Junior welfare plan

Safeguarding and Protecting Children at the St Neots Regatta

St Neots Rowing Club recognises its Duty of Care to ensure that all reasonable steps are taken to provide a safe environment for all those attending the Regatta in whatever capacity. All children, regardless of age, gender, background or ability, have equal rights to attend the Regatta in safety. All concerns regarding the welfare and well-being of juniors at the regatta will be taken seriously and responded to swiftly and appropriately.

It should be noted that the Regatta takes place from a Local Authority amenities site which is open to the general public.

Responsibilities of Visiting Clubs

It is a condition of entry to the Regatta that each junior competitor or junior crew shall have a named coach. The coach(es), who must be over the age of 18, must be named on the Club’s Entry Summary Sheet, along with a current mobile telephone number for that person. If a substitute coach comes to the Regatta he/she must report to the Registration and register his/her mobile telephone number. This information will be kept securely by the Entries Secretary but will be readily available if it becomes necessary to contact the coach urgently. The coach is responsible for the welfare, safety and appropriate supervision of his/her junior crew and is expected to know their whereabouts at all times during the Regatta. Coaches are to make junior crews aware that if they can’t find their own coach, for whatever reason, they are to go to Registration where they will be assisted.

Visiting Clubs are expected to have in place child protection policies and procedures that conform to British Rowing: Safeguarding and Protecting Children Policy and to have copies readily available.

In the event that a junior needs to seek first aid assistance, that junior is to be accompanied by his/her coach, or another appropriate adult from that club.

Responsibilities of St Neots Rowing Club

The Regatta Committee will appoint a Regatta Junior Welfare Officer. He/she will act as the point of contact for any concerns or allegations. His/her contact details will be posted on the Race Control and Clubhouse Regatta notice boards during the competition and publicised in the programme. The Regatta Junior Welfare Officer will have had Criminal Record Bureau enhanced disclosure and appropriate recognised training.

The Entries Secretary (Registration Coordinator) will hold a list of all junior crews’ coaches and their contact details.

The Regatta Junior Welfare Officer will hold a list of all contact details for the parents/carers of all children assisting at the Regatta (eg, stakeboat crews).

Registration will act as the focal point for lost children.

It is not envisaged that any Regatta Official will have unsupervised access to children.

Photography

It should be noted that since the Regatta is held on a site open to the general public, it is unable to impose any limitations on the use of photography.