Welcome to Safeguarding & Welfare

 

Affiliated Clubs

All clubs must ensure they have welfare procedures in place. It is recognised that all clubs are different and guidelines need to be adapted to suit each case.

Care Act 2014 and Working Together to Safeguard Children (2015)1 is based on the principles that:

(1)       Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility and for services to be effective each professional and organisation should play their full part.

(2)       A child-centred approach is vital and for services to be effective they should be based on a clear understanding of the needs and views of children. 

Clubs should:

• ·          Carry out an overall risk assessment
• ·          Adopt policies and procedures as appropriate
• ·           Nominate a Club Welfare Officer
• ·          Promote training opportunities to club members

The Club Welfare Officer is not required to make a judgement regarding an incident but to report it to the National Governing Body Designated Safeguarding Officer.

The role of the Bowls Club Welfare Officer is to:

• Assist the club in developing or adopting the National Governing Body Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy and Procedures.
• Assist the club to identify areas for development to ensure a safe and welcoming environment for young players and adults at risk.
• Be the first point of contact for staff, members, volunteers, children and parents for any issue concerning the safeguarding of children and adults at risk, poor practice, and potential or alleged abuse.
• Ensure that all incidents and concerns are dealt with in accordance with policy guidelines.
• Ensure that all relevant members, volunteers and staff have the opportunity to access appropriate safeguarding training, with the support of the club/National Governing Body.
• Ensure that appropriate procedures for recruitment of staff and volunteers are in place locally and managed nationally including DBS disclosures.
• Maintain contact details for Child Social Care (CSC) (previously Social Services), Adult Social Care (ASC) the Police and NGB Designed Safeguarding Officer.
• Ensure that Codes of Conduct are in place for staff, volunteers, coaches, and children and that there are guidelines for parents and members and they are communicated to the relevant parties.
• Advise on child protection issues or be in attendance as necessary on Club or County Management Committees.
• Maintain confidentiality.

Further information:

For general information on Safeguarding in Bowls go to: http://www.safeguardingbowls.org/

If you have any concerns or need support please contact either:

• your Club Welfare Officer, or
• Bowls Herefordshire County Welfare Officer:   Eileen Powell

Telephone: 01885 - 483265          Email: eileenpowell@hotmail.co.uk

 

National Governing Body Designated Officer - Bowls England

NGB Designated Officer - Alistair Hollis

Telephone 07765 050408

email: alistairhollis@bowlsengland.com

If you think that a child has been harmed or is being neglected, contact;

Hereford MASH (Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub) Tel: 01432 260800

or the Police on the contact numbers listed below;

Contacting the Police when you think a child is in immediate danger; Tel: 999 (In an emergency)

Contacting the Police to discuss a child protection or Safeguarding concern when a child is not in immediate danger:

Tel: 0300 333 3000

Or you can also email the Police to inform them of concerns and start a conversation with them at:

contactus@westmercia.pnn.police.uk

You can also contact;

Family Assessment Safeguarding Team (FAST) Tel: 01432 261628

Emergency Duty Team (FAST out of hours No) Tel: 01905 768020

NSPCC     www.thecpsu.org.uk  Tel: 0808 800 500

email: help@nspcc.org.uk

ChildLine www.childline.org.uk Tel: 0800 1111

(24hr helpline for children)

Local Safeguarding Children Boards:

Herefordshire LSBC email: admin.hscb@herefordshire.gov.uk

web: http://www.herefordshire.gov.uk/hscb/

Shropshire LSCB email: customer.service@shropshire.gov.uk

web: http://www.shropshire.gov.uk/childrenfamilies.nsf/

WorcestershireLSCB email: wscbtraining@worcestershire.gov.uk

web: http://www.worcestershiresafeguarding.org.uk/