiality of any involved. This must include establishing the expectations of the adult at risk (through their carer if appropriate). This information gathering will NOT to involve the interviewing of any alleged perpetrator, nor should the originator of the concern be involved in further fact-finding – this is the sole responsibility of the Safeguarding Officer.

Once such necessary information as can be obtained has been documented on the Concern Record, a Safeguarding Concern Panel consisting of the CE Safeguarding Officer (SO), Fed SO and Club SO is responsible for deciding whether the matter merits referral to the Local Authority responsible for the adult at risk. If that Panel is unable to come to a decision, the matter it is to be passed to the designated Executive Board member, who will make the decision which is to be registered in the Concern Record. The default will be to refer to the Local Authority.

Any such referral is to be led by the CE SO, keeping the remainder of the Concern Panel, the complainant and the adult at risk/carer informed of the progress in investigating the complaint.

Whether or not a matter is referred to the Local Authority, with one proviso, the Concern Panel is to recommend to the Executive Board any remedial necessary action/ disciplinary procedure it sees fit (in liaison with the Local Authority, if the Concern has been referred to them).

The proviso is that NO action is to be taken with regard to the alleged perpetrator (this includes interviewing them for their side of the case) until it is clear that any action by emergency services / local authority is complete.

Once actions arising from the Concern have been fully addressed, final feedback should be given to the adult at risk/carer and the person who raised the initial complaint. The main thrust of such feedback is to be the actions taken to ensure that the causes of the complaint does not occur again.

Exceptionally it may be necessary for the CE to contribute to an external Case Management Group set up by Adult Social Care. In such a situation the CE SO, working with Fed SO and Club SO, is to ensure that the Case Management Group gets all the support they need.

The CE may wish to liaise with other sports governing bodies, following the resolution.

The Concern Record

Once a Concern Record has been raised, it is to be investigated by a Safeguarding Officer and reported to the Croquet England’s Safeguarding Officer within five working days.

All Safeguarding-related activity will be recorded and will be discussed as part of the CE’s Executive Board meetings and appropriate action, support and advice provided to all staff and members.

Concern Records will be confidentially maintained, are to be retained for a minimum of 10 years.

Broadwas Croquet Club: Safeguarding Policy

Broadwas Croquet Club, as an affiliated member club of the Croquet England (CE), accepts that all our members have a responsibility to safeguard all vulnerable people sharing in all our activities.

The Club Committee has ensured that:

A Local Safeguarding Officer (LSO) has been appointed, and his contact details are registered with the Croquet England.

All members of this Club will be informed on joining, and reminded annually thereafter, of their responsibilities to;

Be aware of the need to safeguard children (i.e. all those under 18 years old) and adults at risk.

Be good role models both in play and other croquet activities.

Be aware of, and comply with, the Croquet England’s Codes of Safeguarding Conduct

Know how to contact their Safeguarding Officer (Paul Felton)  or Chairman (Fran Wall).

Report any safeguarding concerns they have to the Safeguarding Officer or Chairman at the earliest opportunity.

Those whose responsibilities will include operating the safeguarding systems and procedures set up by this Policy will liaise with the Safeguarding Officer to ensure they are undertaken correctly. These will include:

Club Secretary and/or Membership Secretary

Those with access to personal data

Coaches

Team Captains

Tournament and event organisers

Our adoption and implementation of this policy, with the Chairman and Safeguarding Officer’s contact details are displayed clearly:

On our website

Clearly displayed on our pavilion notice board

Any safeguarding matter that arises is reported to the next committee meeting and an annual report will be presented to AGM.

This policy will be reviewed triennially by the Croquet England.

The Club’s Chair and the appointed Local Safeguarding Officer have lead responsibility in this area to ensure these policies (and their associated procedures) are implemented.

Both of Broadwas Croquet Club’s Safeguarding Policies can be found on the Broadwas Croquet Club website at https://broadwascroquetclub.org.uk/).

CHILD SAFEGUARDING POLICY

POLICY

Broadwas Croquet Club expects ALL club members to play a role in safeguarding children by protecting them from harm. The club also expects all members to maintain appropriate and respectful boundaries in their interactions with other members, visitors and vulnerable adults (adults at risk).

Broadwas Croquet Club requires that ALL club members and bowls players adhere to the safeguarding principles in this policy and ensure they are familiar with the main requirements of the policy.

Child Safeguarding Policy

Definitions

For the purposes of this policy:

A child is someone under the age of 18 years.

A parent is any adult who has ongoing responsibility for a child. The term, guardians and the following, who could have legal responsibility for a child include: adoptive parents, legal guardians, stepparents, grandparents or other relatives, foster parents, caregivers with Special Guardianship Orders, local authority officers, court-appointed individuals, civil partners and older siblings

Principles

Although the club currently has no members under the age of 18 (the  Croquet England’s goal is to enlarge the number of people who play croquet and to increase participation by children), we have had youngsters participate in taster sessions, so we need to ensure that every child who takes part in the sport should be able to participate in an enjoyable and safe environment.

The Croquet England (and Broadwas CC as an affiliate to the CE), is committed to the following safeguarding principles:

The safeguarding of children is the responsibility of Broadwas Croquet Club and Bowls section, and everyone in it.

All children have the right to protection from all forms of harm and abuse, irrespective of their age, culture, disability, sex, language, race, schooling, family background, religious belief or gender identity.

Children have the right to express views on all matters which affect them.

The members of Broadwas Croquet Club will comply with all legal requirements for the safeguarding of children.

Everyone’s Responsibilities

All Broadwas Sports  Association Members should:

Be aware of the need to safeguard children (i.e., all under 18 years old).

Be good role models both in play and other croquet activities.

Be aware of, and comply with, the national Croquet England’s Codes of Safeguarding Conduct, embodied in this policy. 

Know how to contact their Club’s Safeguarding Officer or Chair (See above).

Report any safeguarding concerns they have to the club’s Safeguarding Officer at the earliest opportunity.

Roles and Responsibilities

Broadwas Croquet Club will:

Promote the wellbeing of children by providing opportunities for them to take part in croquet safely.

Respect the rights, wishes and feelings of children.

Implement procedures to support and safeguard children.

Require members, staff and volunteers to adopt and abide by this Policy and its inherent procedures.

Respond to any allegations of misconduct or abuse of children in line with this Policy.

Contact external agencies in line with incident reporting guidelines.

Liaise closely with the Croquet England with regard to any such incident. 

Ensure that coaches are briefed on this policy and their responsibilities.

Appoint a local Safeguarding Officer (currently, Paul Felton.

Ensure that all organisers and officials of events are of aware of Safeguarding for Competitions and other club events.

Ensure that members engaged in coaching and special responsibilities are in possession of Enhanced DBS Certificates.

Ensure that when a parent is not present, a child’s interests are protected by the appointment of a Responsible Adult, agreed with the parent.

Ensure that all club organisers and officials of events are aware of their safeguarding responsibilities.

Ensure that all those who work regularly with children, such as coaches,  are properly briefed on this policy, its procedures and guidelines.

Maintain confidentiality of any alleged safeguarding issues that arise.

Maintain confidential records of reported cases and action taken.

Be prepared to challenge and alter practice as the need arises.

Safeguarding Policy Publication

Safeguarding Policies for Vulnerable Adults and Children are posted on the club website at https://broadwascroquetclub.org.uk/ and are on the club noticeboard.

Reporting of Incidents and Concerns

Initially, speak to a club official or event organiser, but When any incident occurs or concern arises about a child or the behaviour of an adult, these must be reported confidentially to the club’s Safeguarding Officer Paul Felton as soon as possible. He can be contacted on 07528 522231 or paulyfelton@me.com.  Safeguarding incidents DO NOT include accidents. Accidents and accidental injuries should be dealt with as necessary and as expeditiously as possible.

The club’s Safeguarding Officer will be responsible for maintaining a written confidential record of all events about the incident concerned, which includes dates and times of these events, witnesses and other relevant information.

The club’s Safeguarding Officer will not investigate or approach the accused perpetrator, or make any judgement on whether or not abuse has taken place. They Safeguarding Officer may seek advice from the NSPCC or the Croquet England’s  Safeguarding Officer.

Monitoring, Review and Continuous Improvement

Th club’s Safeguarding policy will be reviewed:

In accordance with changes in legislation and guidance on the safeguarding of children.

Following any incidents or concerns raised about the safeguarding of children within the Croquet England.

At least every three years.

This policy will be monitored by:

Keeping records of incidents/concerns and their outcomes.

Accepting comments from Clubs, Federations and Academies on the ease of implementation and effect of the policy.

Supporting Documents

This document is supported by documents published by the Croquet England, which together form the Croquet England’s Child Safeguarding Policy. They can be accessed  on the Broadwas Croquet Club’s website.

Child Safeguarding Roles

Child Safeguarding Codes of Conduct

Child Safeguarding Requirement for DBS Enhanced Certificates

Child Safeguarding Processes

Child Safeguarding Guidelines

Child Safeguarding Templates

Role of the Club’s Safeguarding Officer

To work closely with the club’s management to ensure that this safeguarding policy works effectively within the club.

To advise their club’s event/team-managers/coaches/volunteers/Responsible-Adults on their roles in safeguarding children.

To act as the club’s contact person on child safeguarding.

To hold personal, medical and contact details of child members, as supplied by the parents of all children at their club, ensuring that the children’s coaches have access to the information. Electronically stored documents will be password protected and be viewed only by officers needing the information stored, such as club coaches.

To ensure all safeguarding incidents within their Club are correctly recorded and reported in accordance with Croquet Assocation policy.

To identify when DBS Enhanced Certificates are required by a club member and work with the CE Office to obtain them, ensuring they are registered with the DBS Update Service.

To Authorise any coaching activity with children.

Role of a Responsible Adult

Definition:

A Responsible Adult (RA), for the purposes of this policy is an adult who has been given delegated authority and responsibility by the child’s parent to make decisions and to take actions to manage the safety of the child.

The appointed Responsible Adult must agree to undertake this role.

Role of a Responsible Adult (RA)

If the child is unaccompanied by their parent, a Responsible Adult must be appointed by the child’s parents. As an exception, if for any reason this has not been done, the team captain, or event organiser, is to ensure that a person is designated as an RA for such a child.

A team coach or fellow adult competitor will be allowed to be an RA.

An adult may be appointed as an RA for up to 6 children in a competition or club activity.

The RA will be briefed on their responsibilities by their club’s Safeguarding Officer.

For each child for whom they have been designated, the RA will be responsible for:

Ensuring the competition’s host club are aware beforehand of the need for safeguarding the young players concerned and to ensure any issues (e.g. changing facilities) are resolved.

Ensuring that any necessary travel arrangements have addressed all safeguarding requirements.

Advising their parent/guardian of the CE’s policy on videoing/live-streaming and photography of children. The Codes of Safeguarding Conduct can be found on the Broadwas CC website.

Responsible adults will have direct responsibility for safeguarding during the event. The RA cannot carry out their responsibilities remotely.

Responsible adults, in coordination with the event organiser, will initially handle any safeguarding incidents involving the child(ren) for whom they are the RA, as part of the safeguarding reporting process.

Child Safeguarding Codes of Conduct

This document, which is specific to safeguarding children, should be read in conjunction with the CE Code of Conduct and the  CE Child Safeguarding Policy, which can be accessed on the Broadwas Croquet Club’s website.

Definition

In this document, the term “coach” includes Croquet England-qualified coaches and any volunteer working with such a coach when working with children.

General Conduct

Broadwas Croquet Club will create a welcoming and supportive environment for both children and adults that will minimise opportunities for abuse and false allegations.

The club will engage with the parents of child members. The first formal contact will be when children join as members. Parents must be asked to consent to their child taking part in club activities, to consent to photos/videos being taken and used in a range of circumstances, and to provide contacts and medical details.

A template of (T1) Parental Consent and Information Form on Joining is available on the club’s website.  Also available is a template (T2) Information for Children.

Children may feel awkward and out of place in a sport largely played by older people. To address this, the club will ensure that children should be:

Respected – we will seek their views and value their contribution.

Included – in conversations and club activities.

Supported – be reassured they are in a safe environment.

Encouraged – as they learn the game at their pace.

All adult members of the club should always:

When children are at a club without their parent or Responsible Adult present, ensure a minimum of two adults are in the vicinity. In addition to safeguarding needs, this is a sensible precaution in the case of accidents and meets the Croquet England’s insurance requirements. Treat all children with equal respect.

Allow children privacy when using shared changing facilities.

Use the minimum force necessary if physical contact is required to prevent injury or danger to a child or other person.

Avoid physical contact in other circumstances; coaching should be by demonstration only.

Obtain parental consent before befriending or otherwise contacting them via social media. In general, this will be avoided unless absolutely necessary.

Any other contact with a child is only through their parent.

Adult members should never:

Denigrate a child’s croquet abilities. Particular care is required in streaming commentaries, online texting and social media.

Drive a child in their car (except in an emergency) without specific parental consent, unless the adult is the Responsible Adult, see also below for trips.

Have favourites among the children.

Engage in any physical or sexualised behaviour with a child.

Use obscene or sexualised language.

Allow children to engage in swearing, bullying or other unacceptable behaviour.

Ignore any concerns or allegations expressed by a child.

Conduct by Coaches

All club coaches working with children, whether in a voluntary or paid role, are expected to apply all of the  Croquet England’s coaching standards.

Broadwas Croquet Club coaches will respect the right of parents to be involved, including ensuring that children’s parents have the coaches’ contact details. Conversely, coaches should ensure that they have the children’s emergency contact details readily available.

The club will ensure an adult/coach ratio on the lawn of no more than four children per adult, improving the ratio to take into account any additional needs e.g. communication, disability or challenging behaviour.

Since Broadwas Croquet Club currently has no permanent members under the age of 18 and does not foresee any trips for youngsters being organised in the future, the CE guidance on protocols for overnight or other visits have not been included in this policy.

When using video recording equipment (including mobile phones, tablets, and similar devices) as a coaching aid, ensure that all images are appropriate and available to the parents or immediately deleted.

DBS Enhanced Certificates will be required when:

Children are coached “frequently, intensely or overnight”, it is defined as a Regulated Activity. See Requirement for DBS Enhanced Certificates for full details, on the club website.

Coaches have direct interaction with children, whether in a regulated activity or not, all coaches should ensure they have the necessary DBS clearance for their role. See Requirement for DBS Enhanced Certificates on the club website for full details.

Children’s Use of Club Premises

The Croquet England encourages children to use club premises; however, to achieve this safely requires some special measures:

When a child is on club premises, they must be accompanied at all times by, at least, one adult.

When a child is being coached together with other children, they must be accompanied by the coach and one other adult

A child must not be given the responsibility for securing the club’s premises.

NOTE: the accompanying adult may be:

The child’s parent (who solely from the perspective of this policy need not be a club member; however, local club rules will continue to apply), or

Another club member whom the parent has formally designated as their child’s Responsible Adult while they are at the club.

Conduct when Contacting Children Online

Various methods of online contact are standard practice for many clubs and children are likely to be well-versed in their use. It is expected that all communication with children will be open, transparent and appropriate.

There  risks identified with online contact include:

Inappropriate access to, use or sharing of personal details (e.g. names, email addresses),

Unwanted contact with children by adults with wrongful/questionable intent, such as:

Being sent offensive or otherwise inappropriate material.

Sending offensive or otherwise inappropriate material.

Online bullying by peers.

Grooming for sexual abuse.

Direct contact and abuse.

For adults, risks include their communication with children being misinterpreted.

To reduce these risks, parental consent must be obtained before any member may:

Contact a child by phone call, text or email (Parents should be offered the option of being copied in on all such contacts).

Engage in online coaching or similar activity. Note: Although consent is not legally required for young people aged between 16 and 18, it is still recommended that parents are informed of the intention to send their child emails or texts. It is also good practice to obtain the consent of the 16-to-18-year-old.

Conduct to Protect Data

  • Clubs are to protect children’s personal data in line with the CE’s Data Protection Policy, and to ensure it is only used in accordance with parent’s permissions.

Broadwas Croquet Club currently has no plans to organise trips for child members to other clubs or venues, so the Croquet England’s recommended protocols on ‘Conduct for Trip Organisers’ has been omitted from this policy.

In an Emergency involving a child:

Organisers should follow  the following actions if an emergency arises:

Call emergency services.

Keep everyone safe.

Inform the child’s emergency contact.

Consider whether there are safeguarding implications, and if so follow the process at Responding to Safeguarding Incidents and Concerns, by clicking the link  found on the club website.

Make a written record of everything as soon as possible.

Do not speak to the press.

On return, complete the club’s accident/incident report form, and notify the club Safeguarding Officer or the Croquet England  Safeguarding Officer.

Conduct when Handling the Media on Safeguarding Matters

Press enquiries on any topic are likely to come from a variety of sources. It is best that all responses are referred to the Croquet England’s Safeguarding Officer (CE SO)..

If an enquiry comes in:

Take the contact details of the enquirer should be taken.

A note should be taken regarding the nature of the enquiry.

Assure the enquirer hat a response will be made in due course.

Brief the CE SO, or the relevant Executive Board member, at the earliest opportunity.

Similarly, it is important not to respond on an ad hoc basis to tweets, Whats App messages or other contact via social media etc. on child safeguarding topics within croquet. The CE SO or the relevant CE Executive Board member are to be briefed at the earliest opportunity.

Conduct when Photographing

Photography, Video, and Live Streaming can all be excellent ways of celebrating and promoting croquet. Photos of people enjoying the sport can be great promotional tools, but when personal information is added to photographs, these images can be used to identify people and put their safety and privacy at risk. Photographs can also be adapted for inappropriate use.

Images of children playing croquet should only convey best practice and positive aspects of croquet.

When advised of an event, parents are told that their child may be photographed/filmed – see Template (T3B) on the website. Parental Consent Form for an Event. If they do not want their child’s name associated with such images, they have to advise the event organiser. In such circumstances, it is the event organiser’s responsibility to ensure that the parent’s wishes in this respect are met.

Unsupervised access to children or one-on-one photography or filming sessions, at the event or elsewhere, is not permitted. Indoor filming or photography of children should be limited to the public area of the pavilion/clubhouse unless express permission is obtained.

A child’s personal contact details (e.g., postal or email address, telephone numbers) should never be published. This applies even if parental permission has been given for their photograph to be used.

Breaches of Behaviour

Any suspected or actual breach of these codes must be reported as a safeguarding concern, see Reporting Incidents and Concerns, on the club website, or contact Paul Felton or Fran Wall directly (see above for contact details).

Further action will depend on the nature and severity of the breach and may range from discussion through to disciplinary and possibly criminal action.(see CE Code of Conduct, on the website).

Child Safeguarding Requirement for DBS Enhanced Certificates

The club will follow Croquet England’s requirements for DBS Enhanced Certificates found on the website at the  DBS  link.

Child Safeguarding Processes

Refer to CE Child Safeguarding Policy on the Croquet England website. This section also deals with Child Safeguarding for competitions and other events.

Child Safeguarding Guidelines

Full guidance can be found on the Croquet England website here Guidance .