APPENDIX C

The advice contained in this Code of Practice is designed to give the Club's adult members as much protection against allegations / suspicions of abuse as possible. The Club's Management Committee therefore expect that all adults within the Club will adhere to these Codes to ensure the best possible outcomes and success for both young people and those working with them.

1)                  Respect the rights, dignity and worth of everybody and treat them with equality.

2)                  Place the well being and safety of the performer of any age above the development of performance. Guidelines and training manuals issued by the sport should be followed.

3)                  Always be publicly open when working with young people. Avoid situations where one adult and a single child are completely unobserved.

4)                  If physical contact is necessary, for example to demonstrate a particular technique, then it should be done openly. Coaches and volunteers should be aware that parents in general are becoming increasingly sensitive about other adults touching their children.

5)                  If possible, parents should be asked to supervise their own children in changing rooms. Where this is not possible, the ideal is for adults to work in pairs with their gender appropriate for the group being supervised.

6)                  When mixed teams compete away from home, they should always be accompanied by at least one male and one female supervisor.

7)                  Coaches and volunteers should ensure that the activities which they are directing / advocating / participating in are appropriate to the age, maturity and ability of the performer. Observe any rules set out in the sport's current rule book.

8)                  Volunteers without a coaching qualification, should be seen to be clearly working under the direct supervision of an appropriately qualified person.

9)                  Always promote the positive aspects of sport, e.g. fair play, and never suggest the use of, or condone, bad sportsmanship, rule violations or drugs.

10)               Display high standards of personal behaviour and appearance.

11)               Only criticise athletes of any age in a constructive and friendly way. Language and / or actions which may cause young children to lose self esteem or confidence should never be used.

12)               In a multi racial/religious/ability society, be aware of the particular needs, customs and cultural requirements of disabled athletes and those from ethnic minorities.

13)               Unless unavoidable, and then only with the full knowledge and consent of parents/carers and the Club, should an adult, take a child / children alone on a car journey however short, take children to the adults home, or spend amounts of time with a child away from others.

14)               Adults should never:

a)     Engage in rough, physical or sexually provocative games.

b)     Permit or engage in any form of inappropriate touching.

c)      Make sexually suggestive comments or jokes to children even in fun.

d)     Encourage over enthusiastic kisses or embraces.

e)      Permit children to use inappropriate language or tell sexually suggestive jokes unchallenged.

f)        Do things of a personal nature that children can do for themselves. However, with the full consent and understanding of the parents / carers it may be necessary to do things of a personal nature for children if they are very young or disabled.

g)     Agree to meet a young athlete on your own.

15)               If an adult accidentally hurts a child, or causes distress in any manner, or the child appears to respond in a sexual manner to your actions or misinterprets something you have done, report the incident initially to a colleague and follow up with a brief written report to the Child Protection Officer. The Child Protection Officer should then inform the parents / carers.

16)               There is evidence that some people have used sporting events as an opportunity to take inappropriate photographs or film/video footage of young and disabled sportspeople in vulnerable positions. It is advisable that all club members be vigilant, with any concerns being reported to the Club's Child Protection Officer.