Safeguarding Policy

 GT SPORTS ACADEMY treats welfare and safeguarding issues very seriously.  We follow the ECB’s safeguarding policy for children’s participation in cricket “Safe Hands”: see https://www.ecb.co.uk/safeguarding/policy-and-procedures.  In accordance with that policy, we seek to ensure that at all times that:

· The welfare and interests of children are paramount

· All children have a positive experience of GT SPORTS ACADEMY activities, regardless of age, ability or disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation or socio-economic background.

· All children are protected from abuse of any kind whilst participating in GT SPORTS ACADEMY activities.

· GT SPORTS ACADEMY coaches are appropriately recruited, vetted and provided with appropriate safeguarding training.

· GT SPORTS ACADEMY coaches have a responsibility for safeguarding and are familiar with how Safe Hands applies to them (ECB).

· Procedures are in place to ensure that any safeguarding concerns can be readily and confidentially reported at the appropriate level.

· All suspicions, concerns and allegations are taken seriously and dealt with and managed swiftly and appropriately.

Safe Hands contains comprehensive rules and guidance dealing with many different subjects and circumstances and it is our default policy.  However, we have set out our policies below on certain specific issues that we regard as particularly important to GT SPORTS ACADEMY’S activities and operations.  Details of persons to contact in the event of a safeguarding concern are set out at the end of this document.

First aid and medical information

1.      At least one trained first-aider will be present for all GT SPORTS ACADEMY coaching sessions and a First Aid Kit will always be available.

2.      Any relevant medical information which GT Sports Academy ought to know about a child should be provided to  GT SPORTS ACADEMY  by his or her parent/guardian on registration. That information will always be available to coaches during coaching sessions, though will otherwise be kept confidential.  In addition to the contact details of the parent/guardian, an emergency contact should also be provided on registration.

​3.      If a child suffers an injury or other significant health issue during a coaching session and his or her parent/guardian is not present, attempts will be made immediately to contact (a) the parent/guardian, and (b) if they cannot be contacted, the alternative contact.  If neither can be contacted or in an emergency situation, the trained first-aider may administer such first aid as they deem necessary, acting in loco parentis.

4.       GT SPORTS ACADEMY  keeps an accident report book and any significant incident will be recorded in that book and retained in accordance with standard safeguarding procedures.

Concussion

GT SPORTS ACADEMY  follows the guidance issued by the ECB in relation to concussions. A concussion is a complex and potentially significant brain injury which must be taken seriously.  Although coaches will take reasonable steps to ensure that safety guidance is followed at all times, ultimately it is the responsibility of parents/guardians and/or carers to ensure that they are fully informed on current ECB concussion guidelines: see www.ecb.co.uk/concussion.  It is our policy that all suspected concussions must be checked by a medical professional at A&E or with a GP immediately.

Anti-bullying policy

1. GT SPORTS ACADEMY  is committed to providing a friendly and safe environment for all those participating in its coaching sessions of any kind.  All those involved in such sessions are expected to treat each other with respect and bullying will not be tolerated. If bullying does occur, incidents will be dealt with promptly and effectively.

2. In accordance with our general policy statement, we will be particularly astute to detect and prevent any bullying based on age, ability or disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation or socio-economic background.

3. We recognise that bullying can take many different forms (including amongst children, between staff and children, face to face, in verbal or physical form and/or by cyberbullying methods), none of which should be tolerated.  However, we also recognised that all children have disagreements with each other, friends sometimes fall out for a time, and children sometimes engage in banter which (provided it stays the right side of the line) should not be treated as bullying.  A degree of common sense is required in distinguishing between these different circumstances and we will always seek to apply this.

4.  If bullying is happening without our knowledge, we want to know about it and it should be reported in the same way as any other safeguarding concern: see below.

Photography and videoing

1.  Photography and/or videoing of participants in  GT SPORTS ACADEMY sessions may take place for certain purposes where parent permission has been given. This does not include any form of photos or video in a school session, afterschool club etc. 

2.  Photography and/or videoing of children is an area of particular sensitivity and potential concern for safeguarding reasons and accordingly those rules must be strictly followed.

3.  Any concerns about inappropriate use of photographs or video recordings, or about intrusive photography or video recording, should be reported in the same way as any other safeguarding concern: see below.

Reporting concerns

1.  Any welfare or safeguarding concern in relation to a particular session should, in general, be reported first to the coach in charge of the relevant session.

2.  If the concern does not arise out of a particular session, or if the concern arises out of the behaviour of the coach in charge of the session, it should be reported in the first instance to  GT SPORTS ACADEMY  on info@gtsportsacademy.co.uk or by calling 01256 436605

3.  If the matter is urgent, contact the NSPCC on 0808 800 5000 or the police if the child is in immediate danger.