Thames Mavericks Netball club is committed to creating and maintaining a safe and positive environment for all adults and young people to play netball. The welfare of every individual is paramount, and we accept a duty of care to safeguard and promote their well-being.

We take all reasonable steps to ensure that safeguarding and child protection concerns are reported and addressed appropriately. At Thames Mavericks, we recognise that some young people may be more vulnerable than others of a similar age, and respectfully may encounter extra barriers due to race, gender, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, social background and culture.

Thames Mavericks Netball Club’s safeguarding policies and procedures apply to all individuals involved, whether in a paid or voluntary capacity. Everyone has a responsibility.

This policy aims to provide guidelines about safeguarding responsibilities and lay out a process for managing safeguarding concerns appropriately. 

Principles:

1.       Anyone under the age of 18 is considered a child or young person in relation to this safeguarding policy.

2.       The safety and welfare of all young people is paramount.

3.       The welfare of the child or vulnerable person is our primary concern.

4.       All individuals, regardless of age, ability, gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, or socio-economic background, have the right to protection from abuse.

5.       All allegations, complaints of poor practice and alleged breaches of England Netball Codes of Conduct will be taken seriously and responded to quickly in line with the England Netball policies and procedures.

6.       We work in partnership with parents, carers, and the young people themselves, understanding that this is essential for safeguarding and protection of the young people.

Responsibilities

Thames Mavericks netball club, understand that it is everyone’s responsibility to safeguard children.

Thames Mavericks Netball Club have:

1.       A Club Safeguarding Officer, Sophie Snowden, who is responsible for ensuring safeguarding is embedded in the club’s culture and managing any concerns or allegations. This is in line with the England Netball Recruitments Guidelines and Volunteer Role Description to manage safeguarding and child protection. She is the first point of contact for all Safeguarding concerns within the club. She will handle disclosure calmly and sensitively in line with the England Netball Reporting a Safeguarding Concern procedures. She is responsible for giving advice about wellbeing, safeguarding and the protection of all members, promoting good practice and working with others to ensure that a safe and inclusive environment is achieved.

2.       Adopted and implemented the England Netball Safeguarding and Protecting Young People in Netball policies and procedures.

3.       Ensured, and will continue to ensure, that all committee members are aware of their roles and responsibilities, when safeguarding young people in netball. This goes for club members as well.

4.       Worked, and will continue to work, in partnership with parents/carers and young people within the club.

5.       Ensured, and will continue to ensure, that all relevant members who have regular supervisory contact with young people are safely recruited according to England Netball guidelines, which includes the completion of an Enhanced DBS with England Netball.

6.       A responsibility to ensure all individuals working directly with children must complete safeguarding training every 3 years.

Prohibited Practice and consequences of inappropriate action

Coaches, volunteers, umpires or manages must never:

1.       Spend time alone with young people away from others.

2.       Take young people to their home where they will be alone with them.

3.       Invite or allow young people to stay at their home.

4.       Transport young people in your car alone.

If it should arise that such situations are unavoidable, they should only take place with the full knowledge and consent of someone in charge in the club, and/or a person with parental responsibility for the young person.

In exceptional circumstances where a coach, manager or volunteer cannot obtain the consent of someone in charge in the club and/or person with parental responsibility for the young person, then if it is in the welfare interest of the young person, the preceding paragraph does not have to be followed. If this occurs the adult must record the event with the club Safeguarding Officer.

5.       Engage in rough, physical or sexually provocative games with young people.

6.       Share a room with a young person unless the individual is a parent/guardian.

7.       Allow or engage in any form of inappropriate physical touching or sexual contact or behaviour.

8.       Use or allow young people to use inappropriate language, unchallenged.

9.       Make sexually suggestive comments to a young person, even in fun.

10.  Allow allegations made by a young person to go unchallenged, unrecorded, or not acted upon.

11.  Do things of a personal nature for young people that they can do themselves, unless you have been requested to do so by the parent/carer. It is recognised that some young people may need help with things such as lace tying, and it is also recognised that this does not preclude anyone attended to an injured/ill young person or rendering first aid.

12.  Depart the netball club until safe dismissal of all young people is complete.

13.  Undermine, embarrass or humiliate the young person.

14.  Treat some young people more favourably than others.

15.  Agree to meet a young person on their own, on a one-to-one basis.

Types and signs of abuse

At Thames Mavericks, we have a duty of care to all young people who come to our club, therefore understanding and recognising signs of abuse is essential. Abuse can take many forms. The main categories of abuse are:

Physical abuse – causing physical harm including hitting, shaking, or deliberately causing injury.

In sport, physical abuse may include:

·       the use of controlled diets or supplements which impact on the young person’s development.

·       extreme training regimes or assault with a ball.

Emotional abuse – persistent emotional ill-treatment such as bullying, threats, humiliation, or pressure to perform beyond ability.

In sport, emotional abuse may mean:

·       placing someone under an unrealistic level of demand for performance including weighing players.

·       name calling and belittling (particularly if related to disability, body shape, weight, sex, gender, sexuality, race, religion or other difference).

·       failure to make reasonable adjustments for the person’s needs.

Sexual abuse – involving or pressurising a child or young person into sexual activities, whether or not they are aware of what is happening.

In sport, sexual abuse may involve:

·       inappropriate touching of a young person in a coaching scenario.

·       grooming a young person for a relationship with a person in a position of trust including online contact.

·       the inappropriate taking of photographs or videos of young people in a sport setting.

Neglect – failure to meet basic needs such as food, shelter, clothing, medical care or emotional needs.

In ADULTS AT RISK (those with care and support needs) as well as the behaviours above it may also include

·       Self-neglect (not washing, eating or cleaning, or hoarding behaviour)

·       Neglect by carers or family members

In sport, neglect may include:

·       over-rigorous training regimes.

·       exposure to harsh temperatures or

·       failing to have regard for an injury.

Bullying – repeated negative behaviour (including online), intended to hurt or intimidate another person. It can be written, verbal or physical, in person or online.

In sport, bullying and harassment may include:

·       a coach who uses personal criticism to put down the players.

·       homophobic, disablist or racist name-calling.

·       making the person feel physically awkward and victimised due to making the training too hard for their abilities or stage of development.

This list is not exhaustive. If you are concerned, report it to the Safeguarding Officer.

Reporting concerns

Any concerns about the welfare of a child or vulnerable adult must be reported immediately to the club Safeguarding Officer. In emergencies where a person is at immediate risk, call 999.

Concerns can include:

-            Signs of abuse (physical, emotional, sexual or neglect)

-            Inappropriate behaviour by adults or peers

-            Poor practice concerns

All concerns will be taken seriously and handled confidentially.

Confidentiality

Information will only be shared on a need-to-know basis. Any records will be kept securely and in line with data protection laws.

Social Media

Thames Mavericks Netball club, use social media, including; Instagram, Facebook and our website, to promote upcoming club events and recent club successes. We are committed to providing a safe environment for young people, and essential to this commitment is so ensure that all necessary steps are taken to protect young people from inappropriate use of their images in media publications, on this internet, and elsewhere. We are committed to robustly manage our social media platforms, including any comments made within out posts online.

To ensure we maintain our club social media accounts professionally, we will:

-            Manage all accounts by designated adults who have been approved by the club committee.

-            Ensure post reflect the club’s values and respect the dignity of all members.

-            Never share personal details of any member, whether a young person or an adult.

When we share images and videos on social media, we will ensure:

-            We have written consent and permission from all club members. For those who are under 18, we will ensure we have written consent from parents/carers. We understand that parents have the right to decide whether images of their young person are to be taken and used by the club.

-            All club members are happy to be tagged in posts, as well as have their full name shared.

-            Images are appropriate, showing members in suitable clothing, ensuring images taken, are not sexual or exploitive in nature, nor open to obvious misinterpretation and misuse.

-            Care is taken to make sure images convey the best principles and aspects of netball, such as fairness and fun.

-            Images are only taken by authorised persons, Operations Manager: Tamryn Settle and Club Photographer: Hayley Bavin.

-            All images are stored securely.

-            There are no identifying details which may enable contact with a young person by a potential abuser.

Thames Mavericks do not wish to prevent parents, carers or other spectators being able to take legitimate photographs or video footage of competitors. There is no legal power to prevent photography or filming in a public place, however, some individuals will visit sporting events in order to take inappropriate photographs or video footage of young people. All members will be vigilant about this possibility and refer to the England Netball guidance as best practice in trying to ensure the safety of young people in netball.

Adults, parents and young people should be aware that Thames Mavericks may use video as a valuable coaching aid. If videoing during a session we will always consider:

-            The purpose of the filming as a coaching aid.

-            Storing films safely to avoid inappropriate use

-            Seek written permission from the parents of the young person, for the use of photography and video analysis.

-            When filming, ensure that there is an appropriate approved adult from the club present.

Any concerns during an event should be reported to the Safeguarding Officer or Event Organiser, if a safeguarding matter arises.

We understand that members have the right to change their preferences at any time during the season.

Sophie Snowden

Safeguarding Officer

May 2025

Next review date November 2025