Safeguarding Children, Young People and Adults at Risk

 

Barry Athletic Rowing Club (BACRC) is committed to ensuring that all members, including children, young people and vulnerable adults can participate in an environment which is safe and enjoyable.

 

The Club endorses the Welsh Sea Rowing – Rhwyfo Môr Cymru (WRS)’s Policy of Good Practice in Rowing Participant Welfare and Child Protection.   Their policy documents can be accessed via the Welsh Sea Rowing website;

​

https://www.searowing.wales/download/welsh-sea-rowing-policy-on-good-practice-in-rowing-participant-welfare-and-child-protection/

 

https://www.searowing.wales/child-protection-advice-safeguarding/

 

As part of our commitment, we ensure that:

 

• The Club has a designated Club Welfare Officer.

• All coaches or those working with children have a DBS check that is regularly updated.

• All coaches have undertaken Welsh Rowing approved safeguarding training as part of the accreditation and this is updated every three years.

• All coaches or those working with children are offered annual Safeguarding Refresher Training.

• Personal information or photographs will not be shared without parents’ permission.

• Rowing is not a dangerous sport and the Celtic Longboats are essentially a good solid stable craft, a sea-going rowing boat, but going into what is essentially a hostile environment. Before going out with a crew of juniors make sure they are wearing correctly fitted life jackets and that they know emergency procedures.

• It is best practice that the adult in charge of the boat is never alone on shore with the children. There should always be an adult on shore when the boat is launched and when it comes back at the end of a session. The adult in the boat responsible for the juniors should be DBS checked, although this is not necessary for all adults in the boat.  Similarly the adult on shore need not be DBS checked but is there to make sure no compromising situations occur.

• Adults and coaches are advised never to be alone with a junior; everything should be done in public view. There should be no need for a coach or other involved adult to have a child alone in the adult’s own home.

• Physical contact is not encouraged and should be kept to a minimum: but sometimes can be necessary, for example fitting a life jacket, adjusting the foot stop or demonstrating the correct grip on the oar. The junior should be asked and agree to help in these circumstances.

• Ideally an adult should never have a child or a crew alone on a journey away from the club, eg. to a race. Sometimes it may be necessary to take a child to the child’s own home unaccompanied. In this case another adult club member and the parent/guardian should be informed.

• Efforts should always be made to notify parents of what is happening in the club, whether it is training session times or arrangements for races.

• There is no requirement by the league to have a safety boat in attendance, but a considered observation should be made about weather and sea conditions before taking juniors out to sea, also taking into account the age and experience of the rowers. In rougher conditions, it might be acceptable to take two juniors out with two experienced rowers, or to accompany a junior boat with an experienced adult crew in another boat.

• Like adults, juniors are going to have a preferred rowing side. Whilst the makeup of the crew can be settled for a race, in everyday training sessions the juniors should be encouraged to change their rowing sides and also their position in the boat to avoid undue stress on their body.

• The adult taking out a junior crew should be DBS checked and be an experienced rower. The club should have a qualified coach.

• Access to the club records of contact details for juniors should be strictly controlled on a need-to-know basis. Adults in the club should not make any private contact with the juniors, by phone; email; text or any other social media or contact that cannot be made publicly. At least one other adult should be copied into any communication.

• Photography/visual media of any sort should be agreed with the parents and junior prior to their joining the club.