Wellbeing & Protection

Wellbeing and Child Protection Policy

Wellbeing and Child Protection Appendix:

A1: Club Wellbeing & Protection Policy Statement

A2: Club Wellbeing & Protection Officer Role Description

A3: Safe Recruitment Guidance:

A3(a) PVG Procedure

A3(b) Recruitment & Selection Policy

                      A3(c) Self – Declaration & Reference Form

A4: Guidance on U18 Volunteers

A5: Adult to Child Ratio

A6: Physical Contact and First Aid

A7: Collections and Late Collections

A8: Managing Challenging Behaviours

A9: Transporting Children

A10: Trips Away and Overnight Trips

A11: Communications Policy

A12: Changing Room Management

A13: Adapting the Disciplinary Process for U18s

A14: Guidance on Lone Working And 1 To 1 Coaching

A15: Netball Scotland Anti-Bullying Policy – Children and Young People

A16: Code of Conduct:

A16(a) Coach

A16(b) Player

A16(c) Parent/Carer

A16(d) Spectator

A16(e) Officials & Volunteers

A17: Guidance on Getting It Right for Every Child (GIRFEC)

A18: Definitions of Poor Practice

A19: Guidance on Identifying the Type Of Child Abuse

A20: Flow Chart for Investigative Process

A21: Netball Scotland Wellbeing & Protection Panel Procedures

A21a:Case Review Procedures

A22: RESPECT—A Process for Managing Complaints

A23: Activity, Transport, Medical Permission Form, Including Photo/Video

A24: Accident Report Form

A25: Risk Assessment Form:

A25(a): Risk Assessment Guidance Notes

A26: Incident Report Form

A27: List of Relevant Legislation

Wellbeing and Adult Protection Policy

Wellbeing and Adult Protection Appendix:

A1:                       CLUB WELLBEING & PROTECTION POLICY STATEMENT (ADULTS) WORD

A2:                        CLUB WELLBEING & PROTECTION OFFICER ROLE DESCRIPTION (ADULTS) WORD

A3:                        SAFE RECRUITMENT GUIDANCE WORD

A3(a) PVG PROCEDURE PDF

A3(b) RECRUITMENT & SELECTION POLICY FOR CLUBS WORD

A3(c) SELF DECLARATION WORD

A4:                        RATIOS FOR COACHING ADULTS AT RISK PDF

A5:                        PHYSICAL CONTACT AND FIRST AID PDF

A6:                        GUIDANCE ON LONE WORKING AND 1 TO 1 COACHING PDF

A7:                        CODE OF CONDUCT:

A7(a) COACH

A7(b) PLAYER

A7(c) SPECTATOR

A7(d) OFFICIALS & VOLUNTEERS

A8:                        COMMUNICATIONS POLICY

A9:                        ADDITIONAL VULNERABILITIES:

A9(a) TALENTED AND ELITE ATHLETES – ANN CRAFT TRUST PDF

A9(b) MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS GUIDANCE PDF

A10:                      DEFINITIONS OF POOR PRACTICE PDF

A11:                      FLOW CHART FOR INVESTIGATIVE PROCESS

A12:                      NETBALL SCOTLAND WELLBEING & PROTECTION PANEL PROCEDURES PDF

A13:                      RESPECT—A PROCESS FOR MANAGING COMPLAINTS

A14:                      ACCIDENT REPORT FORM WORD

ACCIDENT REPORT FORM PDF REFERENCE ONLY

A15:                      RISK ASSESSMENT FORM EXCEL

A15(a) RISK ASSESSMENT GUIDANCE NOTES

A16:                      INCIDENT REPORT FORM WORD

A17:                      LIST OF RELEVANT LEGISLATION

Communications Policy

Communications Appendix:

A1: Setting Up A Club Social Media Account

A2: Good Practice on Social Media

A3: Pages Vs Groups & Chats

A4: Photography And Filming Best Practice Guidance

A5: Livestreaming

A6: Guidance for Remote Online Coaching

Netball Scotland, working in partnership with sportscotland and Children 1^st, continually strives to ensure that all children, young people and vulnerable adults in our sport feel safe and are protected from harm, abuse and exploitation.

As we work towards 100% compliance in the Standards for Wellbeing & Protection in Sport, we are delighted to announce the appointment of Fiona Armit as Netball Scotland’s Wellbeing & Protection Officer.

Fiona can be contacted on WP@netballscotland.com

We are also delighted to announce the launch of our newly formed Wellbeing & Protection Panel.  The Panel brings a wealth of experience to the governing body and will assist Fiona in ensuring our policies are compliant with current legislation, whilst also reviewing wellbeing & protection cases and supporting on-going investigations.

All people undertaking regulated work with a protected group, children or adults, are required to become a member of the PVG scheme.

It is the responsibility of each club to ensure all persons (paid/voluntary) who work with vulnerable groups – children or adults at risk are suitable to do so and should use the Netball Scotland Club Recruitment & Selection Policy for Club Volunteers & Staff which can be found here.

Part of safe recruitment is ensuring that people within the club who require a PVG check have one. Netball Scotland support clubs and Local Associations with the administration of this process. An overview of the Netball Scotland PVG process can be found below in the PVG resources section.

Getting started with PVGs:

• The club must have in place a Wellbeing and Protection Officer (WPO), who will act as a PVG ID checker, this role and the person carrying it out should be registered with Netball Scotland via the membership database. All Wellbeing and Protection Officers must complete the Wellbeing and Protection Officer Registation form.
• Clubs can identify more than one person to act as the club ID checker, each person must be noted on the membership database.
• If you are unsure how to register a WPO/ID checker or need support on completing PVG request forms please contact PVG Enquiries via pvgenquiries@netballscotland.com
• If you have any queries on the PVG process including: eligibility or what constitutes regulated work, please contact Netball Scotland Wellbeing & Protection Officer: Fiona Armit: wp@netballscotland.com

Who Needs a PVG?

Not everyone in your club requires a PVG, only those who have a role that that comes under the definition of regulated work. If you would like to know what that means, or want to know who in your club should apply for a PVG check, please click the links below:

• Working with U18s 
  
• Working with adults

Completing a PVG

The Protection of Vulnerable Groups Act was updated by the Scottish Parliament in late 2020 one of the changes in the legislation is the introduction of an online portal for the completion of PVGs.

The new online PVG application process, where applicants (coaches/volunteers) complete their PVG via an online portal is now being implemented across the sport sector; and applies to Netball.

This service allows applications to be submitted more efficiently and accurately and removes the old paper PVG forms. It is a quicker and simpler process for club WPOs/ID checkers who will now send a short template to Netball Scotland to start the application process. Disclosure applicants (coaches/volunteers) will receive an email directly with a link to the online portal and can then enter their information online; where it is validated as they go, reducing the number of errors and applications returned (for example the system will not allow them to proceed without 5 years of address history). Once the transition to the online portal has been completed it is also expected that the new process will result in faster turnaround times for receiving completed PVG certificates.

PVG Resources

• PVG Guidance – this document gives an overview of the entire PVG process, the different steps in that process and the different actions required.
• PVG Processing Suitability Decision Making Agreement Form –   All Netball Scotland affiliated clubs that require PVGs must complete this form and return to pvgenquiries@netballscotland.com.
• Wellbeing & Protection Officer Registration form –  All clubs/districts that has players under the age of 18 will be required to provide Netball Scotland with their Wellbeing and Protection Officer information. This is a mandatory requirement. Netball Scotland must also be notified of any changes to the Wellbeing and Protection Officer.  This form will now replace the Secondary Contract form and is required to be completed annually.  Please note if the form is not completed by the club/district Wellbeing and Protection officer then no PVG’s can be applied for.
• Online PVG application request form – this is the form to fill in to request a PVG check for any Netball Scotland members that requires a PVG.  All applicants must complete the PVG consent to share online form before a PVG application can be submitted to Disclosure Scotland.  The link or QR code can be found on the document.
• Recruitment and training record spreadsheet – Document for clubs Wellbeing and Protection Officers to record and securely store PVG information for members.
• Online PVG Application Process Guidance Pack – Volunteer Scotland Application resource.
• Code of Practice for use of disclosure information – The official code of practice is there to provide information, advice, guidance and instructions to those that are accessing disclosure checks .  It should be used to determine how you operate within the disclosure checking process and all organisations and signatories enrolled with VSDS must follow the Code of Practice.

Additional Guidance for Transgender Applicants

Disclosure Scotland operates a special application process for transgender persons to assist in ensuring discretion is afforded to such individuals who do not wish their previous gender (and names) to be disclosed to the person or organisation requesting the Disclosure.
You can find out further information here.

Volunteer Disclosure Scotland Services(VSDS)

If you require further information from Volunteer Disclosure Scotland Service (VSDS). This can be found here.

Wellbeing & Protection Officer –  Fiona Armit

E:  WP@netballscotland.com 

All of the above are national helplines but should you need to contact a local helpline please use the link below, where you will find useful contact numbers for police and Social work services

http://www.children1st.org.uk/services/131/emergency-numbers

Netball Scotland is fully committed to safeguarding the welfare of all children in its care.   Recognising the responsibility to promote safe practice and to protect children from harm, abuse and exploitation, Netball Scotland works in partnership with Volunteer Scotland, Children 1^st, and sportscotland to protect all children participating in its affiliated clubs.   Through the support of our Regional Development Manager network, our members are provided with guidance and support to ensure all clubs working with children have robust policies and procedures in place to allow children to enjoy netball in a safe environment.

Our advice to clubs with junior members would be to ensure that you have:

• A named contact for the co-ordination of child protection, with a role description, who has attended recommended training.
• A Child Protection Policy which reflects national guidelines, adopted by the Board / Executive / Management Committee.
• A Code of Conduct for working with children and young people.
• A variety of child protection training offered at appropriate levels for those working or volunteering with children and young people in sport.
• A procedure for the recruitment and selection of those who work with children and young people, including access to PVG Scheme Membership checks.
• A procedure for responding to concerns about the welfare or abuse of a child- within or out with sport.
• A disciplinary procedure for managing concerns and allegations of poor practice, misconduct and child abuse and includes provision for referrals to the Children’s List.
• A procedure for reviewing the management of concerns about poor practice, misconduct and / or child abuse.

If somebody raises child protection concerns in relation to a coach / volunteer who is currently practicing, then you should follow your ‘Responding to Concerns’ procedure.  If it is a historical allegation, then you should follow the same procedure and signpost the individual to Police Scotland on ‘101’.  If you have a concern about a child’s immediate safety, then this should be passed on to Police or Social Work.

Sport can and does have a very powerful and positive influence on children and young people however in light of recent media coverage of allegations of child abuse in football, parents and carers from across all sports may have increased anxiety about child protection.  The vast majority of adults involved in youth sport are there with good intentions and are keen to promote the wellbeing and protection of children and young people. Coaches may often be the people who identify and act on concerns about a child’s wellbeing.

To-date much of the media’s attention has centered around historic allegations. Most sports organisations now have far more robust child protection procedures in place, including systems by which they recruit coaches and volunteers.  However, we would encourage all parents and carers to familiarise themselves with the child protection processes in place in the clubs their children attend.

Some key questions to ask are:

• Does your club have a named contact for the co-ordination of child protection, with a role description, who has attended recommended training?
• Does the club have a Child Protection Policy which reflects national guidelines, adopted by the Board / Executive / Management Committee?
• Does the club have a Code of Conduct for working with children and young people?
• Does the club offer a variety of child protection training at appropriate levels for those working or volunteering with children and young people in sport?
• Does the club have a procedure for the recruitment and selection of those who work with children and young people, including access to PVG Scheme Membership checks?
• Does the club have a procedure for responding to concerns about the welfare or abuse of a child- within or out with sport?
• Is the club affiliated to a national governing body?  Does this governing body have a Lead Child Protection Officer?

If parents or carers have a child protection concern about a coach / volunteer who is currently practicing or a concern about a child’s immediate safety, then they should contact the club child protection officer and share their concerns with Police Scotland on 101.

Members, as you will be aware, Netball Scotland is fully committed to safeguarding the welfare of all children in our care.   Recognising the responsibility to promote safe practice and to protect children from harm, abuse and exploitation, Netball Scotland works in partnership with Children 1^st and sportscotland to protect all children participating in our affiliated clubs.   Through the support of our Regional Development Manager network, our members are provided with guidance and support to ensure all clubs working with children have robust policies and procedures in place to allow children to enjoy netball in a safe environment.

Many of you will remember the historic allegations of child abuse within Scottish sport which hit the media headlines last year.  Thankfully, our sport has a long history of being a safe place for children to grow and develop their love of netball, and we remain committed to ensuring that this continues. Therefore, it is critical that we remain vigilant and that every Club and individual involved in netball works together to protect all children placed in their care.

To do this, it is imperative that all changes to coaching and management personnel carrying out regulated work within clubs are communicated immediately to Netball Scotland and that appropriate PVG checks are carried out as soon as possible, and before they become active.  Please remember that although many individuals may be in possession of a PVG related to their field of employment or other voluntary work, they MUST still apply for a PVG Scheme Update for their role within your club. DON’T DELAY, ACT TODAY!

As a membership benefit, Netball Scotland provides the expertise and resources to assist you with this process.  Please  the information above and exercise this benefit to ensure your club is a positive and protected club.

Thank you for your continued support in enforcing the highest standards of child protection and welfare within your Clubs, keeping our sport and its people safe. It is all of our responsibility to protect our children, and together we will #SucceedAsATeam