Yorkshire Badminton Association
Child Protection Policy

These guidelines are for any adults working on behalf of the
Yorkshire Badminton Association (Y.B.A.)
with young people and sets out what Y.B.A. regard as best practice
in the area of Child Protection in Yorkshire.

Acting in loco parentis with young people is an onerous and sometimes thankless task. Many difficulties will not arise if situations are handled in a professional manner.

All coaches will be members of the B.A. of E Coaching Register.

Great care should be taken in the following situations — many of which should be avoided if at all possible.
1. Being alone with one player (e.g. travelling to a venue).
2. Physical contact, even with prior consent.
3. Casual comment, however well meant, which could be open to misconstruction.
4. Giving advice of a personal or medical nature which you may not be qualified to give.

The following guidelines are important in order to protect children and adults alike.
1. We reserve the right to ask anyone involved in official Y.B.A. activities to submit an application to the Criminal Records Office for disclosure of any criminal record that they may have. The Secretary and the Chairman will be jointly responsible for determining whom should be asked to provide such disclosure. All disclosures will be obtained in accordance with the Code of Practice of the Criminal Records Office and the cost of any disclosure required will be met by Y.B.A.
2. Keep boundaries in relationships between adults and young people clear.
3. Do encourage, give positive feedback and be supportive.
4. Don’t put yourself in the position of working with one young person alone. Work with pairs or groups of students.
5. Do listen to children. What they have to say may be very important.
6. Don’t dismiss what a child says because you cannot imagine what they say is true.
7. Ensure that physical contact only occurs where it is a part of coaching. Do not blur the boundaries with, for example, “rough and tumble” or “tickling”.

HOSTING
1. Adults should travel with more than one young person in the car.
2. Young people staying with Host Families should always stay in pairs where possible.

3. Adults staying with Host Families should always stay in separate rooms from young people.

4. Ensure that parents are aware of and agree to the arrangements for their children’s care.
There are Parental Consent forms which cover overnight stays and which have to be completed on behalf of all players under the age of 18. They are available from both Junior and Senior Team managers.
Children will not be selected for matches until the appropriate manager is in receipt of the signed consent.
At residential events the following rules should apply:
1. Adults should not enter a player’s room without knocking first.
2. All group socialisation should take place in communal areas (i.e. no boys in girl’s rooms and vice versa).
3. Alcoholic drink, smoking or other illegal substances are forbidden to players.
4. The behaviour of the group should at all times be such that the good name of Y.B.A. is upheld.
5. There should always be at least one adult of each sex with a mixed party so that any matters of a personal nature can be dealt with in the appropriate manner.
6. Lights out times, determined by the team managers, should be strictly enforced.
7. Proper consideration should always be shown to other people who may be staying in your accommodation.
8. Players should be under reasonable supervision at all times and should never be allowed to leave the accommodation or sports hall without prior permission.

Any concerns regarding the behaviour or care of any of the party should be brought to the attention of the appropriate team manager. All such matters will be investigated and dealt with in the appropriate manner.

Any disclosure or suspicion of abuse of any child must be reported to the designated Child Welfare Officer, currently Gordon Milne.
His address is The Willows, Wetherby Road Bardsey LS17 9BR.

The matter will then be handled in the strictest of confidence and may well be referred to the appropriate agencies.

In endorsing this policy the committee accepts that in the section on “Hosting” practical arrangements may be such that the guidelines cannot be met in full.

_____________________________________________________________

YORKSHIRE BADMINTON ASSOCIATION
CHILD PROTECTION POLICY

I have received a copy of Y.B.A.’s Child Protection Policy and I have read and understood its contents.
I hereby give permission for my child(ren)

to participate in any activities organised by Y.B.A.

I hereby give permission for my child’s details to be held on the Y.S.B.A. computer database.

I further give the Y.B.A. permission to approach the Criminal Records Office in accordance with the Child Protection Policy.

Signed ______________________________

Dated ______________________________

Please return this form to your child’s team manager