Safeguarding Policy

Children and Young People Safeguarding Policy

Introduction

Everyone working with children and young people has a responsibility for keeping them safe, irrespective of their role, whether they are paid members of staff or volunteers.

England Golf is committed to ensure that the sport of golf is one within which all participants can thrive in a safe environment and that all children and young people have an enjoyable and positive experience when playing golf.

Key principles

• The welfare of children is paramount.
• A child is defined by law in England and Wales as a person under the age of 18 years.
• All children, regardless of their Age, Race, Religion or Belief, Disability, Gender identity or Sexual Orientation, have the right to protection from abuse.
• All concerns and allegations of abuse and poor practice will be taken seriously and responded to swiftly and appropriately.
• All children have the right to be safe.
• All children have the right to be treated with dignity and respect.
• Kingswood Golf and Country Club will work with children, their parents/carers and external organisations to safeguard the welfare of children participating in golf.
• We recognise the authority of the statutory agencies and are committed to complying with Local Safeguarding Children Board Guidelines (LSCB), Working Together under the Children Act 2004, and any legislation and statutory guidance that supersedes these.
• Kingswood Golf and Country Club is committed to working in partnership with other key UK Golf Bodies to continually improve and to promote safeguarding initiatives across the sport.
• Kingswood Golf and Country Club owes a legal duty of care to children on their premises or engaged in their activities. That duty is to take reasonable care to ensure their reasonable safety and the duty is higher than it would be for adults.

Objectives

Kingswood Golf and Country Club aims to:

• Provide a safe environment for children and young people participating in golfing activities and try to ensure that they enjoy the experience.
• Ensure robust systems are in place to manage any concerns or allegations.
• Support adults (staff, volunteers, PGA Professionals, coaches, members and visitors) to understand their roles and responsibilities with regard to their duty of care and protection of children.
• Provide appropriate level training, support and resources for staff, volunteers & coaches to make informed and confident responses to specific safeguarding issues and fulfill their role effectively.
• Ensure that children and their parents/carers are informed and consulted and, where appropriate, fully involved in decisions that affect them.
• Reassure parents and carers that all children and young people will receive the best care possible whilst participating in club activities and communicate Policy and Procedure to them through website/letter/consents.

Responsibilities and implementation

Kingswood Golf and Country Club will seek to promote the principles of safeguarding children by:

• Reviewing their policy and procedures every three years or whenever there is a major change in legislation. Guidance from England Golf will be sought as part of the review process.
• Conducting a risk assessment of club activities with regard to safeguarding and take appropriate action to address the identified issues within suitable timescales.
• Using appropriate recruitment procedures to assess the suitability of volunteers and staff working with children and young people in line with guidance from England Golf.
• Following National Governing Body (NGB) procedures to report concerns and allegations about the behaviour of adults and ensuring that all staff, volunteers, parents and children are aware of these procedures.

Directing staff, volunteers & coaches to appropriate safeguarding training and learning opportunities, where this is appropriate to their role.

Safeguarding Adults Policy

Introduction

Kingswood Golf and Country Club is committed to creating and maintaining a safe and positive environment for all individuals involved in golf.

Safeguarding duties apply to an adult who:

• Has needs for care and support (whether or not the local authority is meeting any of those needs) and;
• Is experiencing, or is 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.

Principles in relation to adults at risk

The Care and Support Statutory Guidance Section 14.13 sets out the following six key principles which underpin all adult safeguarding work:

• Empowerment: People being supported and encouraged to make their own decisions and informed consent.
• Prevention: It is better to take action before harm occurs.
• Proportionality: The least intrusive response appropriate to the risk presented.
• Protection: Support and representation for those in greatest need.
• Partnership: Local solutions through services working with their communities. Communities have a part to play in preventing, detecting and reporting neglect and abuse.
• Accountability: Accountability and transparency in delivering safeguarding.

Responsibilities and implementation

Kingswood Golf and Country Club will seek to promote the principles of safeguarding by:

• Reviewing Kingswood Golf and Country Club policy and procedures every three years or whenever there is a major change in legislation.
• Giving guidance on appropriate recruitment procedures to assess the suitability of volunteers and staff working with vulnerable groups.
• Following procedures to report welfare concerns and allegations about the behaviour of adults and ensure that all staff, volunteers, parents and participants, including children, are aware of these procedures.
• Directing club staff, volunteers and coaches to appropriate safeguarding training and learning opportunities, where this is appropriate to their role.