SAFEGUARDING & FIRST AID
Safeguarding refers to the process of protecting children and adults, to provide safe and effective care. This includes all procedures designed to prevent harm to a child or adult. British Dodgeball recognise that it is always unacceptable for any individual to experience abuse of any kind and recognises its responsibility to safeguard the welfare of all individuals, by a commitment to practice which protects them. This page provides guidance to clubs and other organisations regarding safeguarding policies and processes.
British Dodgeball Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL): James Robinson – james@britishdodgeball.com
SAFEGUARDING INFORMATION
Safeguarding for Clubs
Affiliated clubs have a responsibility to keep all members safe throughout and beyond their membership period with the club. Clubs should do this by:
- Having a safeguarding policy in place which outlines how concerns of poor practice, abuse or neglect should be reported.
- Having a safeguarding lead in place who has received approved Safeguarding training as a minimum.
- Following safe recruitment practice when recruiting new volunteers and staff members, and briefing all new individuals in the content of the safeguarding policy and their responsibilities to report concerns.
- Only running sessions led by appropriately trained individuals, keeping to the recommended coach:participant ratios.
- Handle and store personal member data safely in line with a Privacy Policy.
Club can download template policies from our Club Resources page. If you have concerns that a club is not fulfilling its safeguarding responsibilities, please contact hello@britishdodgeball.com with details for our Lead Safeguarding Officer to review.
Safe Recruitment
Clubs should make sure they recruit fairly for any voluntary and paid roles. This includes only recruiting those who are appropriately qualified.
For volunteers, committee members and staff members who will be involved in working with young people and vulnerable adults, please note that disclosures and criminal record checks should be sought for those involved in regulated activity (working with children or vulnerable groups 4 times per month or more). Please refer to the British Dodgeball Recruitment & Disclosure Policy for further guidance.
Background Checks: A relevant criminal records check should be conducted upon all junior coaches, safeguarding leads and first aiders working in regulated activity (4 times per month or more), or on an unsupervised basis, when coming into a role (and every three years thereafter in the case of England, Wales and Northern Ireland). We offer Enhanced Voluntary Criminal Records Checks for member clubs in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Those located in Scotland should join the PVG scheme – more information is available on Volunteer Scotland’s website.
Any individuals coming into a voluntary or paid role within a club should be inducted or briefed by the safeguarding lead in the safeguarding policy and how to report any concerns. A template induction policy is available for clubs to use on the Club Support page.
Safeguarding Training Requirements
The level of training required may differ depending upon your organisation make-up and the UK home nation you are based in.
Club Welfare Officer / Club Safeguarding Lead (child-focused):
- One of the following:
- UK Coaching Safeguarding & Protecting Children
- NSPCC Child Protection in Sport & Physical Activity
- High Speed Training Safeguarding in Sport
- Similar safeguarding training to those listed above, consisting of at least 3 hours of training time.
Club Welfare Officer / Club Safeguarding Lead (adult-focused):
- One of the following:
- Ann Craft Trust’s Intro to Safeguarding Adults AND Safeguarding Adults in Sport – Setting Club Standards
- High Speed Training Safeguarding in Sport
- Similar safeguarding training to those listed above, consisting of at least 3 hours of training time.
Coach:
- Minimum Deployment Requirements
- One of the following:
- UK Coaching Safeguarding & Protecting Children
- NSPCC Child Protection in Sport & Physical Activity
- Ann Craft Trust’s Intro to Safeguarding Adults AND Safeguarding Adults in Sport – Setting Club Standards
- High Speed Training Safeguarding in Sport
- Similar safeguarding training to those listed above, consisting of at least 3 hours of training time.
Volunteer/Staff Member/Committee Member:
- Safeguarding Induction: Any individuals coming into a voluntary or paid role within a club should be inducted or briefed by the safeguarding lead on the contents of the organisation safeguarding policy and how to report any concerns. A template induction policy is available for clubs to use on the Club Support page.
Safeguarding Policy & Reporting Safeguarding Concerns
All affiliated organisations must have a safeguarding policy which contains clear processes for members to follow in case a safeguarding concern arises. It should contain the following information:
- How to record concerns.
- Who to report disclosures or concerns to.
- What actions will follow.
All new volunteers and staff members should be made aware of the contents of your policy and their responsibilities to report any concerns by the safeguarding lead. Records should be kept which include as much details as possible in addition to keeping records on poor practice as well as signs of abuse or neglect. A template policy, reporting forms and induction policy are all available in the Club Support page.
Reporting: Contact the police if someone is suspected of being in urgent danger. Your club safeguarding officer should report club-based safeguarding concerns to the British Dodgeball Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL); their email address is at the top of this page. Anyone else is welcome to report concerns to the British Dodgeball DSL should they not know who to contact at their club or should they feel the club is not properly managing a concern.
Recommended Coach : Participants Ratios
It is important to have an adequate level of supervision to ensure the safety of participants as well as good safeguarding practice. Using the recommended minimum coach to participant ratios means coaches reduce the risk of injury to players and ensure adequate cover remains in case of an emergency.
It is essential that all people working or volunteering with young people are appropriately qualified, and anyone new to working with young people are appropriately mentored/supervised until they have gained relevant experience – a British Dodgeball Level 1 Award in Coaching Dodgeball is recommended for individuals who support sessions. As part of good practice, at least one other adult in addition to the lead coach should be present at every session to supervise. Parents should not be included in supervision calculations unless they are members of the club and acting in a volunteering role or other capacity during the activity.
British Dodgeball recommends the following coach to participant ratios when delivering dodgeball-based activity:
• Under 8 years of age: 1:8
• Over 8 years of age: 1:12
Safeguarding Personal Data
All organisations, even unincorporated clubs, are subject to GDPR. Clubs therefore must have a privacy policy outlining how their member’s data is processed, stored and used, and who is responsible for handling their data.
We have a template privacy policy which clubs can adopt on the Club Support page.
Additional Support Services
The following support services are listed here to signpost club Safeguarding and Welfare leads to appropriate organisations that can support their club/team. Review each organisation’s services before making contact.
British Elite Athletes Association – Independent advice for athletes
Samaritans – providing emotional support to anyone in emotional distress, struggling to cope or at risk of suicide throughout the United Kingdom and Ireland
FASO – Supports anyone affected by a false allegation of abuse
Family Lives – Information and support for anyone in a parenting role
Citizens Advice Bureau – Wide range of support available
Stop It Now – For those concerned about sexual behaviour of adults/young people
FIRST AID INFORMATION
First Aid for Clubs
All clubs have a responsibility to keep all members safe by ensuring adequate first aid provision at club training sessions and at competitions. This includes:
- Briefing all new individuals on the contents of Accident and Injury policy, associated first aid procedures, risk assessment procedures and individual responsibilities.
- Ensuring there is at least one individual present at all club sessions and competitions who meets the necessary First Aid training requirements.
- In the case of associate clubs or clubs who do not attend competitions, it may be that the club’s host venue or overarching organisation is able to provide First Aid services. This is acceptable as long as this has been confirmed by the host venue or overarching organisation.
- Ensuring first aid kits are supplied and maintained at all club sessions and competitions.
Club can download template policies from our Club Resources page. If you have concerns that a club is not fulfilling its first aid responsibilities, please contact hello@britishdodgeball.com with details for our Lead Safeguarding Officer to review.
First Aid Training Requirements
Club Volunteer:
One of the following:
- An Emergency First Aid at Work (EFAW) course, at Level 3 standard, with a minimum of 6 guided learning hours
- The St John Ambulance Basic Sports First Aid
- The Red Cross First Aid for Sports
- High Speed Training Paediatric First Aid
- High Speed Training Workplace First Aid Training
Coach*:
One of the following:
- An Emergency First Aid at Work (EFAW) course, at Level 3 standard, with a minimum of 6 guided learning hours
- The St John Ambulance Basic Sports First Aid
- The Red Cross First Aid for Sports
- High Speed Training Paediatric First Aid
- High Speed Training Workplace First Aid Training
*If a club’s training venue assumes all responsibilities for first aid and the club does not attend competitions, then no first aid training is required for a coach, however it remains strongly recommended.
Volunteer/Staff Member/Committee Member with no direct first aid responsibilities:
- First Aid Induction: Any individuals coming into a voluntary or paid role within a club should be inducted or briefed by the safeguarding lead on the contents of the organisation health and safety policy. A template induction policy is available for clubs to use on the Club Support page.
First Aid Policy & Reporting Accidents/Injury
All affiliated organisations must have a safeguarding policy which contains clear processes for members to follow in case a safeguarding concern arises. It should contain the following information:
- How to record concerns.
- Who to report disclosures or concerns to.
- What actions will follow.
All new volunteers and staff members should be made aware of the contents of your policy and their responsibilities to report any concerns by the safeguarding lead. Records should be kept which include as much details as possible in addition to keeping records on poor practice as well as signs of abuse or neglect. A template policy, reporting forms and induction policy are all available in the Club Support page.
Reporting: Contact the police if someone is suspected of being in urgent danger. Your club safeguarding officer should report club-based safeguarding concerns to the British Dodgeball Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL); their email address is at the top of this page. Anyone else is welcome to report concerns to the British Dodgeball DSL should they not know who to contact at their club or should they feel the club is not properly managing a concern.
Concussion Monitoring
Clubs are primarily responsible for keeping their members safe. As such, British Dodgeball recommends that all clubs have at least one person who has received emergency first aid training present at all sessions and competitions. This includes clubs who train at a venue which provides first aid.
Emergency first aid training is often provided by Active Partnerships or by employers such as schools for free or affordable rates to support safety in sport.
