Triathlon Ireland Clubs Safeguarding Risk Assessment Document 2019 Newry Triathlon Club
This risk assessment considers the potential for harm to come to children whilst they are in Newry Triathlon Club’s care. This risk assessment precedes the Child Safeguarding Statement (Section 11 (1b) Children First Act 2015) which is developed following this risk assessment process. In accordance with the requirements of Section 11 (1) of the Children First Act 2015 the risk is of abuse and not general health and safety risk (covered under a separate H&S policy and risk assessment).
Section 11 (1) of the Children First Act 2015 states that where a person proposes to operate as a provider of a relevant service, he or she shall, within 3 months from the date on which he or she commences as such a provider —
- Undertake an assessment of any potential for harm to a child while availing of the service (in this section referred to as a “risk”).
| Potential risk of harm to children | Likelihood of harm happening L-M-H |
Required Policy, Guidance and Procedure document | Responsibility
Club/Region/National |
Further action required … | |
| CLUB & COACHING PRACTICES | |||||
| Lack of coaching qualification | H | ▪ Safe Recruitment policy
▪ Safety Guidelines for club sessions document. |
Club Committee
Head Coach Club Children’s Officer
|
Coaches and Leaders names and TI numbers to be sent to TI.
CCO to maintain a list of those involved with juniors, their Safeguarding requirements and proof of qualification. |
|
| Supervision issues | H | ▪ Supervision policy
▪ Safety Guidelines for club sessions document. |
Club Committee
Head Coach Club Children's Officer |
Ensure Role Clarity
Ongoing review |
|
| Unauthorised photography & recording activities | H | ▪ Photography & Filming policy.
▪ Social Media Policy. ▪ Code of Conduct. |
Club committee
Club Children's officer. Club Junior Race director Event Safeguard Lead |
Ensure policies are accessible and distributed.
Ongoing review |
|
| Behavioural Issues | H | ▪ Code of Conduct
▪ Complaints & Disciplinary policy ▪ Coach/leader training - SG1. |
Club Committee
Club Children's Officer Triathlon Ireland |
All adults working with juniors to sign a code of conduct and complete Safeguard 1.
Ongoing review |
|
| Lack of gender balance amongst coaches
|
H | ▪ Supervision policy
▪ Safety Guidelines for club sessions document. |
Club Committee
Club Children's Officer |
Ongoing review | |
| No guidance for travelling and away trips
|
H | ▪ Traveling and overnight trips policy.
▪ Coach/leader training - SG1. ▪ Vetting policy. |
Club Committee
Club Children's Officer Club Coach travelling. |
Make policies available to all involved prior to travel.
Ongoing review |
|
| Lack of adherence with misc. procedures in Safeguarding policy (i.e. mobile, photography, transport) | H | ▪ Complaints & Disciplinary policy.
▪ Safeguarding policy. ▪ Code of Conduct. |
Club Committee
Club Children's Officer
|
Ongoing review | |
| COMPLAINTS & DISCIPLINE | |||||
| Lack of awareness of a Complaints & Disciplinary policy
|
H | ▪ Safeguarding policy.
▪ Reporting & Communications Procedure. ▪ Complaints & Disciplinary policy |
Club Committee
Club Children's Officer Triathlon Ireland. |
Immediate action needed
Greater communication required within the club to ensure complaints & disciplinary policy is accessible. |
|
| Difficulty in raising an issue by child & or parent
Reason: Covered above |
H | ▪ Complaints & Disciplinary policy
▪ Reporting & Communications procedure. ▪ Post names of CCO, DLP, MP. |
Club Committee
Club Children's Officer Designated Liaison Person. |
Review the communication/responsibilities of the procedure/policy as required.
Publicise identity of CCO, DLP and TI MP. |
|
| Complaints not being dealt with seriously
|
H | ▪ Complaints & Disciplinary policy
▪ Reporting & Communications procedures. |
Club Committee
Club Children's Officer Designated Liaison Person. |
Immediate action required. All complaints should be recorded and passed on where applicable.
Consult with TI NCO. |
|
| REPORTING PROCEDURES | |||||
| Lack of knowledge of organisational and statutory reporting procedures | H | ▪ Reporting & Communications procedures.
▪ Safe Recruitment Policy ▪ Coach/leader training - SG1. ▪ Code of Conduct |
TI National Children’s Officer
TI Mandated Person Club Committee Club Children’s Officer Designated Liaison Person |
Make policies and procedures available and include in induction process for new Coaches/Leaders/Members.
Ensure Coaches/Leaders have completed Safeguard 1 which is part of their certification. |
|
| No Mandated Person appointed | H | ▪ Reporting & Communications Procedure. | Triathlon Ireland | Publicise identity of Mandated Person
Train Mandated Person in their role |
|
| No Designated Liaison Person or Children’ Officer Appointed | H | ▪ Reporting & Communications Procedure.
▪ Safeguarding Policy |
Triathlon Ireland
Club Committee |
Club appoints both and ensures DLP completes Safeguard 1 & 3 and CCO completes Safeguard 1 &2.
Publicise identity of DLP and CCO. |
|
| Concerns of abuse or harm not reported | H | ▪ Reporting procedures/policy
▪ Coach/leader training - SG1. |
Designated Liaison Person
Mandated Person |
Club ensures all those dealing with juniors have completed Safeguard 1.
Publicise names of CCOs, DLPs, MP. Publicise internal and external reporting procedures |
|
| Not clear who Young Person should talk to or report to
|
H | ▪ Post the names of Club Children’s Officer, Designated Liaison Person and TI Mandated Person.
▪ Safeguarding Policy. |
Club Committee
Club Children’s Officer Designated Liaison Person. Triathlon Ireland |
Communicate within Club.
Ensure Safeguard 1 training is completed by those working with juniors. Include information in the recruitment and induction process for new coaches/leaders. Include in membership information. Provide opportunities for juniors to meet CCO and DLP. |
|
| FACILITIES | |||||
| Unauthorised access to designated children’s play & practice area, changing rooms, showers, toilets etc. | H | ▪ Supervision policy
▪ Coach/leader training - SG1. |
Club Children’s Officer
Club Coach Club Committee
|
Clarify responsibilities before session starts | |
| Unauthorised exit from children’s areas | H | ▪ Supervision policy
▪ Coach/Leader training- Safeguard 1. |
Club Children’s Officer
Club Coach Club Committee |
Clarify responsibilities before session starts | |
| Photography, filming or recording in prohibited areas | H | ▪ Photography & Filming Policy. | Club Children’s Officer
Club Coach Club Committee Event Safeguard Lead |
Enforce policy in private changing areas and pool deck.
Make policy accessible for members & guests. |
|
| Missing or found child on site
|
H | ▪ Missing or found child policy
▪ Safeguarding guidelines for Junior events. |
Club head coach
Club Children’s Officer Club Committee |
Refer to policy and inform Gardaí/PSNI | |
| Children sharing facilities with adults e.g. dressing room, showers etc. | H | ▪ Safeguarding policy
▪ Supervision policy |
Club Coach
Club Children’s Officer Club Committee |
Plan with facilities management to create a suitable child centred environment in shared facilities. | |
| RECRUITMENT | |||||
| Recruitment of inappropriate people | H | ▪ Safe Recruitment policy
▪ Safeguarding Policy ▪ Vetting Policy |
Triathlon Ireland
Club Committee Club Children's Officer |
Ensure a comprehensive induction & period of supervision for new Coaches/leaders.
Ongoing review. |
|
| Lack of clarity on roles | H | ▪ Safe Recruitment policy
▪ Safety Guidelines for Club Sessions document. |
Club Committee
Club Children’s Officer Club Head Coach |
Role clarified during induction process and prior to each session.
|
|
| Unqualified or untrained people in role | H | ▪ Safe Recruitment policy | Club Committee | Check qualification
Comprehensive induction Check with Triathlon Ireland Ongoing review |
|
| COMMUNICATIONS AND SOCIAL MEDIA | |||||
| Lack of awareness of ‘risk of harm’ with members and visitors
|
H | ▪ Child Safeguarding Statement
▪ Coach/leader training-SG1. ▪ Safe Recruitment Policy
|
Triathlon Ireland
Club Committee Club Children’s Officer Event Safeguard Lead Event Organiser |
Circulate Child Safeguarding Statement.
Make Safeguarding Policy accessible. Induction for those helping as a ‘once off’ at events. Ongoing review. |
|
| No communication of Child Safeguarding Statement or Code of Behaviour to members & visitors | H | ▪ Safeguarding Policy
▪ Display Child Safeguarding Statement. ▪ Code of Conduct |
Club Committee
Children’s Officer Event Safeguard Lead. Event Organiser |
Circulate Child Safeguarding Statement.
Distribute Code Conduct. Code of conduct poster displayed at junior events. Ongoing review. |
|
| Unauthorised photography & recording of activities | H | ▪ Photography and Filming policy
▪ Code of Conduct ▪ Social Media Policy ▪ Complaints and disciplinary policy. |
Triathlon Ireland
Club Committee Club Children's Officer Designated Liaison Person Event Safeguard Lead. Event Organiser |
Make Photography & Filming Policy available at events where non-members may be in attendance.
Ongoing review. |
|
| Inappropriate use of social media and communications by Under 18’s | H | ▪ Code of conduct
▪ Social Media guidance for juniors. |
Club Committee
Club Children’s Officer Designated Liaison Person. |
Education piece for club juniors highlighting the social media guidance.
Ongoing review |
|
| Inappropriate use of social media and communications with Under 18’s
|
H | ▪ Complaints & disciplinary policy
▪ Code of conduct. ▪ Social Media Policy ▪ Coach/leader training - SG1. |
Club Committee
Club Children’s Officer Designated Liaison Person TI NCO |
Publicise Social Media Policy.
Consult with TI NCO. Ongoing review
|
|
| GENERAL RISK OF HARM | |||||
| Harm not being recognised
|
H | ▪ Safeguarding policy
▪ Coach/leader training - SG1. |
Club Committee
Club Children’s Officer Designated Liaison Person. |
Ensure Safeguard training is up to date.
Informal consult with Tusla(ROI)/Gateway(NI). Ongoing review. |
|
| Harm caused by
- child to child - adult to child |
H | ▪ Safeguarding policy
▪ Coach/leader training-SG1. ▪ Codes of Conduct. ▪ Safe Recruitment Policy. ▪ Communication & Reporting Processes. |
Triathlon Ireland NCO &MP Club Committee Club Children’s Officer Designated Liaison Person |
Informal consult with Tusla(ROI)/Gateway(NI).
Report to statutory authorities. Report to TI MP. Ongoing review |
|
| General behavioural issues
|
H | ▪ Code of Conduct
▪ Complaints and Disciplinary Procedures. |
Triathlon Ireland
Club Committee Club Children’s Officer. |
Ensure all coaches/leaders/volunteers have signed a code of conduct. Take disciplinary action where necessary | |
This Risk Assessment document has been discussed and completed by Newry Triathlon Club on 25 /02/2019
| Name: Gary McCourt | Name: Judith Campbell |
| Signed: | Signed: |
| Role: Club Chairperson | Role: Club Children’s Officer |
| Date: 25/02/2019 | Date: 25/02/2019 |
Explanation of terms used:
- Potential risk of harm to children – these are identified risks of harm to children whilst accessing activities in the Club/Region/Province/NGB.
- Likelihood of harm happening – the likelihood of the risk occurring in the club/region/NGB measured by you as Low/Medium or High.
- Required Policy, Guidance and Procedure document – indication of the policy required to alleviate the risk.
- Responsibility – provider should indicate where the responsibility for alleviating the risk lies.
- Further action… - indicates further action that might be necessary to alleviate any risk ongoing
TI = Triathlon Ireland SG1= Safeguard 1 Course.
DLP = Designated Liaison Person – refers to club position NCO = National Children’s Officer- refers to TI position
CCO = Club Children’s Officer MP = Mandated Person - refers to TI position
Event Safeguard Lead = Person named on Event Management plan responsible for Safeguarding at junior races.