Child Protection Policy

 1.1 Policy Statement
The Longton Riding Club (LRC) fully accepts its legal (Children’s Act, 1989) and moral
obligation to provide a duty of care, to protect all children (and vulnerable adults) and safeguard
their welfare, irrespective of age, any disability they have, gender, racial origin, religious belief
and sexual orientation.
In pursuit of this, the LRC is committed to ensuring that:

•
The welfare of young people (and vulnerable adults) is paramount and children have the
right to protection from abuse
•
All young people who take part in Equestrian Events should be able to participate in a fun
and safe environment and in an atmosphere of fair play
•
It takes all reasonable practical steps to protect children from harm, discrimination and
degrading treatment and respect their rights, wishes and feelings
•
All suspicions and allegations of poor practice or abuse will be taken seriously and
responded to swiftly and appropriately. It is the responsibility of child protection
experts to determine whether or not abuse has taken place, but it is everyone’s
responsibility to report any concerns
•
LRC is required to sign up to the BEF procedures for good practice and child protection that clearly state what is required of
them
•
All volunteers are carefully selected, informed about their responsibilities
and provided with guidance and/or training in good practice and child protection
procedures
•
High standards of behaviour and practice are demanded through compliance with BEF
codes of conduct produced for volunteers
•
Everyone knows and accepts their responsibilities and works together: parents, riders,
instructors, volunteers, and professional staff.
1.2 Terms and Abbreviations
The following terms and abbreviations are used in this document:

•
Anyone under the age of 18 is considered to be a child/young person - Children’s Act
1989
•
All policies and procedures described refer to vulnerable adults as well as children.
•
The term parent is used as a generic term to represent parents, carers and guardians.
LSCB’s: Local Safeguarding Children Boards formerly known as Area Child Protection
Committee


CPO: Child Protection Officer
BEF: British Equestrian Federation
2: Good Practice, Poor Practice and Abuse

2.1 Good Practice
All personnel should adhere to the following principles:

•
Ensure experience at Equestrian Events is fun and enjoyable; promote fairness, confront
and deal with bullying and never condone rule violations or the use of prohibited
substances.
•
Be an excellent role model, do not drink alcohol or smoke when working with young
people.
•
Treat all young people and vulnerable adults equally; this means giving both the more
and less talented in a group similar attention, time, respect and dignity.
•
Respect the developmental stage of each young person and place their welfare before
winning, club or personal achievements. This means ensuring that the training intensity
is appropriate to the physical, social and emotional development stage of the rider and
that all BEF guidelines for training intensity and competition are followed. Ensure training
and competition schedules are based on the needs and interests of the child, not those
of the parents, instructors or club.
•
Wherever possible conduct all training and meetings in an open environment; and
endeavour to avoid one-to-one coaching in unobserved situations.
•
Maintain a safe and appropriate relationship with riders; it is inappropriate to have an
intimate relationship with a young person. The BEF supports the Home Office guidelines
that recommend that people in positions of authority should not have sexual relationships
with 16-17 year olds in their care. One adult should never share a room with one young
person. Occasionally situations may occur when a number of young people and adults
share a common sleeping area i.e. Pony Club Camp – although this is not
recommended. Always ensure that parents’ permission is gained in writing beforehand
and riders are given an opportunity in advance to discuss this, air any concerns and
agree the logistics of the sleeping arrangements.
•
Build relationships based on mutual trust and respect in which young people are
encouraged to take responsibility for their own development and decision-making. Avoid
situations in which the instructor or team manager uses their position and power to
dictate what the rider should and should not do.
•
Avoid unnecessary physical contact with young people; if contact is required in teaching
technique, follow the specific guidelines laid down by that sport governing body.
Touching can be okay and appropriate as long as it is neither intrusive nor disturbing and
the rider’s permission has been given.
•
Ensure separate changing facilities are available for riders. Where supervision is
required, involve parents wherever possible and ensure that adults work in pairs.
•
Communicate regularly with parents, involve them in decision-making and gain written
consent for travel arrangements. Secure their consent in writing to act in loco parentis, if
the need arises to give permission for the administration of emergency first aid and/or
other medical treatment.
•
Be aware of any medical conditions, food intolerances, existing injuries and medicines
being taken. Keep a written record of any injury or accident that occurs, together with

details of any treatment given. Ensure you are qualified and up to date in first aid or that
there is someone with a first aid qualification in attendance.

•
Keep up to date with the technical skills, qualifications and insurance issues within the
BEF. Maintain your registration status for this ensures adequate and continuous
insurance cover.
•
When riders travel away from home, ensure the guidance contained in the NSPCC
publication: Safe Sports Events is understood and followed. In particular, if mixed
teams are taken away, ensure they are accompanied by a male and female member of
staff and safeguard them from the potential of same gender abuse. Adults should not
enter children’s rooms or invite children on their own into their own rooms.
.

2.2 Poor Practice
The following is deemed to constitute poor practice and should be avoided by all personnel:

•
Avoid spending excessive amounts of time alone with one child away from the others.
•
Avoid taking children to your home where they will be alone with you.
•
Never engage in rough, physical or sexually provocative games, including horseplay.
•
Never share a room with a child.
•
Never allow or engage in any form of inappropriate touching.
•
Never allow children to use inappropriate language unchallenged.
•
Never make sexual suggestive comments to a child, even in fun.
•
Never reduce a child to tears as a form of control.
•
Never allow allegations made by a child to go unchallenged, unrecorded or not acted
upon.
•
Never do things of a personal nature for children or vulnerable adults that they can do for
themselves.
•
Never invite or allow children to stay with you at your home unsupervised.
•
Taking children alone on car journeys.
If cases arise where these situations are unavoidable, they should only occur with the full
knowledge and consent of the person in charge, the child’s parent or the Governing Body CPO.
If any of the following incidents should occur, you should report them immediately to another
colleague, make a written note of the event and inform parents of the incident:

•
If you accidentally hurt a rider.
•
If a child seems distressed in any manner.
•
If a child appears to be sexually aroused by your actions.
•
If a child misunderstands or misinterprets something you have done.
To prevent the possibility of allegations, adopt the BEF code of conduct and follow this advice

•
Maintain a safe and appropriate distance with riders; do not allow an intimate relationship
to develop and avoid horseplay and sexually suggestive language.
•
Always work in an open environment; try to avoid private locations and/or one-to-one
teaching in unobserved situations. However in the case of freelance instructors this may
be unavoidable and effort should be made to ensure the instructor/pupil has a
companion.
•
Involve parents whenever possible; when travelling ensure adults work in pairs and never
share a room with a child.

•
Follow the BEF’s code of conduct and the recommended procedures if you have
concerns about the welfare of a child.
•
Gain further child protection awareness and knowledge.
2.3 Codes of Conduct
The BEF codes of conduct are based on adherence to the principles of good practice embodied
in the preceding section and in accordance with Government guidance, requiring all
organisations involved with caring for young people or vulnerable adults to protect them against
sexual activity within relationships of trust.

2.4 Photography
There is evidence that some people have used sporting events as an opportunity to take
inappropriate photographs or film footage of young and disabled sports people in vulnerable
positions. LRC will adhere to the policies set out in Appendix A

There is no intention to prevent the use of video equipment as a legitimate coaching aid.
However, participants and their parents/carers should be aware that this is part of the coaching
programme and care should be taken in the storing of such films.

2.5 Indicators of Abuse and Bullying
Definitions of what constitutes abuse and bullying are described in Appendix B. Indications
that a child may be being abused include the following:
•
Unexplained or suspicious injuries such as bruising, cuts or burns, particularly if situated
on a part of the body not normally prone to such injuries.
•
An injury for which the explanation seems inconsistent.
•
The child describes what appears to be an abusive act involving him/her.
•
Someone else (a child or adult) expresses concern about the welfare of another child.
•
Unexplained changes in behaviour (e.g. Becoming very quiet, withdrawn or displaying
sudden outbursts of temper).
•
Inappropriate sexual awareness.
•
Engaging in sexually explicit behaviour.
•
Distrust of adults, particularly those with whom a close relationship would normally be
expected.
•
Difficulty in making friends.
•
Is prevented from socialising with other children.
•
Displays variations in eating patterns including overeating or loss of appetite.
•
Loses weight for no apparent reason.
•
Becomes increasingly dirty or unkempt.
It should be recognised that this list is not exhaustive and the presence of one or more of the
indicators is not proof that abuse is actually taking place.

It is NOT the responsibility of those working in sport to decide that child abuse is occurring but it
is their responsibility to act on any concerns (see section 4.3)

Although anyone can be the target of bullying, victims are typically shy, sensitive and perhaps
anxious or insecure. Sometimes they are singled out for physical reasons (e.g. being


overweight, physically small, having a disability or belonging to a different race, faith or culture).
Although bullying often takes place in schools, it can and does occur anywhere where there is
inadequate supervision. The competitive nature of Equestrian Events provides a potentially
ideal environment for a bully to gain power over others. The bully might be:

•
An Instructor/Trainer who adopts a win-at-all-costs philosophy.
•
An official or parent who places unfair pressure on a person (e.g. Will never be selected
for team again/threatening to sell pony).
Signs of bullying (dealing with bullying is dealt with in 4.5) include:

•
Behavioural changes such as reduced concentration and/or becoming withdrawn, clingy,
depressed, tearful, emotionally up and down, reluctance to go to training or competitions
•
An unexplained drop-off in performance
•
Physical signs such as stomach-aches, headaches, difficulty in sleeping, bed-wetting,
scratching and bruising, damaged clothes and bingeing for example on food, cigarettes
or alcohol
•
A shortage of money or frequent loss of possessions.
3. Recruitment, Selection and Training
3.0 Introduction
To ensure unsuitable people are prevented from working with young people, the following steps
should be taken when recruiting paid staff or volunteers in a full or part-time capacity.

3.1 Recruitment
Draw up a job description identifying roles and responsibilities and a person specification
clarifying the required and recommended skills and qualities of an applicant. Where the job
involves working with young people, specify the LRC’s policy with regard to child protection and
working with children.

3.2 Advertising
Advertising for any post should include the following:-

•
The aims of your Organisation
•
A job description outlining the responsibilities of the role
•
A person specification stating qualifications and experience required (this may include
the level and length of experience of working with children).
3.3 Application
All applicants must complete an application form that includes:
•
Name, Address and National Insurance Number (to confirm identity and right to work)
•
Relevant experience, qualifications and training undertaken
•
Listing of past career or involvement in sport (to confirm experience and identify any
gaps)
•
Any criminal record
•
Whether the applicants are known to any social services department as being an actual
or potential risk to children or young people, a self-disclosure question to establish
whether they have ever had action taken against them in relation to child abuse, sexual
offences or violence
•
The names of at least two people (not relatives) willing to provide written references that
comment on the applicant’s previous experience of, and suitability for, working with
children and young people (previous employer)
•
Any former involvement with the sport
•
The Applicant’s consent to criminal record checks being undertaken if necessary
•
The Applicant’s consent to abide by the LRC’s Code of Conduct for the position sought.

•
A statement explaining that failure to disclose information or subsequent failure to
conform to the Code of Conduct will result in disciplinary action and possible suspension.
3.4
Checks and References
A minimum of two written references should be taken up and at least one should be associated
with former work with children/young people. If an applicant has no experience of working with
children, training is strongly recommended. Written references should always be followed up
and confirmed by telephone. If there are any concerns over the information supplied on the
application form or from the referees, advice should be sought from the Governing Body CPO
and one or more of the following checks should be undertaken:

•
Check carried out with the following organisations that maintain information about
individuals who are deemed to unsuitable to work with children: Criminal Records Bureau

•
Criminal record check from the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) in line with the Protection
of Children Act (1999).
3.5
Interview and Induction
All CPO's (and where possible volunteers) will be required to undergo an interview carried
out to acceptable protocol and recommendations. They should receive a formal or informal induction, during which:

•
A check should be made that the application form has been completed in full (including
sections on criminal records and self-disclosure).
•
Their qualifications should be substantiated.
•
The job requirements and responsibilities should be clarified.
•
They should sign up to the appropriate LRC Code of Conduct and good practice and
child protection procedures.
•
The duty of care guidelines including child protection procedures, are explained, and
training needs are established.
•
Interview questions should test the applicant’s attitudes to working with children and
young people.
3.6
Training
While checks are a part of the process to safeguard children, training is required to help people
to:

•
Recognise their responsibilities and report any concerns about suspected poor practice
or possible abuse.
•
Deal with disclosure.
•
Work safely and effectively with children.
Subsequent training and ongoing personal development must be relevant to the particular role,
but may include;


*
Child protection awareness training (BHS or Sports Coach UK Child
Protection Workshops)
*
First Aid training (if appropriate)
*
Any training specific to their particular role.
LRC requires:

•
All CPO's to undergo CRB checks and attend a recognised 3-hour good practice and
child protection awareness training workshop to ensure their practice is exemplary and to

facilitate the development of a positive culture towards good practice and child protection
in the Equestrian Industry.

•
LRC has appointed two Child Protection Officers. These officers have undergone a CRB check and attend a recognised 3-hour good practice and child protection
workshop.
Vicky Farish - 07793122409
Jane Byrom - 07734580974

•
All personnel will be offered advisory information outlining good practice and informing them about what to do if they have concerns about
the behaviour of an adult towards a young person.
•
All instructors/trainers should hold a national first aid qualification.
3.7 Monitoring and Appraisal
Paid and voluntary appointments should be made conditional on the successful completion of a
pre-determined and agreed probationary period. All employees will annually receive formal
feedback through an appraisal at which any issues over poor practice can be identified and
addressed, training needs related to children can be identified and new goals set.

3.8 Complaints, Appeals and Disciplinary Procedures
The BEF’s complaints and appeals procedures will be used to deal with any formal complaints
and/or appeals (see Section 4.5/6 ). Guidance on these procedures will be
available to all instructors/trainers, team managers from relevant Equestrian Governing Bodies.

4: Responding to Disclosure, Suspicions and Allegations
4.0 Introduction
While it is not the responsibility of LRC personnel to identify abuse, it is their responsibility to
report any concerns about the welfare of a child. These concerns may arise because:

•
A young person discloses she/he is being abused
•
Of the behaviour of an adult towards a child
•
Of a cluster of indicators observed in a child over a period of time.
All suspicions and disclosures must be reported appropriately. It is recognised that strong
emotions can be aroused particularly in cases of possible sexual abuse or where there is a
misplaced loyalty to a colleague. It is important to understand these feelings but not allow them
to interfere with your judgement about any action to take. Because of the multi-discipline nature
of the Equestrian Industry, the reporting procedures adopted by the BEF have been linked as
closely as possible to the procedures advocated by UK Sport/SportScotland.

4.1 Child Protection and Club Welfare Officers
To ensure appropriate action is taken if there are disclosures or suspicions, LRC

•
Has appointed two volunteers to act as the designated child protection officer
(CPO’s)

4.2 Reporting Procedures

Most children are abused by adults they know and trust. Most sexual offences take place in the
home of either the offender or victim. The child might disclose this to a trusted adult or you may
notice signs that cause you concern.

However, abuse also takes place outside the family setting and some individuals who want to
harm and abuse children will use sport as a way to gain access to them. In addition to sound
recruitment, selection and training procedures, it is crucial that everyone involved in Riding is
aware of this possibility. All allegations are taken seriously and clear and appropriate reporting
procedures are promoted and followed if allegations are made or if they have any suspicions.

Any person with information of a disclosure, allegation or suspicion about the welfare of a child
(poor practice or possible abuse) must immediately report this in one of the following ways.

If you are a part of an affiliated club, you should immediately inform the club’s designated
Child Protection Officer who will refer the matter to their National Governing Body’s Child
Protection Officer (NGB CPO).

In any other situation or if the designated person is not available, or if concern is about
that person or no action is taken, you should make direct contact with the NGB CPO.

If the NGB CPO is unavailable, you should take responsibility and seek advice from the NSPCC
Helpline 0808 800 5000, the duty officer at the local social services department or the child
protection personnel at the nearest police station. Telephone numbers are in the local
telephone directory. In these circumstances, you do not have to give your name but it is helpful
if you can. The social services and police, together with the designated person in charge where
appropriate, will decide how and when parents will be informed. As soon as possible, please
also inform the NGB CPO and explain the action taken to date.


Where there is a complaint of
abuse against an employee or volunteer, there may be three types of investigation:


Criminal – in which case the police are immediately involved.
Child Protection – in which case the social services and the police where a crime against a child
has been alleged will be involved.
Disciplinary or misconduct – in which case the BEF/member group will be involved.


4.3 Dealing with Alleged Abuse
While the NGB CPO and club CPO’s will have received training, they are not child protection
experts and it is not their responsibility to determine whether or not abuse has take place. If
there is any doubt about whether or not the alleged behaviour constitutes abuse, the concern
must be shared with professional agencies that will be responsible for subsequent action:

•
The social services have a statutory duty under The Children Act 1989, to ensure the
welfare of children and work with the local Area Child Protection Committee (ACPC) to
comply with its procedures. They have a legal responsibility to make enquiries into all child
protection referrals by talking to the child and family (where appropriate), gathering
information from other people who know the child and making enquiries often jointly with the
police. You can obtain advice by telephoning the local social services department and
speaking to the duty worker.
•
The police also have specially trained child protection personnel to give guidance and
advice, deal with concerns sensitively and effectively. If there is any possibility of a criminal
offence having taken place, they will automatically become involved.
•
The child protection agencies will also provide advice and they can be contacted via the
NSPCC 24 hour free phone helpline on 0808 800 5000.

NB. If there is any doubt, the allegation or incident must be reported; it may be just one of a
series of other instances which together cause concern.

Any suspicion that a child has been abused by either an employee or a volunteer
should be reported to the NGB CPO, who will take appropriate steps to ensure the safety of the
child in question and any other child who may be at risk. This will include the following:

•
They will refer the allegation to the social services department who may involve the police,
or go directly the police if out of hours. (Social Services have out-of-hours teams too)
•
The parents of the child will be contacted as soon as possible following advice from the
social services department.
•
They should also notify the Chief Executive who will decide who should deal with any media
enquiries and implement any immediate disciplinary proceedings. In relation to the Children
and Young Persons Act (1933), specific powers of suspension are vested in the Chief
Executive. The Chief Executive can:
•
Impose an interim suspension based on the risk to the child, the serious nature of the
allegation and the need to ensure a full investigation can be instituted
•
Impose suspension
There is a right of appeal to the Executive Board against the decision of the Chief Executive.
The NGB CPO will make a full report to the BEF Disciplinary Committee. Irrespective of the
findings of the social services or the police, the BEF will assess all individual cases and
determine if the person can be reinstated and how this can be handled sensitively. This
decision must be made on the available information which could suggest that, on a balance of
probability, it is more likely than not that the allegation is true. The welfare of the child is
paramount.

If the NGB CPO is the subject of the suspicion/allegation, the report must be made directly to
the Chief Executive who will then be responsible for taking further action.

Allegations of abuse may be made some time after the event (e.g. by an adult who was abused
as a child or by a member of staff who is still currently working with children). Where such an
allegation is made, the LRC will follow the same procedures and report the matter to the social
services or the police. This is because other children, either within or outside the horse
industry, may be at risk from this person. Anyone who has a previous criminal conviction for
offences related to abuse is automatically excluded from working with children. This is
reinforced by the details of the Protection of Children Act (1999).

NB. It is the duty of all LRC members to report any charge or conviction involving children.

4.4 Poor Practice
If the allegations are against LRC volunteers and after consideration the
allegation is clearly about poor practice then it will be dealt with as a misconduct issue by the
relevant governing body.

4.5 Dealing with Bullying
The same procedures should be adopted when dealing with allegations of bullying.

•
Bullying: This may be bullying of a child by an adult or another child. Bullying is defined as
deliberate hurtful behaviour, usually repeated over a period of time, where it is difficult for
those bullied to defend themselves. It may be physical (e.g. hitting, kicking, theft), verbal
(e.g. racist or homophobic remarks, threats, name calling, graffiti, gestures), emotional (e.g.
tormenting, ridiculing, humiliating, ignoring, isolating from the group) or sexual (e.g.
unwanted physical contact or abusive comments).
Action to Help the Victim and Prevent Bullying in Sport:


•
Take all signs and disclosures of bullying very seriously.
•
Encourage all children to speak and share their concerns. Help the victim to speak out and
tell the person in charge or someone in authority. Create an open environment.
•
Investigate all allegations and take action to ensure the victim is safe. Speak with the victim
and the bully (ies) separately.
•
Reassure the victim that you can be trusted and will help them, although you cannot promise
to tell no one else.
•
Keep records of what is said (what happened, by whom, when).
•
Report any concerns to the person in charge at the club or school (where the bullying is
occurring).
Action Towards the Bully (ies):
The person in charge should:

•
Talk with the bully(ies), explain the situation, try to get the bully(ies) to understand the
consequences of their behaviour; seek an apology to the victim(s) – have a third person
present if possible
•
Inform the bully’s parents/carers
•
Insist on the return of borrowed items and that the bully (ies) compensate the victim
•
Impose sanctions as necessary in consultation with parents/carers as necessary
•
Encourage and support the bully(ies) to change behaviour
•
Hold meetings with the families to report on progress
•
Inform everyone of action taken
•
Keep a written record of action taken.
•
Provide support for the Instructor/Trainer/Coach of the victim.
4.6
Disciplinary and Appeal Procedures
Each Organisation should have its own Investigation/Disciplinary and Appeals Committee each
comprised of at least 3 different members (please refer to your own organisation’s Rule Book).

1.
Any complaints should be put in writing to the organisation’s secretary, who will
inform the organisation’s Investigation Committee and/or Chief Executive as
appropriate.
2.
The organisation’s Investigation Committee may call for any required information
upon which to base a decision on whether or not there is a case to be heard. Prior to
making this decision, the member ‘under suspicion’ shall be sent a written notice of
the alleged infringement, and be given an opportunity to make written representation
of the facts.
3.
The Investigation Committee may also decide to give the member the opportunity to
be heard personally – if they are called in for a hearing, he or she may be
accompanied by a friend (who may be an associate and/or legal representative).
4.
If there appears to be a bone fide case, a Disciplinary Committee should be set up to
consider the alleged incident – this should consist of 3 – 5 members none of which
should have any direct knowledge of the alleged incident, nor in any way be related to
the person concerned.
5.
Details of the alleged infringement should be sent in writing to all those invited to the
hearing or requested to submit written evidence.
6.
If the Disciplinary Committee is of the opinion that the complaint has been provided,
in whole or in part, then it shall reach a decision on whether a penalty should be
imposed, and if so, what it should be.

7.
The ‘person under suspicion’ should be informed as soon as possible, and must also
be informed of the time within which any appeal against the decision must be lodged
(usually fourteen days). All appeals procedures will be in accordance with the BEF
regulations.
8.
The Appeal Committee will consist of 3-5 independent people with no previous direct
knowledge of the incident, and an appeal hearing arranged so that the ‘person under
suspicion’ shall have the opportunity to be heard.
9.
If the ‘person under suspicion’ does not attend the Appeal Hearing, then this may
proceed in his/her absence.
10.
The Appeal committee should consider the record of evidence, and, if it thinks fit, any
fresh evidence, and may affirm, rescind, or amend any penalty previously imposed by
the Disciplinary Committee.
11.
The ‘person under suspicion’ should be informed of the decision in writing, as soon as
possible.
4.7
Informing Parents
Wherever possible, personnel concerned about the welfare of a child should work in partnership
with parents. Therefore, in most situations, it would be important to talk to parents to help clarify
any initial concerns (e.g. if a child’s behaviour has changed, it is important to check if there is a
reasonable explanation such as family upset or bereavement). However, there are
circumstances in which a young person might be placed at even greater risk if concerns are
shared (e.g. where a parent may be responsible for the abuse or not able to respond to the
situation appropriately). In these situations or where concerns still exist, any suspicion,
allegation or incident of abuse must be reported to the designated person as soon as possible.
Advice and guidance should be sought from the local social services officer/police child
protection team with respect to consulting the parents.

4.8
Records and Confidentiality
Information passed to the social services or the police must be as helpful as possible, hence the
necessity for making a detailed record at the time of the disclosure/concern. Information should
be written in factual format, avoiding any opinion or hearsay and should include the following:

•
The facts about the allegation or observation.
•
A description of any visible bruising, other injuries or signs.
•
The child’s account, if this has been disclosed, of what has happened and how any bruising
or other injuries occurred.
•
Any witnesses to the incident(s).
•
Any times, dates or other relevant information.
•
A clear distinction between what is fact, opinion or hearsay.
Reporting the matter to the police or social services department should not be delayed by
attempts to obtain more information. Wherever possible, referrals telephoned to the social
services department should be confirmed in writing within 24 hours. A record should also be
made of the name and designation of the social services member of staff or police officer to
whom the concerns were passed, together with the time and date of the call, in case any follow-
up is needed. A copy of this information should be sent to the NGB CPO.

Confidentiality should be maintained at all times. Information should be handled and
disseminated on a need to know basis only. This includes the following people:

•
The Organisation’s Child Protection Committee and NGB CPO
•
The parents of the person who is alleged to have been abused

•
The person making the allegation.
•
Social services/police.
Information will be stored in a secure cabinet at the relevant organisation’s offices in line with
data protection laws with access available only to the following persons.

•
Child Protection Committee
•
CPO.
4.9 Support for Victim, Accused and Reporter
LRC:

•
Acknowledges the difficulty in reporting concerns and will fully support and protect anyone
who, in good faith (without malicious intents), reports his or her concern about a colleague’s
practice or concerns about the welfare of a child
Will take appropriate steps to ensure that the victim (and parents) is/are provided with
appropriate professional support (e.g. Help lines, support groups and The British
Association of Counselling Directory). The British Association for Counselling
Directory is available from The British Association for Counselling, 1 Regent
Place, Rugby, CV12 2PJ. Telephone Number: 01788 550899, Facsimile Number:
01788 562189, email: bac@bac.co.uk, internet: www.bac.co.uk.
•
Will ensure through the appropriate allegation, disciplinary and appeals procedures that the
accused is offered appropriate support.
5: Implementation and Monitoring Procedures
5.0 Implementation Strategy
If the LRC’s Good Practice and Child Protection Policy and Procedures are to be effective, they
need to be integrated into current practice and implemented in a planned and staged way. This
will involve the:

•
Design and dissemination of information
•
Piloting of procedures
•
Execution of recruitment strategies for volunteers
•
Identification of Welfare Personnel
•
Further development of good practice codes
•
Provision of training and review of existing training
•
Institution of committees and procedures
•
Selling to key personnel and committees
During the following implementation, it will be important to evaluate levels of awareness,
knowledge, perceptions and attitudes and monitor the impact and effectiveness of the
procedures. In addition, it will be necessary to stay abreast of legislation and good practice in
child protection issues and make any amendments annually (or as and when required).

5.1 Monitoring Strategy
It will be the responsibility of the child protection policy group to establish and implement the
strategy. This might include monitoring:

•
The number of leaflets distributed and the number of checks made
•
The number of allegations made and breakdown of no case, poor practice and abuse
incidence
•
The number of recommendations made for training programmes
•
The number of welfare officers in place
•
Feedback from clubs on the implementation of the policy
•
Reports for the disciplinary and appeals panel
•
The number of personnel trained in child protection awareness
•
Feedback reports from tours and camps

•
The number of members registered to work with young people
•
Recommendations for changes to policy, procedures and resources


APPENDIX A

Guidelines on Use of Photographic and Filming Equipment at
Competitions for Children or Vulnerable Adults.


Whilst it is not intended to ban all photography at events, organisers
and club officials must ensure proper safeguards are in place.

There is a potential risk posed to young children through the use of photographs on web sites
and publications. There is evidence in sport in general to show that photographs have been:

•
Used to identify children which places them at risk from those who wish to groom children for
abuse
•
Used or adapted and placed on child pornography sites.
For these reason, the following guidelines for children’s events have been drawn up:

Professional photographers/filming/video operators wishing to attend LRC events must:

•
Be given a clear brief
•
Wear identification
•
Not be given unsupervised access to competitors
•
Not be allowed to take photos outside the event (e.g. a child’s home or school).
Any other spectators (e.g. amateur photographers, parents) wishing to film or take photographs
using any form of telephoto lens must:

•
Register their name and address at the designated point
Videoing as a Training aid: there is no intention to prevent the use of video equipment as a
legitimate training aid. However, riders and their parents should be aware that this is a part of
the training programme and care should be taken in the storing of such films.

In any promotional material or publication:

•
Consideration should be given to using images, models and illustrations rather than
photographs
•
Only images of suitably dressed riders should be used (focus on the activity not a particular
child; avoid full face and body shots).
•
Permission should be sought in writing from riders (and their parents) before using their
image
•
Remember that if the young person is named, do not include a photograph; if a photograph
is used, do not name the young person
•
Group Photos: It should be noted that responsible newspapers/publications are now
publishing the names of children in group photography in alphabetical order, not in the
traditional ‘left to right’ way. Therefore making identification harder. Event organisers
should adopt this practice when dealing with all publicity.
Report any concerns regarding inappropriate or intrusive photography to the event organiser
immediately and as soon as possible to the relevant NGB.


APPENDIX B

Definitions of Abuse

Abuse can occur wherever there are young people or vulnerable adults of any age. The effects
of abuse can be so damaging and if untreated, they may cause serious problems in adulthood
including the possibility of difficulty in maintaining stable, trusting relationships, involvement with
drugs or prostitution, attempted suicide or even abuse of a child. Someone may abuse or
neglect a child by inflicting harm, or by failing to act to prevent harm. Children may be abused
in a family or in an institutional or community setting, by those known to them or, more rarely, by
a stranger. Children can be abused by adults or other children; there is growing evidence to
suggest that peer abuse is an increasing concern for young people. In addition to bullying, four
main categories of abuse are recognised:

•
Neglect: This is where adults fail to meet a child’s basic physical and/or psychological
needs and is likely to result in the serious impairment of the child’s health or development
(e.g. failure to provide adequate food, shelter and clothing, failing to protect a child from a
physical harm or danger, or the failure to ensure access to appropriate medical care or
treatment). It may also include refusal to give children love, affection and attention. Neglect
in sport could include an instructor failing to ensure children are safe, exposing them
to undue cold, heat or to unnecessary risk of injury.
•
Physical Abuse: This is where someone physically hurts or injures children by hitting,
shaking, throwing, poisoning, burning, biting, scalding, suffocating, drowning or otherwise
causing physical harm to a child. Physical harm may also be caused when a parent feigns
the symptoms of, or deliberately causes ill health to a child for whom they are caring.
Examples of physical abuse in sport may occur when the nature and intensity of

training and competition exceeds the capacity of the child’s immature and growing

body, or where drugs are used to enhance performance or delay puberty.

•
Sexual Abuse: This is where girls and boys are abused by adults or other children (both
male and female) who use children to meet their own sexual needs. This could include full
sexual intercourse, masturbation, oral sex, anal intercourse and fondling. Showing children
pornographic material (books, videos, pictures) is also a form of sexual abuse. In sport,
teaching techniques that involve physical contact with children could potentially
create situations where sexual abuse may go unnoticed. The power of the instructor
over young performers, if misused, may also lead to abusive situations developing.
•
Emotional Abuse: This is the persistent emotional ill treatment of a child such as to cause
severe and persistent adverse effects on the child’s emotional development. It may involve
conveying to children that they are worthless or unloved, inadequate, or valued only insofar
as they meet the needs of another person. It may feature age of developmentally
inappropriate expectations being imposed on children. It may involve causing children to
feel frightened or in danger by being constantly shouted at, threatened or taunted which may
make the child very nervous and withdrawn. Some level of emotional abuse is involved in all
types of ill treatment of a child. Emotional abuse in sport may occur if children are
subjected to constant criticism, name-calling, sarcasm, bullying, racism or unrealistic
pressure to perform to high expectations consistently.


Useful contact details

CPO'S
Vicky Farish - 07793122409
Jane Byrom - 07734580974

NSPCC HELPLINE:
Text Tel. No for those with hearing difficulties:
NSPCC ASIAN Child Protection Helpline:


Child Protection in Sport Unit (CPSU)


3 Gilmour Close
Beaumont Leas
Leicester, L4 1EZ
Tel: 0116 234 7278

www.thecpsu.org.uk

British Equestrian Federation

Stoneleigh Park
Kenilworth
Warks CV8 2RH
Tel: 024 76 698871

www.bef.co.uk

British Dressage

Stoneleigh Park
Kenilworth
Warks. CV8 2RJ
Tel: 024 76 698830

www.britishdressage.co.uk

Endurance GB

Stoneleigh Park
Kenilworth
Warks CV8 2RP
Tel: 024 76 698863

www.endurancegb.co.uk

British Equestrian Vaulting

c/o British Equestrian Federation
address as above

www.vaulting.org.uk

British Horse Driving Trials Association

Deer Park Business Centre

Stoneleigh Deer Park
Stareton,Kenilworth,
Warks CV5 7NR
Tel 02476 419078

www.horsedrivingtrials.co.uk

Association Of British Riding Schools
Queens Chambers
38-40 Queen St
Penzance Cornwall TR18 4BH
Tel: 01736 369440

www.abrs-info.org

0808 800 5000
0800 0560566
0800 096 7719

The British Horse Society

Stoneleigh Deer Park
Kenilworth
Warks CV8 2XZ
Tel: 01926 707700

www.bhs.org.uk

British Eventing

Stoneleigh Park
Kenilworth
Warks CV8 2LR
Tel: 024 76 698856

www.britisheventing.com

British Show Jumping Association

Stoneleigh Park
Kenilworth
Warks CV8 2LR
Tel: 024 76 698800

www.bsja.co.uk

The Pony Club

Stoneleigh Park
Kenilworth
Warks CV8 2RW
Tel: 024 76 698300

www.pcuk.org

British Reining
Melkshum Court,
Stinchcombe,
Nr Dursley, Glos. GL11 6AR
Tel: 01453 547666

www.britishreining.o.uk

Assoc. BEF Members:
British Equestrian Trade Assoc


www.beta-uk.org


British Horseball Assoc}
Mounted Games Assoc.} contact through BEF
UK Polocrosse Assoc.}