Child Welfare

Guidelines and Codes of Conduct

 The following guidelines and codes of conduct for different individuals comply with recognised best practice for safeguarding young people.

Guidelines for Young People

Young people have a great deal to gain from sport in terms of their personal development and enjoyment and they have rights which must be respected and responsibilities which they must accept. To respect the rights of children a sporting environment should be safe, enjoyable and free from harm.

Young people are entitled to be:

• Happy and enjoy their sport, be treated fairly
• Safe and feel secure in their chosen sport
• Listened to and allowed to respond, Treated with dignity, sensitivity and respect
• Represented and have a voice in the decisions that affect them within the Club and Swim Ireland
• Able to say no to something which makes them uncomfortable
• Attend training & competition at a level appropriate to their age/development/ability

Code of Conduct for Young People

You should always:

• Treat Leaders who may be coaches, club officials or parents/guardians with respect
• Participate fairly at all times, do your best to achieve your goals
• Respect and support other team members both when they do well and when things go wrong
• Respect fellow participants or opponents and be gracious in defeat
• Abide by the rules set down by Swim Ireland, Region and your Club
• Respect decisions made by others and follow the proper procedure if you feel unjustly treated
• Feel free to speak with your Coach, Squad Rep., Club Children’s Officer if you have any problems
• Be aware of your level of commitment and participation, at times sport is demanding and disciplined, talk through any worries or concerns with your parent/guardian and/or coach.

You should not:

• Cheat, use violence or bad language; use inappropriate physical contact
• Shout or argue with officials, leaders, team mates or opposing participants
• Harm team members, opponents or their property
• Bully or use bullying tactics to isolate another person or to take or gain an advantage
• Take banned substances to enhance performance
• Spread rumours or tell lies about other young people or adults
• Behave in a manner that might bring Swim Ireland or your club into disrepute
• Keep secrets about any person who may have caused you harm or has made you feel upset

 Guidelines for Parents/Guardians Codes of Conduct for Parents/ Guardians

 Parents/ Guardians should assist in the implementation of best practice by:

• Becoming members of the club and contribute their time and effort in the running of the club. No club can operate successfully without the help of volunteers.
• Being available for poolside duty and/or other specified duties if and when required, these requirements and duties should be set out under your club rules.
• An awareness of and respect for the relevant Leaders and their roles within the club
• Respecting the decisions made by the Committee and other Leaders and following the proper procedure if felt unjustly treated, with the knowledge that any complaint will be dealt with effectively and confidentially
• Ensuring knowledge of the training and/or competitive programmes, and accepting the responsibility for delivering and collecting their child/children. Parents should ensure they do not leave their child /children waiting unsupervised at any time
• Ensuring the environment is safe and enjoyable for your child/children
• Being a role model for your children and other young people by encouraging fair play, behaving responsibly whilst involved in any activity related to the Club or Swim Ireland
• Ensuring the focus for your children’s sport is on their efforts and success in terms of their goals (pb’s) rather than winning
• Encouraging participation that is fun, safe and in the spirit of fair play
• Ensuring appropriate leaders are informed regarding any absenteeism, medical conditions or other relevant matters concerning your child
• Ensuring an appropriate time and place for communicating with coaches. Communication should not take place whilst training session is taking place.

You Can download a copy of the   Codes of conduct families   using this link

 

SAFEGUARDING CHILDREN POLICIES & PROCEDURES

Swim Ireland are pleased to publish the latest version of their policies and procedures for all Clubs and members.

The latest Safeguarding Children book contains updated information and guidance for the welfare and protection of children for all the aquatic disciplines can be found on the swim Ireland web site using the following link    Swim Ireland Child welfare

Major changes

Confidentiality statement Tables showing mandatory requirements for member roles Clear roles descriptions for CCO and DP Code of conducts simplified: – Young people – Parents – Coaches, Teachers, Leaders (including roles such as CCO, DP, Officials, Team Managers, etc.) – Committees Separate signup sheet available for codes of conduct (word document for personalising to Club) Policies included in full – Bullying – Monitoring movements – Age considerations – Disability Summary policies – all available to download on the swim Ireland website – Rule Book – Vetting – Recruitment – Supervision – Complaints and Disciplinary – Travelling – Risk Assessment – Communication – Photography – Physical contact – Substance misuse – Safety Child protection section updated with recent Children First publication (Department of Health and Children, draft 2010)  Appendices – checklist for Club visiting and updated contact details

 

CCO Designated Person – Cian McMahon

Email : limswimchildrensofficer@gmail.com