the good club guide: for a welfare officer · training opportunities this resource complements...

THE GOOD CLUB GUIDE: FOR A WELFARE OFFICER

Welcome!You have either been appointed as,or are considering a role as a clubvolunteer. We wish you a fulfilling andenjoyable experience in your role andappreciate your commitment and timeyou are giving in developing the sport.

How this resourcewill help you?This resource is intended to assist you inyour role by providing:

• A guide to the roles and responsibilities of this position

• Templates/resources to assist you and save you time

• Top tips and good practice from experienced volunteers

• Further information and learning/training opportunities

This resource complements othernational volunteer publications, whichare listed at the back of this resource.The ASA Good Club Guides EXTRA willbe particularly helpful, providing practicaltips, questions and answers that willequip you with further knowledge andinformation as a Welfare Officer.

Links to swim21

swim21 is the ASA’s club developmentprogramme. The Good Club Guide isintended to complement swim21, byproviding tools, templates and resourcesthat will assist the running of a club andultimately assist in achieving or maintainingswim21 accreditation.

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Role of the Welfare OfficerThe main purpose of the role is to assist with thesafeguarding and protecting of children andyoung people in aquatics and to implement theASA Wave power policy and procedures. Indoing so, the person undertaking the role of aWelfare Officer should have an understanding ofchild protection and how best practice and theuse of the criminal record bureau (CRB) checkscan help prevent child abuse.

Duties of a Welfare Officer

• Assist the club to put in place the ASA Wavepower policy and procedures

• Assist the club to put in place implementation plans for child protection

• Be the first point of contact for club staff and volunteers, young people and parents for any issue concerning child welfare, poor practice or potential/alleged abuse

• Ensure that all incidents are correctly reported and referred out in accordance with the Wavepower guidance guidelines

• Ensure that all relevant club members, volunteers and staff have a CRB check and the opportunity to access appropriate child protection training

• Ensure that ASA Wavepower procedures for recruitment of staff and volunteers are followed

• Ensure all appropriate staff or volunteers have up to date criminal records disclosures/self disclosures

• Be aware of and have a note of contact detailsof the local Social Services, the Police and NGB ICPO

• Ensure that codes of conduct are in place for club staff, volunteers, coaches, competitors and parents

• Sit on the Club Management Committee to advise on child protection issues or be in attendance as necessary

• Ensure confidentiality is maintained andinformation is only shared on a ‘’need toknow’’ basis

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Example role description for a Club Welfare Officer

Commitment/time for the role

Will vary from club to club, but will includeattendance at club meetings, and dedicated timeshould any child protection concerns be raised.

Skills and Qualities Required

• To have an understanding of child protection

• To have an understanding of how best practice and the use of criminal records checks can help prevent child abuse

• To be a good communicator, who is approachable, clear and concise

• To be a good listener with an empathy for young people

• To respect confidentiality, and be tactfuland discreet

Training required

• Child Protection in Sport “Time to Listen”training for designated persons for childprotection/welfare in sport

• Safeguarding Children in Sport workshop. (Contact your ASA Regional office for details)

Tools for the role

The following are deemed to be essentialitems for a Welfare Officer to have in orderto do their role:

• Use of a computer and email address toproduce letters, emails, reports, and to store and record information

• Filing system to record all correspondence

• Notebooks to record information

• Annual diary

• Club headed stationery

• CRB forms for completion by club staffand volunteers

• Telephone with access to an answerphone facility

• The following resources relating to childprotection:

- ASA Wavepower: Child welfare inSwimming - procedures and guidelines

- ASA: Frequently asked questions onchild protection

- ASA: Code of conduct for “away” trips

- ASA: Regulations for the ASA ChildProtection list

- DCMS: Helping keep your child safe in sport

- ASA/NSPCC: Safe Sport Away


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Getting StartedThe following sections will guide a Club WelfareOfficer through the key areas of the roledescription above. This resource should be readin conjunction with the other ASA childprotection documents listed at the back of thisresource and the other ASA good club guides,available via www.swimming.org.

Purpose of a child protectionpolicy for the clubThe purpose of a child protection policy isto promote and ensure the well being ofchildren and young people taking part in theclub’s activities. The policy should also ensurethat all those responsible for the welfare ofchildren and young people:

• Understand their safeguarding role andresponsibilities

• Are suitably recruited, selected and trainedto fulfil their roles

• Understand the procedures for respondingto concerns about children’s welfare

• Are able to act on these appropriately andeffectively

The ASA policy document (listed at the backof this resource) provides guidance on thedevelopment of a club policy for childprotection.

Top Tips for a ClubWelfare Officer1. Set up a system to ensure all persons whohave significant contact with children within theclub complete a CRB check.This can be done with new volunteers when theyjoin the club or through you requesting allappropriate club personnel to complete a CRBcheck. Forms are available via the ASA. Keepyour own register of people that havecompleted a CRB check.

2. Promote key contacts and organisations thatprovide advice and guidance on child protection.Some clubs have done this via club handbooks,notice boards and event programmes. Ask yourclub captains and/or members for their advice onhow this information could be promoted too.The organisations recommended by the ASA topromote are:

• Swimline

• The ASA Legal Affairs Department

• The Local Social Services Department

• The Local Child Protection Police Department

3. Be knowledgeable and clear about how tomake a referral. A referral would be to the ASA Legal Affairsdepartment or directly to the Police or SocialServices in an emergency. You can do this byaccessing appropriate training for your role orfollowing the ASA guidance information (listed atthe back of this resource). All referrals to Police orSocial Services must be copied to the ASA.

The ASA Independent Child Protection Officercan be contacted through the ASA Legal Affairsdepartment for advice and guidance on ChildProtection matters.

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4. Promote the club child protection policy at the club.Some clubs have included this policy informationwithin club handbooks, on the website ordistributed copies to all new members joiningthe club.

5. Be approachable.Make yourself known to members of the cluband ensure all members are aware that you areavailable to advise any person in the club whohas a concern of a child protection nature. Clubshave done this through providing photos andcontact details of a Club Welfare Officer onwebsites and notice boards, so members knowwho to approach. Similarly, having a presence attraining sessions and competitions/events on aregular basis helps too.

6. Promote best practice. Club Welfare Officers have done this through:

a. Providing information sheets or briefingsessions to teaching/coaching staff andvolunteers

b. Contributing to codes of conduct for athletes,volunteers, parents to share and promote bestpractice

c. Arranging training courses for volunteers (seefurther information)

d. Raising awareness at committee meetings

e. Ensuring any questions or issues arising frompoor practice are referred to the club committeefor action, or to the ASA Legal AffairsDepartment as appropriate

7. Raise awareness of child protection at thehighest levels within the club. Ideally, Club Welfare Officers should sit on theclub management committee and ensure childprotection matters are raised, monitored andreviewed. You are also then in a great

position to advise the club committee on actionsand issues relating to child protection in generalcommittee discussions and ensure confidentialityis maintained at all times by all members of thecommittee over issues of a child protectionnature.

8. Review your club child protection policy.This should be every three years and shouldideally fall in line with timescales of reviewingthe clubs development plan and other policies.

Education & training onchild protectionThere are various training opportunitiesavailable for all those who have direct contactwith children in the club and any others whowish to do it. The main providers are listed asfollows:

• The ASA runs a series of swimming specificchild protection workshops which are based on the Safeguarding & Protecting Children course run by sports coach UK. Further information, and any local course information is available through ASA Regional Offices.

• sports coach UK (scUK) Safeguarding &Protecting Children course. The course aims are to:

- Protect yourself, the young people you are coaching and your employer by understanding and following good coachingpractice

- Learn about child abuse and how to handle situations if you have concerns

- Identify good coaching practice to promote a positive relationship with children


- Identify sport situations and coachingpractice that might constitute either poor practice or possible abuse

- Identify ways of dealing with your ownfeelings about child abuse and state whatconstitutes neglect, physical, sexual andemotional abuse

- Recognise the signs and symptoms of abuseand appreciate why reporting it is often sodifficult

- Identity appropriate action if a child discloses he/she has been abused

- Identity appropriate action if abuse issuspected and explain the role andresponsibilities of other experts (e.g. police, social services)

- Describe appropriate practice that reducesthe likelihood of abuse occurring

• runningsports has developed a workshopcalled “Club for all”. This is mainly targeted at ensuring equity, but may be appropriatedepending upon training needs

These workshops are all highly recommended inensuring best practice and guidance around childprotection. A great way to find out aboutcourses in your area is to contact your ASARegional Office and/or your County SportsPartnership (CSP). Many CSPs offer discounts ontraining courses for volunteers and generallyprogramme courses throughout the year.Attendance at these courses is also arequirement for swim21 and clubmark, so theyare important.

Top tip: Work in partnership with yourWorkforce Co-ordinator to arrange trainingfor volunteers. This should save you time, andensure all volunteer training is also recorded atthe club too.

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Have you thought about how you will ensure allyour knowledge and experience is passed on to aperson taking over from you when you decide itstime to move on?

Here are some suggestions to ensure a smoothtransition and to ensure the person taking overfrom you has the information and resources theyneed:

• Try to give as much notice to the club that you are moving on in order to allow the club to recruit/elect another volunteer

• Assist in developing an up to date roledescription and advert for the post based on your experience in the role and think of any people that may be interested

• Think about the type of information youwould like to receive if you were to volunteer for this position and the format you would

like to receive it in e.g. one big file, a face to face hand over meeting, hand over in a 2 week period to not overload with information

• Prepare an information pack for the newvolunteer to assist them in their role

• Prepare a list of any outstanding work/issues

• Prepare a top tips or similar list to help anew volunteer

• Provide a list of key contacts or people whocan assist a new volunteer

• Hand over hard copies of any files or important correspondence. Put electronic information onto a USB stick or disk

• Offer to mentor the new volunteer in this role for an agreed period of time

Moving on from your role...

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SummaryWe hope you have found this guide informativein supporting you in your role, and providingyou with information and helpful tips. We wishyou a great experience in your role and thankyou once again for all your time andcommitment you are giving to the sport.

Further InformationThe ASA accepts no liability for any errors oromissions in this resource. Further, whilst it ishoped that volunteers will find this resourceuseful, no liability arising out of it’s use can beaccepted by the ASA or the club.

This resource is not a contract of employmentand the role you undertake as a volunteer willnot create an employment relationship betweenyou and the club or the ASA.

Copyright © ASA 2007. All rights reserved.Except as permitted under the Copyright,Designs and Patents Act 1988, this publicationmay not be reproduced, stored in a retrievalsystem or transmitted, in any form or by anymeans without the prior permission of the ASA.

The ASA has a number of valuable resources tosupport the role of the Club Welfare Officer.These are all available on the website atwww.swimming.org:

• ASA: Child welfare in Swimming:procedures and guidelines

• ASA: Frequently asked questions on childprotection

• ASA: Code of conduct for “away” trips

• ASA: Regulations for the ASA ChildProtection list

• DCMS: Helping keep your child safe in sport

• ASA/NSPCC: Safe Sport Away

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The ASA

SportPark

3 Oakwood Drive

Loughborough University

Leics LE11 3QF

Tel: 01509 618700

Email: [email protected]

Web: www.swimming.org

runningsports

3rd Floor, Victoria House

Bloomsbury Square,

London WC1B 4SE

Tel: 0800 363373


Web: www.runningsports.org

Sport England

3rd Floor, Victoria House

Bloomsbury Square,

London WC1B 4SE

Tel: 0845 850 8508


Web: www.sportengland.org

CCPR - One voice for sport and recreation

Fourth Floor

Burwood House

14-16 Caxton Street

London SW1H 0QT

Tel: 020 7976 3900


Web: www.ccpr.org.uk

Child Protection in Sport Unit

NSPCC National Training Centre

3 Gilmour Close

Beaumont Leys

Leicester LE4 1EZ

Tel: 0116 234 7278


Web: www.thecpsu.org.uk

SkillsActive

Castlewood House

77-91 New Oxford Street

London WC1A 1PX

Tel: 0207 632 2000


Web: www.skillsactive.com

National Association of Councils

for Voluntary Service (NACVS)

177 Arundel St

Sheffield S1 2NU

Tel: 0114 278 6636


Web: www.nacvs.org.uk

Sportscoach UK

114 Cardigan Road

Headingley

Leeds LS6 3BJ

Tel: 0113 274 4802


Web: www.sportscoachuk.org

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Volunteering England

Regents Wharf

8 All Saints st

London N1 9RL

Tel: 0845 305 6979


Web: www.volunteering.org.uk

Youth Sport Trust

SportPark

3 Oakwood Drive

Loughborough University

Leics LE11 3QF

Tel: 01509 226600


Web: www.youthsporttrust.org

County sports Partnerships

(located all across England.

Contact details available via

ASA Regional Offices.

In additionrunningsports has a series of top tips that canbe downloaded for free. These include tipson health and safety of volunteers, recruitingyoung volunteers and older volunteers.Available at www.runningsports.org

ASA website pages dedicated to volunteers…Did you know the ASA website has a dedicatedsection for volunteers? To find this section, go towww.swimming.org/asa/volunteering.

Your ASA County Workforce Co-ordinator maybe able to provide guidance and assistance toyou in your role. Further details are available atwww.swimmimg.org.

Your County Sports Partnership will haveinformation about local child protectionworkshops for volunteers and coaches.Their contact details will be available viaASA Regional offices. They may also offerdiscounts on the cost of training courses too.

AcknowledgementsThe ASA are grateful for the contributions andinput from the ASA Volunteer working group inensuring these resources are written andreviewed by volunteers, for volunteers. Theseresources also draw upon the work developed

by swim21 clubs, runningsports and Volunteering England. The ASA would like toacknowledge and thank these organisations fortheir support and permission in using the workthey have completed.

The ASA

Tel: 01509 618700 Fax: 01509 618701


www.swimming.org

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