Safeguarding_

Section 1: Child safeguarding policy

March 2025 - GENERAL AND POLICY OBJECTIVES

This policy and related documents apply to Brighton Phoenix Athletics and Triathlon Club, a registered charity with registration number 1183179 (‘the Club’ or ‘Brighton Phoenix’).

Athletics is one of the most accessible and successful sports in the UK. All children who take part in athletics are entitled to participate in a fun and safe environment, and we believe that everyone involved in our sport can play a part in safeguarding and protecting children from harm.

The purpose of this policy is (1) to demonstrate the commitment of the Club to build a safer future in athletics for children, and (2) to inform, guide and educate Club members and officials on how to be concious and aware of safeguarding risks and our shared responsibility to:

  • Keep children and young people safe by valuing, listening to and respecting them,
  • Promote the wellbeing of children through opportunities to take part in athletics safely,
  • Put in place policies and procedures to promote the wellbeing and protection of children, and
  • Recruit, train and support all our staff and volunteers to prioritise the safety of children who take part in our activities.

Policy statement

All children and young people have the right to be cared for, protected from harm and abuse, and to participate in a sporting environment which is safe, and in which their rights are respected, and their needs met. Children and young people should get the help they need, when they need it, and their safety is paramount.

Brighton Phoenix accepts our legal and moral duty to care for all children. This policy and the associated procedures and guidelines establish our collective commitment to protect all children and young people from poor practice, abuse and exploitation.

This policy operates in conjunction with the relevant government policies and legislation regulating the protection of children and young people in the four Home Countries, and we will work with the appropriate external partners to ensure best practice is implemented and maintained.

This policy links with our Adult Safeguarding Policy to ensure that as young people move into adulthood their safety and wellbeing will continue to be protected.

Application

Safeguarding and protecting children is everyone’s responsibility, not just the obligation of a few. Therefore, this policy applies to all individuals involved in any capacity in any activities carried out by Brighton Phoenix (or in our name), whether or not members of Brighton Phoenix.

For the avoidance of doubt, this includes the Trustees and other Board members, Coaches and all coach assistants, run leaders , team managers and others supporting them, participants in events and training sessions, individuals or organisations contracted to, or whose services are engaged to deliver programmes on behalf of Brighton Phoenix, and anyone else working within the club (in a paid or voluntary capacity).

We will take appropriate action against anyone who is suspected of a breach of this policy, or of the associated codes of conduct, licence terms and conditions, and relevant disciplinary regulations.

Definition of a child

For the purposes of this policy, a child means a person who has not attained the age of 18 years.

The Children Act 1989

  • The Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1995
  • The Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014
  • The Social Services and Wellbeing (Wales) Act 2014

If you have an immediate and serious concern about the safety or health of a child, contact the emergency services on 999.

Key principles

This policy is based on the following key principles:

  • The welfare of children is the primary concern
  • The protection and wellbeing of all children in our care is everyone’s responsibility
  • A child, whatever their age, culture, disability, gender, language, racial origin, socio-economic status, religious belief and/or sexual identity have the right to protection from all forms of harm and abuse
  • A child has the right to express views on all matters that affect them, should they wish to do so
  • A child’s rights and opinions should be respected and promoted
  • The best way to promote the wellbeing, health and development of a child is to work in partnership with the child, parents/carers and other relevant organisations

Implementation

To implement this policy and keep children safe, Brighton Phoenix will:

  • Adopt this Child Safeguarding Policy
  • Implement the guidelines, procedures and regulations related to this policy
  • Appoint at least one Club Welfare Officer
  • Safely recruit volunteers/staff in accordance with club volunteer recruitment guidance
  • Promote safeguarding best practice in all aspects of club activity
  • Ensure all volunteers, officials, coaches, athletes and parents agree to and sign the relevant code of conduct for their role
  • Accept that all office bearers and committee members have a responsibility for safeguarding children’s wellbeing and protecting them from harm, and are prepared to respond to any concerns of abuse or poor practice
  • Challenge and change poor practice
  • Implement any recommendations of, UK Athletics, England Athletics and British Triathlon relating to this policy area
  • Promote an environment where all concerns can be raised without fear of victimisation or reprisal
  • Ensure that everyone volunteering or working with children at their club attends a relevant child safeguarding training course every three years

Equality

Brighton Phoenix endorses the principle of equality and will strive to ensure that everyone who wishes to be involved in athletics (in all its disciplines and forms):

  • Has a genuine and equal opportunity to participate to the full extent of their own ambitions and abilities, without regard to their age, sex, gender identity, disability, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity, religion, race, socio-economic status or sexual orientation
  • Can be assured of an environment in which their rights, dignity and individual worth are respected and, in particular, that they are able to enjoy their sport without the threat of intimidation, victimisation, harassment or abuse.

Section 2: Supporting information

This policy addresses the following forms of harm:

  • Practice concerns
  • Wellbeing concerns
  • Child abuse

Practice concerns

A practice concern is behaviour that falls short of abuse but which nevertheless harms or places someone at risk of harm, or has a negative and adverse effect on the safety and wellbeing of children. Practice concerns include any behaviour, act or omission by members of staff, coaches, volunteers, officials, or a club and its members, that may contravene this policy, or any associated procedures and guidelines, in particular the codes of conduct.

This policy, along with the safeguarding procedures, codes of conduct and safeguarding regulations, promotes and supports the maintenance of healthy and positive relationships between those in positions of trust, such as coaches, and the young people in their care.

In England and Wales the government has amended the Sexual Offences Act 2003 and extended the legal definition of position of trust to include non-statutory settings such as sport by reference to the activity which the adult is carrying out in relation to the child, namely, coaching, teaching, training, supervising or instructing. In effect the changes have extended the settings and roles where it is illegal for an adult holding a position of trust to enter into a sexual relationship with a 16- or 17-year-old in their care, and this now includes athletics.

However, athletics has adopted a broader interpretation of the term “position of trust” to acknowledge the inherent power imbalance in coach/athlete relationships. Such relationships can be exploitative and where this happens it can impact on a child’s wellbeing and/or lead to abuse. Therefore, this policy addresses any practice in athletics that may be considered an abuse of a position of trust.

In addition, it would be considered as an abuse of a position of trust in athletics if an athlete is coerced or indoctrinated with attitudes to training, drugs and cheating, or social, political and religious views (radicalisation) which go against societal norms or the rules of the sport.

Further examples of practice concerns include:

  • Coaches who continually break rules, ignore recognised good practice guidelines, breach the codes of conduct, or the terms and conditions of their UKA licence
  • Individuals engaging in behaviours and practices that are known to be risk factors in cases of abuse
  • Continuing with a session or activity when there is a heightened risk to the group or athlete’s wellbeing and safety
  • Coaches leading activities for which they are not trained, insured or licensed
  • A club not responding appropriately to a child wellbeing or protection concern

Wellbeing concerns

Whilst most children’s needs will be met by their parents and carers, it is acknowledged that participation in sports can support and promote a child’s wellbeing. Government policy in all parts of the UK recognises that sports clubs and their staff and volunteers are often significant role models and trusted people in children’s lives. They are therefore well placed to identify when a child’s wellbeing and health is, or is at risk of, being adversely affected by any matter, and to act in the child’s best interests.

A wellbeing concern can be identified in different circumstances. For example:

  • A child may reveal that they are worried, anxious or upset about an incident or set of circumstances, either within or outside of athletics
  • You may have noticed a change in a child’s behaviour, demeanour or developmental progress
  • You may have concerns about the impact on a child of an incident or set of circumstances, either within or outside of the sport
  • You may have concerns for a child’s physical or mental health

There are of course other factors which can impact on a child’s wellbeing. Government policy and guidance varies across the UK, so please refer to your HCAF’s website for specific welfare and wellbeing guidance.

Child abuse

There are four well established categories of abuse:

  • Physical
  • Sexual
  • Emotional
  • Neglect

Detailed descriptions of the four main categories of abuse, along with information about additional vulnerabilities faced by some children and young people, can be found in Appendix 2.