Pirates Canoe Club

Safeguarding Policy

2024/25

 

Date: April: 2024

Review date: April 2025

Contents

1.	Introduction
2.	Our Statutory Responsibilities
3.	Children, Young People and Adults at Risk
4.	Definitions of Abuse`
5.	Reporting and Recording Procedures
6	Training
7	Access to the Safeguarding Policy and Procedures
8.	Accountability and Governance
9.	Reporting

 

1.   Introduction

• This safeguarding policy applies to all Pirates Canoe Club Members (the membership) and anyone working on behalf of the Club.  Safeguarding is everybody’s business.

  The Club is committed to ensuring children, young people and adults at risk are protected from abuse when using or receiving services provided or commissioned by the council. And that everyone is confident to take the relevant action when they suspect or recognise that a child, young person or adult at risk maybe a victim of significant harm or abuse.

  The purpose of this policy is to set out:

• The Club’s statutory responsibilities
• Who are children, young people and adults at risk referred to in this policy
•  Definitions of abuse
• Reporting and recording procedures. What action needs to be taken if it is suspected that a child, young person or adult at risk maybe a victim of harm or abuse 
• That robust recruitment of coaches leaders and helpers procedures are in place
•  Training requirements
•  Access to this policy, details of designated officers, procedure notes and referral mechanisms
•  Accountability and governance
• Monitoring and review

2.   Our Statutory Responsibilities

• The Club fulfils its safeguarding responsibilities in accordance with guidance in the following key documents:

• Working Together to Safeguard Children (2018). A guide to inter-agency working to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. HM Gov.
• The Care Act (2014)
• The Children Act (2004)
•  The Counter-Terrorism Act 2015
• The Modern Slavery Act 2015
• The Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2016 

The Committee has overall responsibility for safeguarding.  It is not the responsibility of the coach, leader or helper, to determine whether abuse is taking place or has taken place.

The responsibility of the coach, leader or helper is to inform not to investigate or to judge.   All members, have a duty to report allegations, disclosures or concerns of abuse or neglect. Safeguarding is everybody’s business.

The club delivers a range of events and activities that directly and indirectly engage with children, young people and adults at risk.  All children, young people and adults at risk, whatever their age, culture, disability, gender, language, racial origin, religious belief and / or sexual identity have the right to protection against abuse. The Club will consider how best it can put in place measures to prevent abuse.

3.   Children, young people and adults at risk.

• 3.1 Children and young people

  Working Together to Safeguard Children (2018) defines children and young people as anyone who has not yet reached their 18^th birthday.  The fact that a child has reached 16 years of age, is living independently or is in further education, is a member of the armed forces, is in hospital or in custody in the secure estate, does not change their status or entitlements to services or protection.

  The guidance sets out that safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is defined as:

• protecting children from maltreatment
• preventing impairment of children's health or development
•  ensuring that children grow up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care
•  taking action to enable all children to have the best outcomes.
  
  

• 3.2 Adults at risk

  Adult safeguarding means protecting people’s right to live in safety, free from abuse and neglect.  There are two types of safeguarding enquiry.  If the adults fits the criteria outlined in Section 42 of the Care Act 2014 then the committee is required by law to conduct enquiries or ensure that enquiries are made.  

  The Section 42 criteria are that an adult has:
  
  a)    needs for care and support (whether or not the authority is meeting any of those needs)
  
  b)    is experiencing, or is at risk of, abuse or neglect
  
  c)     as a result of those needs is unable to protect himself or herself against the abuse or neglect or risk of it

• A care and support need is defined as ‘arising from or are related to a physical or mental impairment or illness’.

  Remember: All members, Coaches and Leaders have a duty to report allegations, disclosures or concerns of abuse or neglect – to inform, not to investigate or judge.

  Where someone is 18 or over but is still receiving children’s services and a safeguarding issue is raised, the matter should be dealt with through adult safeguarding arrangements. (Care Act Guidance July 2018).

  The aims of adult safeguarding are to:

• prevent harm and reduce the risk of abuse or neglect to adults with care and support needs
• stop abuse or neglect wherever possible
•  safeguard adults in a way that supports them in making choices and having control about how they want to live
•  promote an approach that concentrates on improving life for the adults concerned
•  raise public awareness so that communities as a whole, alongside professionals, play their part in preventing, identifying and responding to abuse and neglect
• provide information and support in accessible ways to help people understand the different types of abuse, how to stay safe and what to do to raise a concern about the safety or well-being of an adult
• address what has caused the abuse or neglect

4.   Definitions of Abuse

Child abuse is defined in Working Together to Safeguard Children (2018) as: A form 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. Abuse can take place wholly online, or technology may be used to facilitate offline abuse. Children may be abused by an adult or adults, or another child or children.

For adults at risk, The Care Act Guidance (2018) states that there are different types and patterns of abuse and neglect and different circumstances in which they may take place. The Club should not limit their view of what constitutes abuse or neglect, as they can take many forms and the circumstances of the individual case should always be considered. Exploitation, in particular, is a common theme in the types of abuse and neglect.

Types of abuse and neglect are listed in Appendix 1.

5.   Reporting and recording procedures

• This applies to all members

  The key points are set out below for the action that needs to be taken if it is suspected that a child, young person or adult at risk maybe a victim of harm or abuse and/or makes an allegation of abuse or bullying.

  Remember, you may be the first person that a child, young person or adult at risk has trusted and it has probably taken them a great deal of courage to tell you that something is wrong.

• Take any allegation seriously
• Stay calm and if possible try to get another witness
• If you believe the person is at risk of immediate significant harm, which you would reasonably believe requires the emergency services then you must contact the relevant emergency service and notify the Designated Safeguarding Officer.
•  Listen carefully to what is said and allow the person to talk at their own pace, being careful not to compromise any potential evidence
• Explain that the information will need to be shared with other responsible people, do not promise to keep secrets
• Only ask questions for clarification.  Keep any questions open e.g. what, where, when and who
• Reassure the child, young person or adult at risk that they have done the right thing in telling you
• Explain what you will do next and who you will inform
• Immediately report to and inform the Designated Safeguarding Officer, 
• The Designated Safeguarding Lead Officer will escalate concerns if needed

• 
  

  If the allegations or concerns are expressed about a coach, leader or helper, 

• Take the allegation seriously
•  Immediately inform the Designated Safeguarding Officer. 
• The Designated Safeguarding Officer, in conjunction with the Committee will follow the club’s Disciplinary Policy.

6.   Training

The level of safeguarding training required to be undertaken by club officials, coaches, leaders and helpers acting for or on behalf of the Club will reflect the likely level of contact and/or responsibility for children, young people or adults at risk associated with their role.

Refer to British Canoeing G21 Safeguarding Training Requirements

In addition safeguarding is a standing agenda item at all PCC committee meetings where any areas of concern are discussed. Any specific individual safeguarding training requirements will also be highlighted and shared with the wider membership as required.

7.   Access to the Safeguarding Policy and Procedures

• This policy will be available to all members on the Club website under the Handbook.

  The page will provide easy access to 

• The current version of our Safeguarding Policy
• The reporting and recording procedures to be followed
•  Contact details for Designated and Lead Safeguarding Officers
•  Relevant referral forms
• Any appropriate additional guidance

8.   Accountability and governance

 

The Chairman of the Club is ultimately responsible for the safeguarding aspect of the Club. The Chairman together with the committee, guided by the Safeguarding Officer, are responsible for ensuring that this policy and related procedures are implemented, monitored and consistently reviewed.

The Designated Safeguarding Officer is responsible for dealing with reports or concerns about the protection of children, young people and adults at risk appropriately and in accordance with the procedures that underpin this policy.  The Designated Safeguarding Officer is supported by a Deputy Designated Safeguarding Officer.

All members, Club officials, Coaches, Leaders and Helpers are responsible for undertaking their duties in a way that actively safeguards and promotes the welfare of children, young people and adults at risk.  They must also act in a way that protects them from wrongful allegations of abuse as far as possible.

9. Reporting

An annual detailed report will not be required at the Club AGM however the membership should be made aware that specific activities have been completed to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all.