Welfare and Safeguarding

Marlborough Penguins is committed to providing a caring, friendly, and safe environment for all our members, so that when they participate in club activities, they do so in a relaxed and secure environment.

In partnership with the club committee, the Welfare Officer ensures that the club is adopting and implementing child safeguarding policy and procedures which are necessary for it to provide its duty of care to all members. Marlborough Penguins fully endorses and operates in accordance with Swim England’s Wavepower.

Wavepower – Safeguarding for Swim England clubs

We provide a Welfare Officer who is the first point of contact for anyone within the club who has a child safeguarding or welfare concern. Safeguarding concerns can be raised by children, parents and other adults.

If you have a concern about the welfare of any child or the behaviour of an adult towards any child you should, without delay, contact the club welfare officer:

email Jayne Wilson at welfareofficer@marlboroughpenguins.com

or telephone Jayne on 07956 456322

 

How to raise a Safeguarding Concern

Anyone who has a concern that a child or adult may be at risk of harm, or being harmed, should refer to the Welfare Officer for the club or the Swim England safeguarding team

• How To Raise A Concern or Complaint | Swim England Safeguarding
• Swim England Child Safeguarding Contacts

 

In an Emergency

If you believe a child may be at immediate risk of harm please make immediate contact with an appropriate agency, such as:

• The Police
• Child Services
• Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH)
• Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO)
• NSPCC Child Protection Line

Take the name and contact details of the person you have spoken to, plus the incident / referral reference number (if applicable) so you have a record of the advice they give.

Then report this to the club welfare officer and the Swim England safeguarding team the next working day.

 

Useful Links and Contacts

Whistleblowing policies:

• British Swimming Whistleblowing Policy
• Swim England Report Whistleblowing Form

External safeguarding organisations and resources:

• NSPCC Child Protection in Sport Unit | CPSU (thecpsu.org.uk)
• Childline | Childline – Tel: 0800 1111
• Keeping children safe | NSPCC
• Mind helplines – Mind
• NSPCC video promoting positive behaviour: My Magic Sports Kit NSPCC | CPSU – YouTube

Our club has Swim Mark accreditation.  This is the Swim England’s ‘quality standard’ to recognise the clubs that are committed to providing safe, effective and quality services for the benefit of their members. These are clubs with high standards of governance, sustainability and effectiveness.