Safeguarding Children

Safeguarding Guidance for Children and Young People in Tennis- Digital Copy

Below is a list of appendices that collectively form the Navan Tennis Club Safeguarding Policy. To view each appendix in further detail, you can click on the heading. This will open up a more detailed pdf version of the appendix.

Appendix 1 – Legislation & Policy

There are a number of key pieces of legislation that relate to child welfare and protection. This appendix provides a list of the legislation that is applicable in the area of Safeguarding and Child Protection both in the Republic & Northern Ireland. The information either gives us a brief overview of each piece of legislation or provides us with a link to view the details in more depth.

Appendix 2 - Risk Assessment and Child Safeguarding Statement

All Stakeholders involved in children’s activities are required by law to conduct a risk assessment of their facility and children’s programmes and the potential for harm to come to young participants whilst they are in their care. 

On the back of the risk assessment exercise, the executive committee must write a Safeguarding Statement signed off by the chairperson and in conjunction with their Children’s Officers and Designated Liaison Person, put in place the policies and procedures required to bring all risks down to low levels.

The information in this appendix provides templates on how to conduct this exercise.

Appendix 3 - Safeguarding Audit Framework

This appendix outlines Sport Ireland's Safeguarding Audit Framework which has been developed for use by all sporting organisations that work with children and young people, from grass-roots to the national level including individual tennis clubs, the National Governing Body, its Provincial Branches and all its other stakeholders. The Audit Framework is underpinned by current legislation and the principles set out in the Safeguarding guidance document. It has a fundamental focus on the context of children and young people in sport and the creation of safe spaces where they can be seen, heard and helped. Sport Ireland has informed all NGB’s that they will provide leadership, co-ordinate, oversee and ensure the effectiveness of the Safeguarding Audit Framework. 

Implementing this audit process reflects the priority that Sport Ireland applies to safeguarding children and young people, together with the expectation that Tennis Ireland and all it’s affiliate’s mirror this focus at all levels and indeed, it is Tennis Ireland’s intention to do just that. Individual clubs will be responsible for the timely completion of the safeguarding audit process. Clubs will be responsible for responding to any improvement actions that are identified through the Safeguarding Audit process and cooperating fully with any review that is commissioned in respect of their club.

Tennis Ireland and its Branches are responsible for ensuring that the audit process is completed by their member clubs and other stakeholders and that any improvement actions arising from this process are implemented. Tennis Ireland will evaluate, quality assures and endorses submissions of their member clubs. On request, Tennis Ireland will also provide an analysis of returns from their respective clubs to Sport Ireland. 

Appendix 4 - Safe Recruitment

There are three areas to recruiting; volunteers, employees and contractors.

Those are, vetting, the provision of references from two referees and either a formal or informal interview.
This Appendix provides a number of templates that support the recruitment process for adults with substantial access to young people. The following forms are available for download -

  • A sample volunteer/coach application form.

  • A sample confidential reference form

  • Sample application form for new junior members 

  • Sample Existing Leaders Information Form 

Appendix 5 - Safeguarding Training 

The Appendix sets out who requires training, the accepted Safeguarding Training workshops for Ireland and Northern Ireland together with any specific requirements for attendance and renewal of certification. 

A list of roles required by Tennis Ireland to attend the workshop appropriate to their role is included at the end of the Appendix. 

Appendix 6 - Roles, Responsibilities & Relationships in Sport

 This Appendix outlines the roles of the following important people in Safeguarding –

  • The National Children’s Officer (NCO)

  • The Provincial Branch Children’s Officer (BCO) 

  • The Club Children’s Officer (CCO) 

  • The Designated Liaison Person (DLP) 

  • The Relevant Person 

  • The Mandated Person 

The appendix also talks about the Role of Sport Ireland and Sport Northern Ireland, adult-child relationships in Sport and child to child relationships.

Appendix 7 - Reporting and Protection  

This appendix deals with the following in relation to reporting -

  • Responding to Child Abuse

  • Recording

  • Reasonable Grounds for concern

  • Responding to a child/young person who discloses abuse

  • Asking questions

  • Confidentiality

  • Reporting concerns about a Child 

  • Seeking advice and guidance

  • Informal consultation

  • How to report a concern

  • Allegations of abuse by a child

  • Guidance on dealing with adult disclosures of child abuse

  • Immediate risk to a child (Steps to take)

  • Talking to parents/carers

  • Cases not reported to Tusla

  • Information for mandated persons

  • Responsibilities of a Mandated Person 

  • Reporting to Statutory Authorities

  • Procedure for the management of allegation of abuse against a coach or volunteer

  • Responding to allegations of abuse made against coaches/volunteer

  • Special Considerations 

  • Steps to be taken within the Sports Organisation

  • Internal procedures for dealing with a coach/volunteer should to be clearly outlined

  • Categories of Abuse

  • Signs of Abuse

  • Factors of Abuse

  • Statutory Contacts Republic of Ireland & Northern Ireland

Appendix 8 - Disciplinary, Complaints & Appeals of Code of Behaviour Breaches  

This appendix highlights the importance of having a complaints, objection and disciplinary procedure and recommends what should be included in the document.

Appendix 9 - Best Practice Guidance

This appendix provides guidance on the following –

  • Trips Away Supervision, Ratios & Environment 

  • The registration of, dropout & club transfers 

  • Accidents & Incidents Template Reporting Form

  • Transporting Young People 

  • The risks 

  • Easy rules to remember when a club is organising transport 

  • Filming & Photography 

  • Installation and use of CCTV (Closed Circuit Television) 

  • Social Media 

  • Use of Mobile Phones

  • Internet Safety 

  • Physical Contact 

  • Bullying 

  • Useful Contacts

  • Facilities – Duty of Care

Appendix 10 - Codes of Conduct

This appendix provides Template Codes of Conduct for the following –

  • Young People

  • Parents/Carers

  • Tennis Leaders/Volunteers

  • Tennis Coaches

  • Committees

Appendix 11 - Additional Forms and Templates from Tennis Ireland

These can be found on the Tennis Ireland website
In this Appendix we have included further useful forms and template documents that can be used to support the implementation of the policies and procedures required in the overall document for Safeguarding Children & Young People in our Sport.

They include the following - 

  • Form 1 – Template Letter to parents

  • Form 2 – Template trip itinerary

  • Form 3 – Parental consent form for the trip

  • Form 4 - Trip & Medical Consent Form for Players

  • Form 5 - Code of Conduct/Behavior Agreement for Juniors

  • Form 6 - Photographic & Video Consent Form

  • Form 7 - Adult Supervision of Children’s Activities

  • Form 8 - Travelling with Underage Participants Permission

  • Form 9 - Tennis Ireland ICT Acceptable Use Policy

  • Form 10 - Trip Privacy Notice for Parents/Guardians 

  • Form 11 – Trip Managers report

  • Form 12 – Trip Safeguarding Checklist

Appendix 12 – Code of Ethics