U.K.P.S.F. Child Protection Policy
Introduction
All sporting organisations, which make provision for children and young
people, must ensure that:
· The welfare of the child is paramount;
· All children, whatever their age, culture, disability, gender,
language, racial origin, religious beliefs and/or sexual identity have
the right to protection from abuse;
· All suspicions and allegations of abuse will be taken seriously
and responded to swiftly and appropriately;
· All staff (paid /unpaid) working in paintball have a responsibility
to report concerns to the appropriate officer.
Staff/volunteers are not trained to deal with situations of abuse nor
decide if abuse has occurred.
Policy statement
Paintball venues have a duty of care to safeguard all children involved
in paintball games from harm. All children have a right to protection,
and the needs of disabled children and others who may be particularly
vulnerable must be taken into account. Paintball venues will ensure
the safety and protection of all children involved in paintball through
adherence to the Child Protection guidelines adopted by the UKPSF.
A child is defined as under 18 by The Children Act 1989.
Policy aims
The aim of the UKPSF Child Protection Policy is to promote good practice:
· Providing children and young people with appropriate safety
and protection whilst in the care of a paintball venue;
· Allow all staff /volunteers to make informed and confident responses
to specific child protection issues.
Promoting Good Practice with Young People
Introduction
Child abuse, particularly sexual abuse, can arouse strong emotions
in those facing such a situation. It is important to understand these
feelings and not allow them to interfere with your judgement about any
action to take. Abuse can occur within many situations including the
home, school and the sporting environment.
Some individuals will actively seek employment or voluntary work with
young people in order to harm them. A coach, instructor, teacher, official
or volunteer may have regular contact with young people and be an important
link in identifying cases where a young person needs protection. All
suspicious cases of poor practice should be reported following the guidelines
in this document.
When a child enters the club having been subjected to child abuse outside
the sporting environment, sport can play a crucial role in improving
the child’s self esteem. In such instances the club must work
with the appropriate agencies to ensure the child receives the required
support.
Good Practice Guidelines
All personnel should be encouraged to demonstrate exemplary behaviour
in order to protect themselves from false allegations. The following
are common sense examples of how to create a positive culture and climate
within paintball:
Good practice means:
· always working in an open environment (e.g. avoiding private
or unobserved situations and encouraging an open environment i.e. no
secrets);
· treating all young people/disabled adults equally, and with
respect and dignity;
· always putting the welfare of each young person first, before
winning or achieving goals;
· maintaining a safe and appropriate distance with players (e.g.
it is not appropriate to have an intimate relationship with a child
or to share a room with them);
· building balanced relationships based on mutual trust which
empowers children to share in the decision-making process;
· making sport fun, enjoyable and promoting fair play;
· ensuring that if any form of manual/physical support is required,
it should be provided openly and according to guidelines provided by
the Coach Education Programme. Care is needed, as it is difficult to
maintain hand positions when the child is constantly moving. Young people
should always be consulted and their agreement gained. Some parents
are becoming increasingly sensitive about manual support and their views
should always be carefully considered;
· keeping up to date with the technical skills, qualifications
and insurance in sport;
· involving parents/carers wherever possible (e.g. for the responsibility
of their children in the changing rooms). If groups have to be supervised
in the changing rooms, always ensure parents/teachers/coaches/officials
work in pairs;
· ensuring that if mixed teams are taken away, they should always
be accompanied by a male and female member of staff (NB however, same
gender abuse can also occur);
· ensuring that at tournaments or residential events, adults
should not enter children’s rooms or invite children into their
rooms;
· being an excellent role model – this includes not smoking
or drinking alcohol in the company of young people;
· giving enthusiastic and constructive feedback rather than negative
criticism;
· recognising the developmental needs and capacity of young people
and disabled adults – avoiding excessive training or competition
and not pushing them against their will;
· securing parental consent in writing to act in loco parentis,
if the need arises, to give permission for the administration of emergency
first aid and/or other medical treatment;
· keeping a written record of any injury that occurs, along with
the details of any treatment given;
· requesting written parental consent if club officials are required
to transport young people in their cars.
Practice to be avoided
The following should be avoided except in emergencies. If cases arise
where these situations are unavoidable they should only occur with the
full knowledge and consent of someone in charge in the club or the child’s
parents. For example, if a child sustains an injury and needs to go
to hospital, or if a parent fails to arrive to pick a child up at the
end of a session:
· Avoid spending excessive amounts of time alone with children
away from others;
· Avoid taking children to your home where they will be alone
with you.
Practice never to be sanctioned
The following should never be sanctioned. You should never:
· engage in rough, physical or sexually provocative games, including
horseplay;
· share a room with a child;
· allow or engage in any form of inappropriate touching;
· allow children to use inappropriate language unchallenged;
· make sexually suggestive comments to a child, even in fun;
· reduce a child to tears as a form of control;
· allow allegations made by a child to go unchallenged, unrecorded
or not acted upon;
· do things of a personal nature for children or disabled adults,
that they can do for themselves;
· invite or allow children to stay with you at your home unsupervised.
NB. It may sometimes be necessary for staff or volunteers to do things
of a personal nature for children, particularly if they are young or
are disabled. These tasks should only be carried out with the full understanding
and consent of parents and the players involved. There is a need to
be responsive to a person’s reactions. If a person is fully dependent
on you, talk with him/her about what you are doing and give choices
where possible. This is particularly so if you are involved in any dressing
or undressing of outer clothing, or where there is physical contact,
lifting or assisting a child to carry out particular activities. Avoid
taking on the responsibility for tasks for which you are not appropriately
trained.
If any of the following occur you should report this immediately to
another colleague and record the incident. You should also ensure the
parents of the child are informed.
· if you accidentally hurt a player;
· if he/she seems distressed in any manner;
· if a player appears to be sexually aroused by your actions;
· if a player misunderstands or misinterprets something you have
done.
Guidelines for Use of Photographic Filming Equipment
at Sporting Events
There is evidence that some people have used sporting events as an
opportunity to take inappropriate photographs or film footage of young
and disabled sportspeople in vulnerable positions. It is advisable that
all clubs be vigilant with any concerns to be reported to the paintball
site Child Protection Officer.
Videoing as a coaching aid: there is no intention to prevent club coaches
and teachers using video equipment as a legitimate coaching aid. However,
performers and their parents/carers should be aware that this is part
of the coaching programme and care should be taken in the storing of
such films.
Recruitment and selecting staff and volunteers
The UKPSF recognises that anyone may have the potential to abuse children
in some way and that all reasonable steps are taken to ensure unsuitable
people are prevented from working with children. When undertaking pre-selection
checks the following should be included:
· All volunteers /staff should complete an application form.
The application form will elect information about an applicants past
and a self-disclosure about any criminal record;
· Consent should be obtained from an applicant to seek information
from the Criminal Records Bureau;
· Two confidential references, including one regarding previous
work with children must be taken up and confirmed through telephone
contact;
· Evidence of identity must be obtained (passport or driving
licence with photo).
Responding to suspicions or allegations
It is not the responsibility of anyone working in paintball, whether
in a paid or unpaid capacity, to take responsibility or to decide whether
or not child abuse has taken place. However, there is a responsibility
to act on any concerns through contact with the appropriate authorities.
The paintball venue will assure all staff/volunteers that it will fully
support and protect anyone who in good faith reports his or her concern
that a colleague is, or may be, abusing a child.
Where there is a complaint against a member of staff there may be three
types of investigation:
· a criminal investigation
· a child protection investigation
· a disciplinary or misconduct investigation
The results of the police and child protection investigation may well
influence the disciplinary investigation, but not necessarily.
Action if there are concerns
The following action should be taken if there are concerns (See Appendix
A):
Poor Practice
· If, following consideration, the allegation is clearly about
poor practice, the paintball site Child Protection Officer will deal
with it as a misconduct issue.
· If the allegation is about poor practice by the paintball site
Child Protection Officer, or if the matter has been handled inadequately
and concerns remain, it should be reported to the UKPSF who will decide
how to deal with the allegation and whether or not to initiate disciplinary
proceedings or report the allegations to Social Services.
Suspected Abuse
· Any suspicion that a child has been abused by either a member
of staff or a volunteer should be reported to the paintball site Child
Protection 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.
· The paintball site Child Protection Officer will refer the
allegation to the social services department who may involve the police,
or go directly to the police if out-of-hours.
· The parents or carers of the child will be contacted as soon
as possible following advice from the social services department.
· The paintball site Child Protection Officer should also notify
the UKPSF.
· If the paintball site Child Protection Officer is the subject
of the suspicion/allegation, the report must be made to the appropriate
Manager or in his/her absence the UKPSF who will refer the allegation
to Social Services.
Confidentiality
Every effort should be made to ensure that confidentiality is maintained
for all concerned.
Information should be handled and disseminated on a need to know basis
only.
This includes the following people:
· The paintball site Child Protection Officer;
· The parents of the person who is alleged to have been abused;
· The person making the allegation;
· Social services/police;
· The UKPSF;
· The alleged abuser (and parents if the alleged abuser is a
child). *
*Seek social services advice on who should approach alleged abuser.
Information should be stored in a secure place with limited access to
designated people, in line with data protection laws (e.g. that information
is accurate, regularly updated, relevant and secure).
Internal Enquiries and Suspension
· The paintball site Child Protection Officer will make an immediate
decision about whether any individual accused of abuse should be temporarily
suspended pending further police and social services inquiries.
· Irrespective of the findings of the social services or police
inquiries the UKPSF Disciplinary Committee will assess all individual
cases to decide whether a member of staff or volunteer can be reinstated
and how this can be sensitively handled. This may be a difficult decision;
particularly where there is insufficient evidence to uphold any action
by the police. In such cases, the UKPSF Disciplinary Committee must
reach a decision based upon the available information which could suggest
that on a balance of probability, it is more likely than not that the
allegation is true. The welfare of children should always remain paramount.
Support to Deal with the Aftermath
· Consideration should be given about what support may be appropriate
to children, parents and members of staff. Use of Helplines, support
groups and open meetings will maintain an open culture and help the
healing process. The British Association of Counselling Directory (The
British Association for Counselling Directory is available from The
British Association for Counselling, 1 Regent Place, Rugby CV21 2PJ,
Tel: 01788 550899, Fax: 01788 562189, E-mail: bac@bac.co.uk, Internet:
www.bac.co.uk) may be a useful resource.
· Consideration should be given about what support may be appropriate
to the alleged perpetrator of the abuse.
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 paintball venue should follow the procedures as detailed above and
report the matter to the social services or the police. This is because
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
abuse is automatically excluded from working with children. This is
reinforced by the details of the Protection of Children Act 1999.
Action if Bullying is Suspected
The same procedure should be followed as set out in the section relating
to responding to suspicions or allegations, if bullying is suspected.
All settings in which children are provided with services or are living
away from home should have rigorously enforced anti-bullying strategies
in place.
Action to Help the Victim and Prevent Bullying in Sport:
· Take all signs of bullying very seriously.
· Encourage all children to speak and share their concerns (It
is believed that up to 12 children per year commit suicide as a result
of bullying, so if anyone talks about or threatens suicide, seek professional
help immediately). Help the victim to speak out and tell the person
in charge or someone in authority. Create an open environment.
· Investigate all allegations and take action to ensure the victim
is safe. Speak with the victim and the bully(ies) separately.
· Reassure the victim that you can be trusted and will help them,
although you cannot promise to tell no one else.
· Keep records of what is said (what happened, by whom, when).
· Report any concerns to the paintball site Child Protection
Officer or the school (wherever the bullying is occurring).
Action Towards the Bully(ies):
· Talk with the bully(ies), explain the situation, and try to
get the bully(ies) to understand the consequences of their behaviour.
Seek an apology to the victim(s).
· Inform the bully's(bullies') parents.
· Insist on the return of borrowed items and that the bully(ies)
compensate the victim.
· Provide support for the coach of the victim.
· Impose sanctions as necessary.
· Encourage and support the bully(ies) to change behaviour.
· Hold meetings with the families to report on progress.
· Inform all organisation members of action taken.
· Keep a written record of action taken.
Appendix A: A Quick Guide to Procedures
This guide is designed to inform the most appropriate action in relation
to concerns about either a parent or carer (e.g. outside the immediate
sporting environment).
This guide is designed to inform the most appropriate action in relation
to concerns about a member of staff or volunteer within paintball.
Remember:
· Maintain confidentiality on a need to know basis only.
· Ensure the paintball site Child Protection Officer follows
up with social services.
· The paintball site Child Protection Officer should also report
the incident to the UKPSF who should ascertain whether or not the person/s
involved in the incident play a role in paintball and act accordingly.
If you do not know who to turn for advice or are worried about sharing
your concerns with a senior colleague, you should contact the social
services direct (or the NSPCC on 0808 800 5000, or Childline on 0800
1111).
What to do if there are concerns:
Information passed to the social services or the police must be as helpful
as possible, hence the necessity for making a detailed record at the
time of the disclosure/concern. Information should include the following:;
· Name of child
· Age of child and date of birth
· Home address and telephone number
· Is the person making the report expressing their own concerns
or those of someone else?
· What is the nature of the allegation? Include dates, times,
any special factors and other relevant information.
· Make a clear distinction between what is fact, and what is
opinion or hearsay.
· A description of any visible bruising or other injuries. Behavioural
signs, indirect signs?
· Witnesses to the incidents.
· The child’s account, if it can be given, of what has
happened and how any bruising or other injuries occurred.
· Have the parents been contacted?
· If so what has been said?
· Has anyone else been consulted? If so record details.
· If it is not the child making the report has the child concerned
been spoken to? If so what was said?
· Has anyone been alleged to be the abuser? Record details.
UKPSF Child Protection Policy
Following the work of the Child Protection in Sport Task Force, from
1/04/01 all sports that receive public funding in England must have
a Child Protection Policy in place. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland
to be added at a later date.
Paintball does not currently receive any public funding and therefore
legally sites do not have to produce a 'Child Protection Policy'. But
most paintball venues cater for schools, children’s parties, youth
and community groups, etc and must therefore be aware of the need to protect
children whilst they are at their paintball venue.
This policy has been produced by using a draft policy for sporting “clubs”
therefore where there are references to the “Club Child Protection
Officer” this will be the “paintball site child protection
officer”. This in most cases will be the paintball venue owner.
The UKPSF has drafted this policy in conjunction with the NSPCC “Sport
Protects” organisation. Further details can be found at the website:
www.sportprotects.org.uk
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