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Welfare Policy

The 'golden rule' for all involved in athletics in relation to welfare and protection is that it is not your responsibility to judge whether or not a welfare violation has taken place but it is your responsibility to act on any concerns you may have
AIMS
The aims of Worksop Harriers Athletics Club in relation to the Athletics Welfare policy are to:
·         Ensure the highest possible standard of safety and welfare for all athletes of all ages and others engaged in athletics activities and events, especially children and vulnerable adults
·         Embed a process of continuous improvement in its ongoing work on welfare in the sport
·         Work with UKA to ensure that quality assured training is offered to all staff and volunteers engaged in athletics programmes.
·         Adopt and promote good practice in the welfare and protection of athletes and other athletics personnel
Policy Statement

Worksop Harriers Athletics Club believe that everyone involved in athletics should thrive, fare well and enjoy safety, security and protection from abuse, maltreatment or misconduct.
Every individual involved in Worksop Harriers Athletics Club is responsible for upholding this belief.
Worksop Harriers Athletics Club also recognise that they have a responsibility to ensure the highest standard of care to all (including children) involved in athletics.

Worksop Harriers Athletic Club will: -
·         Accept the moral and legal responsibility to implement procedures to provide a duty of care for all people (including children) within the sport, safeguard their well-being and protect them from abuse
·         Respect and promote the rights, wishes and feelings of people taking part in athletics including young people, disabled and/or vulnerable adults
·         Recruit, train and supervise its volunteers to adopt best practice in all equality issues, to safeguard and protect young people from abuse, and themselves against false allegations
·         Require staff/volunteers to adopt and abide by the Athletics Welfare Policy and Procedures, Athletics Codes of Conduct and Grievance, Disciplinary and Appeals procedures.
·         Respond to any allegations appropriately and implement the appropriate disciplinary and appeals procedures.
They will work with UKA to:

Promote adherence to the Welfare policy through providing education, training and information in line with UK ‘Athletics Welfares’ policy and procedures

·         Develop good practice guidance in relation to recruitment, selection, training of coaches, officials and volunteers
·         Establish welfare officers within the club to support the procedures
·         Produce information material on procedures for those involved in working with athletes within the club
·         Meet its moral and legal obligations in respect of child protection, duty of care and standards of welfare for al
This document sets out the key aims of the 'Athletics Welfare' policy. It also explains the principles that underpins this policy that should be observed by everyone within the club

PRINCIPLES
The main principles underpinning this policy are:

Safety - the welfare of the athlete will always be paramount
Equality - the right of everyone involved in athletics to equitable treatment, regardless of age, sex, race, religion, ability, sexual orientation or social background, will be upheld
Responsiveness - all allegations or suspicions of abuse or violations of athlete welfare will be taken seriously and acted upon appropriately and speedily. Those found to be spreading malicious or false allegations will be disciplined according to the relevant procedures
Consent - those with parental responsibility will be consulted if it becomes necessary to invoke the procedures that accompany Athletics Welfare
Compliance with the statutory systems… Worksop Harriers Athletics Club will operate within the law, including guidelines and rules set down by the CRB, CRBS. Worksop harriers Athletics Club will work in partnership with Social Services/Work Departments, Police Child Protection Units and other relevant agencies in order to ensure compliance with this policy
Fairness - the human rights of staff, coaches, athletes or volunteers facing allegations will be embodied in disciplinary and appeals procedure

A t h l e t i c s W e l f a r e
This policy recognises and builds on legal and statutory definitions of a child.

The distinction between ages of consent, civil and criminal liability are recognised but in the pursuit of good practice, in the delivery and management of athletics, a child is recognised as being under the age of 18 years.
Adults looking after children in the absence of the person with parental responsibility have to take reasonable care in all circumstances, regardless of the age of the child.
The child's welfare is paramount.
All children, whatever their age, culture, disability, gender, language, racial origin, religious belief and/or sexual identity have the right to protection from abuse.
All incidents of suspicious poor practice and allegations of abuse will be taken seriously and responded to swiftly and appropriately.
All children have a right to participate in athletics in an enjoyable and safe environment.
Young athletes have a right to expect appropriate management, support, personal and social development with regard to their involvement in all levels of athletics.
It is the responsibility of the child protection experts to determine whether or not abuse has taken place but it is everyone's responsibility to report any concerns.
Confidentiality should be upheld in line with the Data Protection Acts 1984 and 1998, and the common law of confidentiality.

SCOPE
Worksop Harriers Athletics Club and its coaches need to respond to four main dimensions of athlete welfare and protection by:
·         Recognising and referring to the appropriate agency anyone who has been subjected to poor practice, abuse or misconduct by someone else, whether inside sport (by another staff member or athlete) or outside sport (such as the family or peer group);
·         Observing and encouraging good practice when working with athletes in order to avoid perpetrating poor practice, abuse or other types of misconduct;
·         Taking precautions to avoid false allegations against themselves;
·         Safeguarding the good name and integrity of the sport of athletics. The procedures adopted by partner athletic organisations should assist with safe practice with respect to all four dimensions of welfare in the sport.
SOURCES: Worksop Harriers Athletics Club’s Welfare Policy and Procedures are based on documents originally prepared on the UKA website