SFCA Child Protection Policy

The SFCA Child Protection Policy has now been completed and reviewed (see below). Please ensure that your clubs designated Child Protection Officer reads and digests the contents of the document.

The SFCA hereby gives notice to all clubs that by January 2002 each and every club dealing with Children or vulnerable individuals must by law have a child protection policy.

Please use the SFCA Policy to develop your own document. The SFCA as your governing body must approve your policy, which must be in line with the SFCA policy.

We would like to have the clubs policies by November 2001 to ensure that there are no oversights in the documents.

There will be a Coaching and Development meeting in September 2001 to discuss the policy production for club reps to attend.

If however in the mean time there are any questions or queries about setting up your policy, please 

regards

Kenneth Armstrong
SFCA Coaching Development Officer

Scottish Angling is fortunate to have a large group of knowledgeable adult coaches introducing and developing childrens' appreciation and enjoyment of Angling. The role of these adult coaches includes the need to care and protect the children within an angling context. All angling clubs should observe the highest standards of practice if they are to discharge this role effectively. High standards are also required in the selection of coaches and organisers who deliver angling related activity to children.

The Scottish federation for coarse angling has prepared this Code of Good Practice, to help angling clubs select suitable persons to work with children. The Code draws heavily on the 'Volunteer Development Scotland -Protecting Children' and the Scottish Rugby Union publications. This publication provides useful guidelines, which will help any voluntary organisation.

Angling clubs are requested to review their procedures in the light of this Code of Good Practice document.

Summary of Recommendations

In order to safeguard the welfare of the children and young people in their charge, angling clubs should consider the issues raised by each of the following statements of principle and take action which they deem to be appropriate in the light of their circumstances and structures, and the nature of their activities. Doing nothing is not an option.

1. ADOPT A POLICY STATEMENT ON SAFEGUARDING THE WELFARE OF CHILDREN.

2. PLAN/ORGANISE THE WORK OF THE ANGLING CLUB SO AS TO MINIMISE SITUATIONS WHERE THE ABUSE OF CHILDREN MIGHT OCCUR.

3. INTRODUCE A SYSTEM WHEREBY CHILDREN MAY TALK WITH AN INDEPENDENT PERSON.

4. APPLY THE AGREED PROCEDURES FOR PROTECTING CHILDREN TO ALL COACH/ORGANISERS.

5. GIVE ALL COACHES AND ORGANISERS CLEAR ROLES.

6. USE SUPERVISION AS A MEANS OF PROTECTING CHILDREN.

7. GAIN A DEGREE OF BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE FROM A PERSON WHO HAS EXPERIENCE OF THE COACH WORKING WITH CHILDREN.

8. ISSUE GUIDELINES ON HOW TO DEAL WITH THE DISCLOSURE OR SUSPICION OF ABUSE.

Managing the Angling Club in order to protect children

Protecting children from physical, sexual and emotional abuse should be an integral part of the policy and practice of all angling organisations offering angling to young people.

Most organisations and clubs recognise that good management requires that everyone is clear about what they are trying to achieve, and that they agree aims and policy statements for that purpose.

Each angling club should produce a brief statement setting out its policy on safeguarding the welfare of the children associated with the club. This policy should state clearly the duty of care required of all those employed by or involved in the angling club to prevent the physical, sexual or emotional abuse of all children with whom they come into contact.

Any such policy statement should be brought to the attention of all existing and any new coaches/organisers. They should be informed of any guidelines or training, which will enable them to implement the policy statement. The policy statements and guidelines should also be brought to the attention of parents or guardians.

There are people who actively seek to harm or abuse children. Some of these individuals may have no criminal record of abuse. The principles laid out in this code help to reduce their opportunities for access to children within an angling environment.

Angling clubs should plan their efforts so as to minimise situations where it may be possible for children to be abused.

One way of achieving this would be for angling clubs to issue guidelines recommending coaches/organisers, whenever possible, not to meet with children away from the angling club situation or meeting place without a parent or other adult being present.

The Scottish Office now considers it desirable that a male doctor should have a nurse present when examining a female patient. It reassures the patient and protects the doctor from both wrongful accusation and temptation. We should view the need for safeguards in adult/child relationships within an angling context in a similar way.

Angling clubs, to operate effectively, sometimes need to have adult coaches working with individual children (players) to develop individual skills. Clubs should take every step possible to assure themselves that people in such coaching positions have no record of, or potential to abuse. This may involve such action as an interview before appointments, references and supervision (accessing Scottish Criminal Records Office once Part V of the Police Act 1997 is implemented).

Guideline 3

In recent years a number of organisations working with children have sought to give more rights of expression to the children. Some youth organisations have collectively adopted empowerment as one of their central aims, and childcare organisations have tried to increase the rights and choices of service users. Giving more expression to children also has the important side effect of reducing the potential for undiscovered abuse.

Angling clubs may wish to build on existing and new systems for increasing the rights of children by introducing ways for children to make representations to an independent club person. For example, children might be given the opportunity to talk with a designated person independent from the team and coaching staff. The club should advise parents and guardians of this right to talk with an independent person, giving the name and contact arrangements.

This process should form part of a general registration process and be linked to explaining the other rights and responsibilities the child may have at the club, it need not be threatening.

In all cases the independent person must be given clear, written guidelines and relevant training as to what immediate action to take should a child disclose abuse. Otherwise inaction may unwittingly permit the abuse to continue.

There is no defined way of identifying a would-be abuser. There is always the risk that an adult at a club in contact with children might abuse for the first time. Angling clubs should take all reasonable steps to exclude known abusers, and guidelines on this follow. Since it is not safe to assume that anyone can automatically be excluded from being a potential abuser, any procedures for the protection of children should apply to all. This is not the same as treating each person working with children with suspicion, which might negatively affect coach recruitment. It involves taking pragmatic steps to protect children from abuse, these steps being observed by all.

Where there is confusion amongst adults over roles, responsibilities and accountability, the abuse of children can be easily concealed, and therefore perpetuated.

Each adult who comes into contact with children at an angling club should have a clear idea of his/her role. One method is to provide each adult with a written description of the work he/she is expected to do.

Good supervision is a useful way for an angling club to ensure that all adult support is working effectively. Clubs should ensure that those responsible for the adults dealing with children use sound supervisory procedures.

If any child appears to be receiving exceptional treatment either being highly favoured or being treated unduly harshly, the person in charge should draw this to the attention of the adult involved. If talking with the adult does not convince the person in charge that the child's welfare is secure, s/he should talk confidentially with the Club child protection coordinator. The person in charge should not drop the issue until s/he is reassured that there is no potential for abuse. Supervisors should also take/create opportunities for observing the adult whilst s/he is working with the children.

Before accepting new volunteer (or paid) coaches, angling clubs should consider speaking to at least one person who has first-hand experience of his/her work or voluntary contact with children.

Where a coach has no experience of voluntary (or paid) contact with children, a reference should be sought from a reputable person (not a relative) who can comment on the applicant's character and relationships with others.

When contacting such a reputable person (not a relative), the club should state the nature of the (potential) coach's involvement at the Club.

The reference provided may sometimes be vague or ambiguous. This could be for a variety of reasons; but it could also be the referee trying to give a coded message. If anything in the reference causes the organisation to have any doubts about the applicant's suitability to work with children, the reputable person should be contacted in person or by telephone to discuss the matter further.

On receipt of information on a coach working with or intending to work with children, angling clubs should be aware that they must avoid unfair or unlawful discrimination.

Coaches/organisers at angling clubs may gain the trust of children and young people to such an extent that it is to them that a child may turn when wanting to share unhappiness about being abused, whether at the club, at home or elsewhere. Coaches/organisers may not know how to deal with this disclosure or suspicion.

Angling clubs are advised to prepare and issue to all coaches and organisers brief written guidelines setting out the steps they must take if a child discloses details of abuse to them, or if they suspect that abuse may have taken place.

The guidelines should contain: -

• A reminder of the coaches/organisers duty to prevent abuse, including the duty to report any abuse discovered or suspected.

• A guidance on what constitutes abuse and how to recognise it.

• Specific instructions whom to inform if abuse is disclosed or suspected ie the Club Child Protection coordinator.

• The name and contact address of the independent person (see guidelines) and the address and telephone number of the local social work department and police station.

• Guidance on procedures to be followed if it is suspected that someone in the club has abused a child.

• Some reasonable indication as to what happens next.

• Guidance on how to support the child who has been abused.

Where there is any doubt as to the process angling clubs should seek guidance from their local Social Work Department's Child Protection Team in drawing up the guidelines for their club.

1. 'Criminal Records Checks within the Voluntary Sector, An Evaluation of the Pilot Schemes' by Dr Judith Unell.

2. 'Engaging Volunteers' a good practice manual. Volunteer Development Scotland.

3. 'Choosing with Care'. The Report of the Warner Inquiry.

4. 'Effective intervention'. HMSO

5. 'Protecting Children'. Volunteer Development Scotland Publication

CONTACT ADDRESSES

Social Work Services Group

The Scottish Office

James Craig Walk

Edinburgh

EH33BA Tel: 0131 5568400

Children in Scotland

Princes House

5 Shandwick Place

Edinburgh

EH2 4RG Tel: 01312288484

Volunteer Development Scotland

72 Murray Place

Stirling

FK82BX Tel: 01786479593

Characteristics Of A Child Protection Coordinator Within An Angling Context Include:

• An understanding of, and support for the introduction of a Child Protection Code of Good Practice.

• An understanding and appreciation of the need for confidentiality.

• Experience in liasing with organisations such as Social Work or Police, or experience in representing views clearly to others.

• The ability to follow procedures and to know when to seek advice and not rely solely on own judgement.

The Role of the Club Child Protection Coordinator

The coordinator is expected to fulfil the following tasks: -

• Ensure all persons working with children and young people at the club are fully aware of what is required of them within the protocols of the Code of Good Practice.

• Conduct the administrative work associated with processing information on new coaches/organisers.

• Liase closely with club youth coaches, ensuring that agreed procedures for the prevention of risk are followed.

• Counsel/advise the club on matters of policy related to Child Protection.

• Intimate opportunities for youth coaches to undertake training.

• Act as the contact person on matters relating to Child Protection at the club.

If Abuse is Disclosed or Alleged

Child Protection Coordinators Action Process where abuse is alleged or disclosed

1. The coordinator will take details of the allegation/suspicion/concern.

2. The coordinator will consult with an appropriate Child Protection professional ie

Social Work Department Telephone No: _______________________________

Police Telephone No: _______________________________

(You will find the relevant number in your area in the phone book.)

3. The Coordinator will obtain the name of the individual consulted.

4. The Coordinator will follow the advice given by the appropriate agency.

1. Child discloses abuse to coach/organiser
2. Coach/Organiser confers with Club Child Protection Co-ordinator
1. Leads to NO investigation by anyone
2. A coordinator checks the verbal report and prepares brief written report, if deemed necessary.
3. Coordinator makes telephone referral to social work department or police.
4. Coordinator acts on advice of child protection authority.
5. Club takes appropriate action to minimise any further risk in consultation with investigating Authorities.
6. Child Protection investigation
7. Be prepared to act pastorally as advised by Professional agency.

Club is responsible for the acceptance of all Coaches who are working with children and young people on behalf of the club. All coaches must fill in a copy of this form, which should be returned to the Club Child Protection Coordinator, who is: -

Please outline details of previous experience of looking after or working with children or young people: -

_________________________________________________________________________________

Please outline details of any relevant qualification or appropriate training: -

_________________________________________________________________________________

Are you prepared to undertake appropriate training (SFCA Coaching Courses)?

_________________________________________________________________________________

To be signed by the member of staff or volunteer member:

I understand the nature of the work I will undertake with children and young people. I have read the Scottish federation for coarse angling Code of Good Practice for the safeguarding of children and young people in an angling context. I also understand that it is my duty to protect the children and young people with whom I come into contact. I know what action to take if abuse is discovered or disclosed.

Note: If you decline to undertake training the Club or the SFCA will be entitled to withdraw your authority to work with children/young people.

For new Coaches only:

Reference: Please give the name, address, telephone number and position or relationship of someone who knows you well: -

____________________________________________________________________________________

Declaration: (See notes below*)

Have you ever been convicted of a criminal offence or are you at present the subject of criminal charges?

YES / NO

(NB The disclosure of an offence may be no bar to your appointment)

Nature of offence:

__________________________________________________________________

Date of offence:

Signed:

Date:

Do you agree to the Club obtaining a criminal record certificate in respect of yourself as a condition of you acting in a coaching capacity should the club at any time wish to obtain this?

YES / NO

*Because of the nature of the work for which you are applying this post is exempt from the provision of section 4 (ii) of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exemptions) Order 1975, and you are therefore not entitled to withhold information about convictions which for other purposes are 'spent' under the provisions of the Act and, in the event of appointment, any failure to disclose such convictions could result in the withdrawal of approval to work with children and/or young people within the Club.

The information provided in this form is confidential and will be seen only by the Child Protection Coordinator.