Protection of Young People and Vulnerable Adults Policy  

  Policy Statement  

Ballymoney Cycling Club (BCC) has a duty of care to safeguard all children and vulnerable adults involved in club activities 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. 

BCC will ensure the safety and protection of all children involved in our activities through adherence to the Child Protection guidelines adopted by Cycling Ireland / Cycling Ulster. 

A child is defined as a person under the age of 18 (The Children Act 1989). 

  Policy aims

The aim of Ballymoney Cycling Club’s, Protection of Young People and Vulnerable Adults Policy is to promote good practice by: 

•         Providing young people and vulnerable adults, with appropriate safety and protection, whilst in the care of the club. 

•         Allowing all members to make informed and confident responses to specific young people and vulnerable adults protection issues. 

•         Providing assurance to Parents and Guardians that their child or vulnerable adult is safe. 

Promoting good practice  

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 the appropriate 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 will have regular contact with young people and be an important link in identifying cases where they need 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 Members 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. 

Good practice means: 

•         Always working in an open environment avoiding private or unobserved situations and encouraging open communication.  

•         Treating all young people/disabled adults equally with respect and dignity.  

•         Always putting the welfare of each young person first.  

•         Maintaining a safe and appropriate distance with members (e.g. it is not appropriate for staff or volunteers to have an intimate relationship with a child or to share a room with them).  

•         Building balanced relationships based on mutual trust and empowering children to share in decision making. 

•         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. If 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 technical skills, qualifications and insurance.  

•         Involving parents/carers wherever possible. For example, encouraging them to take responsibility for their children in the changing rooms. If groups have to be supervised in the changing rooms, always ensure parents, teachers, coaches or officials work in pairs.  

•         Ensuring that if mixed teams are taken away for the day or night, they should always be accompanied by a male and female member of staff. However, remember that 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 administer 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.  

Incidents that must be reported/recorded  

If any of the following occur you should report this immediately to the Safeguarding Officer who will record the incident and take the necessary steps as outlined in the Cycling Ulster Code of Ethics. You should also ensure the parents of the child are informed:  

•          Any injury and details of treatment given 

•          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 

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.  

In all instances the Club will be guided by information and guidelines put in place by Sport NI, Cycling Ireland & Cycling Ulster.  

BCC wishes to provide the best possible environment for all young people involved in the sport. Young people deserve to be given enjoyable, safe sporting opportunities, free from abuse of any kind. These participants have rights, which must be respected. 

Responding to allegations or suspicions  

It is not the responsibility of anyone involved in Ballymoney Cycling Club, 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. 

BCC will assure all staff/volunteers that it will fully support and protect anyone who in good faith reports his/her concern that a colleague is, or may be, abusing a child. 

Action  

1. Concerns about poor practice:   

•         If, following consideration, the allegation is clearly about poor practice, the Club Committee will deal with it as a misconduct issue.  

2. Reporting suspected or disclosed child abuse: 

•           Any suspicion that a child has been abused by either a member of staff or a volunteer should be reported to the Club’s Safeguarding 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. These steps are detailed in the Cycling Ulster website. 

•         The Safeguarding Officer will refer the allegation to the social services department which may involve the police, or go directly to the police if out-of-hours. 

•         If the Safeguarding officer is unsure whether reasonable grounds for concern exist s/he can informally consult with the local health board/social services. 

•         The Safeguarding Officer reporting suspected or actual child abuse to the Statutory Authorities will first inform the family of their intention to make such a report, unless doing so would endanger the child or undermine an investigation. 

 Rights & Responsibilities 

Young cyclists are entitled to:  

• Be happy, have fun and enjoy cycling  
• Be safe and to feel safe  
• Be treated with dignity, sensitivity and respect  
• Participate on an equal basis  
• Experience competition at a level at which they feel comfortable  
• Make complaints and have them dealt with  
• Get help against bullies  
• Say No 

  They also have responsibilities that they must accept. 

  Young cyclists should always:  

• Listen to and follow instructions from bike leaders, coaches, officials and managers and treat them with respect  
• Play fairly and be trustworthy and accept decisions  
• Respect other youth members and leaders  
• Respect opponents  
• Behave in a manner that avoids bringing the sport of cycling into disrepute  
• Talk to BCC Children’s Officer if they have any problems or alternatively the designated Cycling Ulster Lead Safeguarding Officer 

  Young cyclists should never:  

• Cheat  
• Shout at or argue with officials, team mates or other competitors  
• Use violence or physical contact that is not allowed in the rules  
• Bully or use bullying tactics  
• Take banned substances  
• Keep secrets about any persons who may have caused them harm  
• Tell lies or spread rumours

 Parental/Guardians Consent Form  

Anything written on this form will be held in confidence by the Club Secretary and/or Safeguarding Officer. Our coaches and leaders need to know these details in order to meet the specific needs of your child. 

 Child’s Full Name:                                                                                   Male/Female 

 Address:                                                   Date of Birth: 

Home Tel No:                                           Emergency Contact No:         1. 

                                                                                                                  2. 

Doctor’s Name:                                         Doctor’s Tel No: 

 Medical History Information (details of any known allergies, conditions, medications, special needs etc.) 

In the event of illness/injury, having parental responsibility, I give permission for medical treatment to be administered where considered necessary by a nominated first aider or by suitably qualified medical practitioners. If I cannot be contacted and my child needs emergency medical or surgical treatment, I authorise a qualified medical practitioner to provide emergency treatment or medication. In all instances I understand that the Club will do all it can to contact me as soon as possible.

I am now aware that Ballymoney Cycling Club has a Protection of Young People and Vulnerable Adults Policy which is in line with that of Cycling Ulster’s policy for the Safeguarding of Young People and that they are committed to ensuring the safety of my child. 

I understand that all coaches/relevant committee members will be checked and cleared by Access NI under the Protection of Children and Vulnerable Adults (POCVA) guidelines to work with children (U18’s) and vulnerable adults. 

I understand there will always be a POCVA checked coach/member accompanies a young person or vulnerable adult on a Club run. On the rare occasion where a POCVA checked person is not available to accompany a child or vulnerable adult they will be unable to participate in the Club run unless specific permission has been granted by the parent/guardian that they are satisfied with the alternative arrangements that have been put in place. 

I accept on occasions it may not be possible to ensure same sex coaches/members accompany a child or vulnerable adult on Club runs however I am satisfied that on no occasion will a young person or vulnerable adult be left alone with any individual at any time. 

I understand that photographs may be taken during or at cycling related events and may be used in the promotion of cycling or training/coaching purposes. 

 I will inform BCC’s Safeguarding Officer of any important changes to my child’s health, medication or needs and also of any changes to our address or phone numbers given. 

 I confirm that all details are correct and I am able to give parental consent for my child to participate in and travel to all cycling activities. 

Signature of Child                 __________________________________ 

Signature of Parent/Guardian__________________________________ 

Print name                             __________________________________ 

Date                                       __________________________________ 

Please return this form to the relevant Coach/Leader or to the Club Secretary. 

Parents Code of Conduct Policy 

I agree to…… 

•          Be a role model for children and maintain the highest standards of conduct when interacting with children, other parents, officials and organisers.  

•          Always behave responsibly and do not seek to unfairly affect the race or cycling session.  

•          Never intentionally expose any young participant to embarrassment or disparagement by the use of flippant or sarcastic remarks.  

•          Always recognise the value and importance of the volunteers who provide sporting/recreational opportunities for their child.  

•          Not publicly question the judgement or honesty of referees, coaches or organisers.  

•          Respect referees, coaches, organisers and other cyclists.  

•          Encourage children to play by the rules and teach them that honest endeavour is as important as winning.  

•          Encourage and applaud good sportsmanship.  

•          Set a good example by praising good performances.  

•          Encourage mutual respect for team mates and fellow competitors.  

•          Support all efforts to remove abusive/bullying behaviour in all its forms.  

Name of Parent/Guardian       _____________________________ 

Relationship to the child(ren) _____________________________ 

Name of child(ren)                  _____________________________ 

                                                _____________________________ 

Signature                                 _____________________________ 

Date                                        _____________________________