CHILD PROTECTION POLICY

All cheerleading coaches, staff and helpers have a duty of care to safeguard all children involved in cheerleading from harm.

Heroes will always ensure:

• The welfare of the child is vital;
• All children, whatever their age, culture, disability, gender, language, racial origin religious beliefs and/or sexual identity have the right to protection from abuse;
• All suspicions and allegations of abuse will be taken seriously and responded to swiftly and appropriately;
• All coaches/staff (paid/unpaid) working in cheerleading have a responsibility to report concerns to the appropriate officer.

Cheerleading staff/volunteers are generally not trained to deal with situations of abuse nor decide if abuse has occurred.
 

Policy statement

Heroes have a duty of care to safeguard all children involved in cheerleading from harm. Heroes will ensure the safety and protection of all children involved in Cheerleading through adherence to the Child Protection guidelines.
 

Policy aims

The aim of our Child Protection Policy is to promote good practice:

• Providing children and young people with appropriate safety and protection whilst involved in cheerleading activities;
• Allow all coaches/staff /volunteers to make informed and confident responses to specific child protection issues.

Procedures

The NSPCC Child Protection in Sport Unit is pleased to endorse the work that British Cheerleading have undertaken in relation to the safety and welfare of children involved in its activities. The child protection policy and procedures adopted by Heroes will make a significant contribution to safeguarding the children and young people participating in its sports activities.

The Criminal Records Bureau has been established to provide organisations with relevant information to assist in the safe recruitment of staff and volunteers working with children and young people. All adults employed in Heroes have to have a CRB check to ensure there’s no evidence of offences involving children or abuse.

Heroes records all alleged abuse concerns on our Child Protection Reports form.

It must be understood by all parents and guardians of students that this is deemed necessary in the safe and effective teaching of cheerleading.

If a parent/guardian is unhappy with this teaching technique, their concerns must be raised immediately, who will record the request and ensure it is adhered to.

Many sports, by their nature, require a degree of physical contact between adults and children/young people. Physical contact can be used appropriately to instruct, encourage, protect or comfort.

Physical contact between adults and children/young people should only be used when the aim is to:

• Develop sports skills or techniques; Spotting tumbles and stunts.
• To treat an injury;
• To prevent an injury;
• To meet the requirements of the particular sport.

Physical contact will be fully explained to the child/young person and prior consent will be sought from parents, except in the case of an emergency.

Records of injuries will be fully recorded.
 

Physical Contact

Cheerleading involves athletic techniques where for safety reasons control and attention has to be maintained. Non physical discipline may be required on occasions due to inappropriate or unsafe behaviour of children/young people. When discipline is used it will be done so appropriately and with the clear intention of teaching or reinforcing appropriate behaviour. It will not be used impulsively, to gain power, or to embarrass or humiliate a child/young person.

Discipline will be used only to:

• Develop a sense of responsibility for behaviour;
• Develop respect for others and their property;
• Reinforce the rules or values of the sport;
• Reinforce positive behaviour or attitudes;
• Reinforce awareness of health and safety aspects of the activity.

Heroes have detailed disciplinary sanction procedures in their constitution.

Shirley and Shirel Crossley

December 2007