During 2004 UK Athletics in conjunction with the Home Countries of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, assisted by the Child Protection in Sport Unit of the NSPCC, embarked upon the process of compiling a child protection policy. An early decision was made to embrace the concept of a welfare policy for all persons involved in athletics, which would then incorporate our child protection policies and procedures.
In January 2005 the much-awaited Welfare Policy and Procedures manual was produced and circulated. Whilst it has been personalised to each Home Country the contents remain generic to all. The Welfare Policy and Procedures Manual was formally launched in April 2005 at the UK Athletics national conference.
The manual has been circulated to each of the 1482 athletics clubs spread across the United Kingdom. The Home Countries ensuring they had their own logos on the front cover undertook the distribution. This was done to ensure ownership of the document within each country.
Our aim was to provide clear and easy to follow guidance on what to do in different circumstances. The procedures clarify the roles and responsibilities of individuals and lines of communication.
Contained within the Welfare Manual are the procedures to be followed in the event that an individual has concerns about a child’s safety or welfare.
At national level the designated person/lead child protection officer is David Brown CBE who can be contacted via e-mail on childprotection@ukathletics.org.uk , post at Athletics Welfare PO Box 332, Sale, Manchester M33 6XL or telephone on 0161 223 4246 and 0800 316 3003.
England Athletics welfare officer is Jo Wilkinson who can be contacted via email on jwilkinson@englandathletics.org. Post to England Athletics, Wellington House, Starley Way, Birmingham Int Park, Solihull. B37 7HE
Scottish Athletics welfare officer is Ewen Cameron who can be contacted via e-mail on ewenc@scottishathletics.org.uk , post at Scottish Athletics Welfare 9a South Gyle Crescent, Edinburgh EH12 9EB or telephone 0131 476 7327.
Athletics Northern Ireland welfare officer is Jackie McKiernan who can be contacted via e-mail on Jackie@niathletics.org.uk , post at Athletics Northern Ireland welfare, Athletics House, Old Coach Road, Belfast, BT9 5PR or telephone 0289 060 2707.
Welsh Athletics welfare officer is Steve Brace who can be contacted via e-mail on steve.brace@welshathletics.org ,post Welsh Athletics Welfare, Cardiff Athletics Stadium, Leckwith Road, Cardiff. CF11 8AZ or telephone 02920 644 870.
Each affiliated athletics club is advised to appoint a Welfare Officer within the club management structures. In Scotland and Wales this is a requirement of their club affiliation system. Details of the club welfare officers are retained on the UK Athletics contacts database.
UK Athletics Welfare Policy - [78 KB]
Athletics Welfare Procedures - [1.44 MB]
Child Protection Referral Form - [59 KB] This form is to be submitted where an issue of child abuse is reported to a club.
Child Protection Referral Form - Additional Info - [60 KB] This is used in conjunction with the form above where there are additional children involved.
Safeguarding checks
On the 29 March 2004 UK Athletics became a Registered Body with the Criminal Record Bureau. The Registered Body number being 22525500000.
In the early months few checks were carried out, as there was no formal system in place to manage the system. With the appointment of welfare officer in March 2005 that situation changed and the organisation has carried out some 9000 checks to date.
With the reduction of registered bodies UK Athletics have undertaken as an Umbrella Body to complete checks on behalf of athletics clubs who wish to vett any member who work or seek to work with children and young people in any capacity.
UK Athletics is also registered with Central Registered Body in Scotland and offer free Enhanced Disclosure Checks, through Disclosure Scotland, to all coaches and volunteers working with Under 18s in Athletics. This is managed by Scottish Athletics on behalf of the sport. This was extending in November 2006 to include Scottish Technical Officials.
Coaches and Officials in Northern Ireland are subject to the Pre Employment Check, which is managed by Northern Ireland Athletics Federation on behalf of the sport.
Criminal Record Bureau Disclosure Process
Disclosure of Information Guidelines
Code of Practise for Disclosure Information
The Use of Disclosure Information
Recruitment of ex-offenders
Disciplinary Rules and Dispute Resolution
Under UK Athletics welfare policy and procedures, it is envisaged that in certain circumstances UKA would exercise disciplinary jurisdiction. UKA has exclusive jurisdiction over licensed coaches and officials.
UKA may publish details of any disciplinary action taken including publication of any decisions made by the Disciplinary Committee or Arbitral panel where a Complaint is upheld or in any Dispute or Appeal where the matter has been put into the public domain.
Licensing Decisions - Coaches
Licensing Decisions - Technical Officials
Case Management Decisions - Coaches
Guidance
The Welfare Team of UK Athletics that consists of David Brown and Michael Dingley (Administrator) are available to offer help and advice. We also have access to other sports and organisations that may also have knowledge of the issue that is being raised.
Current guidance is available on:-
Anti-bullying policy - [151 KB] A template for use by athletics clubs when drawing up a policy
Safe Sports Events - [113 KB] A child-focused resource pack for all sports events organisers
Contacts for Local and National Agencies - [29 KB] A list of useful contacts and telephone numbers
CPSU guidance on the use of electronic communication - [33 KB] The briefing paper from the Child Protection in Sport Unit focuses on the growing concern about what is and what is not permissable in the area of communication between adults and children in sport.
Safe In Sport - [248 KB] Helping keep your child safe in sport - leaflet issued by DCMS
SafeSportsaway - a publication available from the NSPCC which is produced to assist anyone responsible for planning sports events to prepare safely and sensibly for away fixtures.
UKA Guidelines for the use of photographic and video images of children/young people under the age of 18. These guidelines focus on the following areas:
- The publishing of photographic and/or recorded images of children/young people
- The use of photographic filming equipment at athletics events
- The use of video equipment as a coaching aid.
Young Persons Guide to Child Protection - a credit card style document which gives general tips and advice to young people together with some useful telephone numbers. Available on request to club welfare officers from the UKA Welfare Team.
