Knowledge Base

#32: What can I do if I have a child welfare concern?

Concerns raised will be dealt with following the Swim England guidance on confidentiality.

If your concern is about a child you consider may be in immediate risk of injury or harm, or has been injured or harmed, do not hesitate and immediately contact the local Children’s Social Care Team, the police, or the Swim England Safeguarding Team. They will ensure action is taken without delay to ensure the wellbeing of the child or young person. The club welfare officer and the Swim England Safeguarding Team must be informed as soon as possible of a referral to the statutory agencies.
If there is no immediate risk as outlined above it is important you raise your concern as soon as possible with the club welfare officer. They will advise you as to action to be taken and if necessary refer the matter to the statutory agencies or the Swim England Safeguarding Team.
If you do not wish to approach the club directly you can call the Swimline number 0808 100 4001. You will need to leave a number for a Swimliner or the Swim England Safeguarding Team to call you back or if you wish to speak to someone immediately, hold on and you will be put through to the NSPCC Helpline.
If the matter is involving your child you will be advised of what you should do and kept fully involved of all action taken.
If the matter is about a child unrelated to yourself information will only be made available to you in line with appropriate confidentiality.

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#33: What is the Disclosure and Barring Service?

The Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 introduced new safeguarding and vetting requirements affecting all individuals who have contact with children and adults at risk.

In December 2012 the Criminal Record Bureau (CRB) and the Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) merged to form the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).

Video: Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS): What we do.

The DBS enable Swim England to make more informed recruitment decisions for position(s) where there are individuals wishing to work with children or adults at risk. Individuals are required to undertake a Barred List check and/or Enhanced DBS Disclosure.

A Barred List check is a legal requirement for all individuals applying to work in Regulated Activity. This check will show if an individual is barred from working with children or adults at risk.

Regulated Activity is defined as unsupervised activities that are either:
Teaching, training, instructing, providing advice/guidance on wellbeing, supervising, caring, transporting children, or anyone who manages people in this category
And that happens frequently (once a week or more often), intensively (on 4 or more days in a 30 day period) or overnight.

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Keywords:	Safeguarding, DBS
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#34: What is the DBS Update Service?

#41: Is there any guidance on Safeguarding Deaf and Disabled Children in Sport?

Despite some traditionally negative misconceptions about deaf and disabled young people, the reality is that the vast majority of them are ready, willing and able to participate in sport and physical activity when they have access to facilities and appropriately trained staff to support them. Staff do not need additional qualifications - but should have qualifications to coach children, and the confidence to deliver these sessions inclusively.

Download this CPSU Factsheet for guidance.

Video: a group of disabled young people involved in a number of different sports discuss with Ade Adepitan, GB Wheelchair basketball player, the challenges they have come up against when trying to get involved in sport. As well as sharing their experiences they also offer advice to sports organisations on how to break down these barriers and make it easier for disabled young people to get involved in their sport.

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Keywords:	Safeguarding, Deaf, Disability
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#42: How should organisations respond to reports of non-recent historic abuse in sport?

#43: Are Pool Lifeguards eligible for DBS checks?

#44: Is there guidance on physical contact and young people in sport?

Dr Melanie Lang (Edge Hill University) has produced a video presentation for sports coach UK on challenging coach anxiety of adult-child touch in sport through a children's rights approach.

The most important aspect of Dr Lang’s presentation is that positive and appropriate touch in sport can actually help children identify inappropriate touch, should that ever occur.

Dispelling myths

Dr Lang discusses the concerns of some coaches regarding touch in a sporting context, particularly against the backdrop of high-profile abuse cases inside and outside of sport.

A common myth is that ‘coaches must never touch children in sport’. This myth is dispelled using the latest research and evidence.

Promoting good practice

Dr Lang explains some of the principles around good practice, ensuring that the child’s welfare is paramount throughout demonstrations of technique.

Due to the spreading of some myths, some of the powerful benefits of touch are forgotten. It can be a helpful communication tool or a way to reassure a distressed or anxious child.

The question that coaches should always ask themselves is: will touch benefit the child?

Download this CPSU briefing for guidance on the appropriate use of physical contact between adults and young people in sports activities.

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Keywords:	Coaching, Safeguarding
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#45: What is SwimLine?

SwimLine is a child protection helpline. Callers to SwimLine can leave their name, contact details and a description of their concerns, and will then be contacted by Swim England Safeguarding Team within 48 hours. There is also the opportunity to transfer to the NSPCC Child Protection Helpine if urgent assistance is required to protect a child.

You can call SwimLine on 0808 100 4001.

In an emergency, when you believe a child may have been harmed or be at immediate risk of harm and you are unable to contact the Welfare Officer or the Swim England Safeguarding Team, you should without delay refer the concern to your local Police Child Protection Team, MASH or Children’s Social Care so any necessary actions can be taken by those professionals to safeguard the child.

You do not have to decide whether your concern or incident is, or is not, child abuse or a failure to safeguard a child. You do have to refer a concern to the appropriate agency so they can make that decision.

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#46: What is the Safe Sports Events Management Tool?

#57: Can you complete Safeguarding renewals online?

UK Coaching now offer three versions of their online renewal, which are all accepted by Swim England for SwimMark accreditation..

Safeguarding and Protecting Children (75 mins) – includes the core refresher module plus the Safe Communication with Digital Kids module
Safeguarding and Protecting Children (60 mins) – includes the core refresher module plus the Safeguarding Deaf and Disabled Children module
Safeguarding and Protecting Children (75 mins) – includes the core refresher module plus the Positive Parents module

Please note that prior to completing any of the above online renewals individuals must have initially attended UK Coaching face-to-face training.

View online courses on UK Coaching website.

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Keywords:	Volunteer, Coaching, Safeguarding
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#61: Can I take photos or videos?

Parents and carers of participants under the age of 18 who wish to take images at events are requested to focus on their own children as much as reasonably possible and to avoid including other children in images, particularly if those images are being shared with family and friends or through social media platforms.

Whilst it is acknowledged that parents/carers wish to celebrate the achievements of their own children when taking part in aquatic events, it should be recognised and respected that other parents / carers may not wish for their child’s image to be taken and shared in this way.

View Swim England’s Filming and Photography Policy.

There is useful information about child welfare in Swim England’s Wavepower document.

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Keywords:	Safeguarding, Photography, Consent, Social Media
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#64: What essential knowledge and skills of safeguarding are needed to meet sector requirements and minimum deployment standards?

In 2015, the Government created its overall UK sport strategy which asked CIMSPA to partner with Sport England and work together to ensure the workforce is ready to take on the challenge of creating an active, healthy nation and a strong society.

CIMSPA is working with employers, training providers and universities to enable employees and students to benefit from a clear career pathway based on professional standards and quality assured training in the sport and physical activity sector.

Download the summary version of CIMSPA Professional Standard: Technical Specialism for Safeguarding and Protecting Children

(The full version of the standard is available to CIMSPA awarding organisation, skills development, higher education and further education partners and includes Product development guidance).

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#65: Is there any guidance on retaining and storing Child protection records?

#73: Whose Responsibility Is It To Supervise Club Swimmers In The Changing Rooms?

#80: Is There Any Advice On Parental involvement In Sport?

The NSPCC's Child Protection in Sport Unit (CPSU) released two podcast episodes on Castbox.fm as part of Parents in Sport Week 2018 featuring chats with sports parents about their contribution to their child's sport.

They also discuss the different support needs of children of different ages and abilities and the types of things parents are looking for from clubs in terms of information and support.

Listen now to the Parental involvement in sport podcast episodes below.

Episode 1: Grass roots involvement

Episode 2: Parenting young people in competitive sport

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Keywords:	Safeguarding, Support
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#81: Should all staff working in leisure centres be asked to apply for DBS certificates?

#112: Is There A Guide to Putting Safeguarding Into Place?

#115: Why Attend a Development Day for Welfare Officers?

#116: What Guidance And Best Practice Is Available To Manage Welfare / Safeguarding Issues?

#117: Can Child Abuse Images in Aquatics Be Prevented?

#118: Why Attend A ‘Positive Behaviour Workshop’?

#136: What Safeguarding Training is Recommended?

#137: What is Swim England's Child Welfare Complaints Procedure?

Swim England is committed to promoting the welfare of all involved in swimming and will seek to establish a process that will make it straightforward for people to raise any concerns they have, about the way in which promoting welfare has been managed.

Download the procedure which sets out the method of dealing with a child welfare concern when a complaint is received from a parent, guardian, carer, child or other member.

This procedure needs to be read in conjunction with Wavepower, Swim England’s Child Safeguarding Policies and Procedures, the Child Safeguarding Protocols, Child Protection Regulations 241 et al and the Judicial Regulations and Guidelines

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Keywords:	Safeguarding, Welfare
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#138: What is the Club Welfare Officer's role?

#139: What is the CPSU?

#144: What are the different types of harm and abuse which may be experienced by adults?

The Care Act recognises 10 categories of abuse that may be experienced by adults.

Click on the linked types below to view further safeguarding information from the Ann Craft Trust.

Self-neglect
This covers a wide range of behaviour, but it can be broadly defined as neglecting to care for one’s personal hygiene, health, or surroundings. An example of self-neglect is behaviour such as hoarding.

Modern Slavery
This encompasses slavery, human trafficking, forced labour, and domestic servitude.

Domestic Abuse
This includes psychological, physical, sexual, financial, and emotional abuse perpetrated by anyone within a person’s family. It also includes so-called “honour” based violence.

Discriminatory
Discrimination is abuse that centres on a difference or perceived difference, particularly with respect to race, gender, disability, or any of the protected characteristics of the Equality Act.

Organisational
This includes neglect and poor care practice within an institution or specific care setting, such as a hospital or care home, or in relation to care provided in one’s own home. Organisational abuse can range from one off incidents to ongoing ill-treatment. It can be through neglect or poor professional practice as a result of the structure, policies, processes and practices within an organisation.

Physical
This includes hitting, slapping, pushing, kicking, restraint, and misuse of medication. It can also include inappropriate sanctions.

Sexual
This includes rape, indecent exposure, sexual harassment, inappropriate looking or touching, sexual teasing or innuendo, sexual photography, subjection to pornography or witnessing sexual acts, indecent exposure and sexual assault, or sexual acts to which the adult has not consented, or was pressured into consenting.

Financial or Material
This includes theft, fraud, internet scamming, and coercion in relation to an adult’s financial affairs or arrangements, including in connection with wills, property, inheritance or financial transactions. It can also include the misuse or misappropriation of property, possessions, or benefits.

Neglect and Acts of Omission
This includes ignoring medical or physical care needs and failing to provide access to appropriate health social care or educational services. It also includes the withdrawing of the necessities of life, including medication, adequate nutrition, and heating.

Emotional or Psychological
This includes threats of harm or abandonment, deprivation of contact, humiliation, blaming, controlling, intimidation, coercion, harassment, verbal abuse, isolation, or withdrawal from services or supportive networks.

Four Additional Types of Harm

There are four additional types of harm that are not included in The Care Act, but they are also relevant to safeguarding adults.

Cyber Bullying
Cyber bullying occurs when someone repeatedly makes fun of another person online, or repeatedly picks on another person through emails or text messages. It can also involve using online forums with the intention of harming, damaging, humiliating, or isolating another person. It includes various different types of bullying, including racist bullying, homophobic bullying, or bullying related to special education needs and disabilities. The main difference is that, instead of the perpetrator carrying out the bullying face-to-face, they use technology as a means to do it.

Forced Marriage
This is a term used to describe a marriage in which one or both of the parties are married without their consent or against their will. A forced marriage differs from an arranged marriage, in which both parties consent to the assistance of a third party in identifying a spouse. The Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 make it a criminal offence to force someone to marry.

Mate Crime
A “mate crime” is when “vulnerable people are befriending by members of the community who go on to exploit and take advantage of them” (Safety Network Project, ARC). It may not be an illegal act, but it still has a negative effect on the individual. A mate crime is carried out by someone the adult knows, and it often happens in private. In recent years there have been a number of Serious Care Reviews relating to people with a learning disability who were seriously harmed, or even murdered, by people who purported to be their friend.

Radicalisation
The aim of radicalisation is to inspire new recruits, embed extreme views and persuade vulnerable individuals to the legitimacy of a cause. This may be direct through a relationship, or through social media.

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Keywords:	Safeguarding, Abuse, Harm
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#155: How can our Club obtain its DBS list?

#156: What guidance is there for organisations on reporting concerns for different situations within sport?

#163: What are the signs of an unhealthy relationship?

Whilst all relationships have their ups and downs, an unhealthy relationship is one where a partner or close family member shows behaviour that is disrespectful, controlling or even violent. An unhealthy relationship may be, or may lead to, domestic abuse and it is important to recognise the signs of unhealthy behaviours.

Here are some of the signs to look out for that may help to identify if you are in an unhealthy or abusive relationship. The relationship could be with a partner, ex-partner or another family member.

Obsessive Behaviour. This type of behaviour is when the person feels a need to be in constant contact with you. This may include obsessive contact via phone, text or direct message. This behaviour may feel overwhelming and could be a sign that things are becoming too intense.
Possessiveness. Whilst jealousy is a normal human emotion, when it becomes over the top, it turns into possessiveness. This might include being accused of things you didn’t do, wrongly accusing you of flirting or cheating and attempting to control the things you do and who you spend time with.
Manipulation. Manipulation is the attempt to sway someone’s emotions to make them to act or feel in a certain way. It can often be missed, as it is expressed in subtle or passive-aggressive ways. Someone is trying to manipulate you when they attempt to convince you to do things that you don’t want to do or try to influence the way you think.
Guilting. This is a form of manipulation where you are made to feel responsible for their actions. They may also pressure you into doing things that you don’t want to, by convincing you it would hurt their feelings, or they may threaten to harm themselves or take their own lives if you don’t do it.
Belittling. This includes behaviours that are carried out to try to make you feel bad about yourself. They might say or do things that make you uncomfortable about yourself, often making out it is a joke or that you are overreacting. They may make you feel insecure about your ability to make decisions for yourself.
Sabotage. Belittling can also take the form of sabotage which includes spreading rumours about you in order break your relationships with others and damage your reputation.
Isolation. People may intentionally try to keep you away from your extended family and friends to separate you from the people who care about you. This is often done to obtain greater power and control over the relationship. It can be disguised as them wanting to spend more time with you alone but can lead to you not seeing friends or family or work colleagues as often as you would really like to.
Controlling behaviour. Someone is showing controlling behaviour if they do things like stop you from seeing friends or family, attempt to control where you go and with whom or control what you wear. Controlling behaviour can also include tracking someone’s movements through hacking into their phone calls or putting a tracking device on their vehicle, to checking their phone, texts, emails and social media.
Responsibility deflection. This includes regularly blaming you or someone else for their own actions. This behaviour can also mean blaming the behaviour on drugs, alcohol, mental health or insecurity left from a previous relationship (like a cheating ex or divorced parents).
Betrayal. When a person in a relationship consistently lies or acts in an intentionally dishonest way. This might include lying to other people about you, sharing sensitive information about you, cheating or being disloyal.

If you are concerned your relationship is showing unhealthy signs, and you may be experiencing domestic abuse, or you’re worried about someone you know, or are concerned about the impact of your behaviour towards others, then help is available at www.somersetsurvivors.org.uk or by telephoning 0800 69 49 999.

In an emergency you should always dial 999. If you are worried that an abuser may overhear your call you can remain silent, tap the phone and dial 55 when prompted by the operator who will send help.

If you are deaf, hard of hearing or speech-impaired you can register with emergencySMS.net. – You will then be able to send a text to 999 if you require help in an emergency.

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#164: What is The Institute of Swimming Safeguarding Policy?

#166: What specialist support services are available in England if you have been affected by abuse in sport or in other contexts?

NSPCC

The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children is a British child protection charity.

To contact an NSPCC professional counsellor any time of day for help, advice and support, use the details below:
Freephone: 0808 800 5000
Email: help@nspcc.org.uk
NSPCC

Safeline

Safeline offers specialist, tailored support for anyone affected by or at risk of sexual abuse and rape.
Telephone: 01926 402 498
Text: 07860 027573 (Please note this service is not monitored 24h a day)
National Male Survivor Helpline: 0808 800 5005 (9am-8pm weekdays and 10am-2pm weekends)
Safeline

NAPAC

The National Association for People Abused in Childhood support line is staffed by trained volunteers and is for adult survivors of any form of child abuse.
Freephone: 0808 801 0331 (Monday – Thursday 10am – 9pm, Friday 10am-6pm)
Email: support@napac.org.uk
NAPAC

The Samaritans

Samaritans is a registered charity aimed at providing emotional support to anyone in emotional distress, struggling to cope, or at risk of suicide.
Freephone: 116 123
Email: jo@samaritans.org
The Samaritans

Galop

Galop is a service run by LGBTQ+ people for LGBTQ+ people. Specialise in supporting victims and survivors of domestic abuse, sexual violence, hate crime, and other forms of abuse including honour-based abuse, forced marriage, and so-called conversion therapies.
Galop

Breaking The Silence

Breaking The Silence offers confidential professional service for men of Asian, African, and African-Caribbean origin, aged 13 and over.
Telephone: 01274 497 535 (3pm-8pm Monday to Thursday)
Breaking The Silence

To report a criminal offence

In an emergency always call 999.
To report non-urgent crime, please call your local police on 101.
You can also report crime anonymously to Crimestoppers: 0800 555 111

Crimestoppers