Halesowen Cycling Club is committed to ensuring that all members of the club (adults, young persons and children) enjoy membership of the club and use of the facilities safe from discrimination, intimidation, harassment and abuse when doing so.

 

Concern Reporting Procedure

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Anyone who is concerned about the well-being of a child/adult at risk, or has a disclosure of abuse or neglect made to them, must report those concerns.

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The section has 2 welfare officers, Sue Booth and Ian Philips, who have both completed the legal training requirements to take on the role of a Welfare Officer.

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You can contact them on email: ianph118@sky.com and suebooth19@hotmail.co.uk  
or use link https:\\www.halesowencycling.net/Welfare Officers

 

You can also contact British Cycling:   https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/clubs/article/bcst_Safeguarding-Children

 

Other useful contact numbers:

The Police in an emergency - 999

NSPCC - 0808 800 5000

Childline - 0800 1111

Safeguarding Children Board - 0300 555 0050

Safeguarding Adult Board - 0300 555 0055

If you need to contact a social worker when offices are closed, and the matter is urgent you can telephone the Dudley 'out of hours' Emergency Duty Team (EDT) on 0300 555 8574.

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Safeguarding Role and Responsibilities

 

Our Cycling Section Welfare Officers, Ian and Sue, are here to listen, advise and take necessary action to help the club ensure that the welfare of all children and vulnerable adults are dealt with in a confidential manner, especially when dealing with sensitive issues to ensure assurance with every parent and member of the club.

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Both are extremely approachable and effective communicators and are here to listen to you with any concerns or issues.

 

• Advise and support the club officers and committee to implement welfare policies and procedures and to support the club to adhere to codes of conduct and good practice.

• Ensure that all club coaches/helpers/volunteers have completed a volunteer recruitment process which includes volunteer reference forms & DBS checks (where required). They should assist in ensuring that this process is completed in a timely manner.  It would be strongly recommended that a yearly cycling section club audit of all volunteers is completed, which should include training needs, awareness and understanding of polices.  The Welfare Officer should also ensure there is a process in place within the club for auditing DBS checks and UKA Licences of all relevant Coaches, Officials and Volunteers to ensure they are regularly updated (every three years).

• Respond to suspected breaches of the Welfare Policies and Procedures that may be referred to them, in accordance with the club’s Welfare Procedures, and to advise and support other club officers or committee members on how to respond appropriately in accordance with the procedures.

• Report any concerns about child abuse to the local children’s social care services or the police immediately for advice if a child is at risk.

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Safeguarding Whistle Blowing Policy

 

Safeguarding children and adults at risk requires everyone to be committed to the highest possible standards of openness, integrity and accountability. As a club, we are committed to encouraging and maintaining a culture where people feel able to raise a genuine safeguarding concern and are confident that it will be taken seriously.

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What is whistle blowing?

In the context of safeguarding, “whistle blowing” is when someone raises a concern about the well-being of a child or an adult at risk.

A whistle blower may be:

• a member

• a volunteer

• a coach

• an official

• a parent

• a member of the public

How to raise a concern about a child or an adult at risk at the club

If a child or an adult at risk is in immediate danger or risk of harm, the police should be contacted by calling 999.

Where a child or an adult at risk is not in immediate danger, any concerns about their well-being should be made without delay to the Club Welfare Officer. The Club Welfare Officer will pass the details of the concern on to British Cycling’s Safeguarding Team at the earliest opportunity and the relevant local authority and the police will be contacted, where appropriate. If, however, the whistle blower does not feel comfortable raising a concern with the Club Welfare Officer, the whistle blower should contact The British Cycling safeguarding team online.

https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/clubs/article/bcst_Safeguarding-Children

 

Information to include when raising a concern

The whistle blower should provide as much information as possible regarding the incident or circumstance which has given rise to the concern, including:

• their name and contact details (unless they wish to remain anonymous)

• names of individuals involved

• date, time and location of incident/circumstance

• whether any witnesses were present

What happens next?

All concerns raised by a whistle blower about the well-being of a child or an adult at risk will be taken seriously and every effort will be made to deal with each concern fairly, quickly and proportionately.

The club will not tolerate any harassment, victimisation or unfair treatment of, and will take appropriate action to protect, whistle blowers when they raise a concern in good faith.

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Welfare Policy:  30 October 2020
Next Review: 30 October 2022