SAFEGUARDING CHILDREN POLICY

for

Gowaan Bike Club C.I.C

1. Introduction

Gowaan Bike Club C.I.C. ("Gowaan") is a Community Interest Company run by: Rebecca Baraona & Chloe Taylor 

Gowaan Bike Club C.I.C. is based at: Gowaan HQ, 2 High Street, Innerleithen, EH44 6HA

Gowaan Bike Club C.I.C is managed by a management team (the "Team"). The Team has appointed a Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) and Deputy DSL with particular responsibility for child protection, as set out in Section 2.

The Team has adopted this safeguarding children policy and expects every adult working, volunteering or helping at Gowaan Bike Club C.I.C to support it and comply with it. Consequently this policy shall apply to all staff, managers, trustees, directors, volunteers, students and anyone working on behalf of Gowaan Bike Club C.I.C.

2. Designated Safeguarding Lead

Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL): Rebecca Baraona

Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead: Chloe Taylor

The DSL is responsible for: acting as first point of contact for safeguarding concerns; maintaining confidential safeguarding records; decided whether a referral to Police Scotland or the local authority Child Protection service is required; and ensuring this policy is reviewed and followed.

3. Purpose of the Policy

3.1 To protect children and young people who receive or take part in any service from Gowaan, including children of adults who use Gowaan's services.

3.2 To provide guidance and overarching principles to staff, coaches and volunteers, guiding Gowaan's approach to child protection and safeguarding.

4. The risks to children

Nearly every child grows up in a safe and happy environment and it is important not to exaggerate or overestimate the dangers. Nevertheless, there are situations where children need protection including:

• Sexual abuse and grooming
• Physical and emotional abuse and neglect
• Domestic violence
• Inappropriate supervision by staff or volunteers
• Bullying, cyber bullying, acts of violence and aggression
• Self-harm
• Unsafe environments and activities
• Crime 
• Exploitation, including online exploitation

5. Universality of Protection

We recognise that:

• the welfare of the child is paramount
• all children regardless of race, gender, religious belief, disability, age, sexual orientation or identity have a right to equal protection from harm.
• some children are more vulnerable to harm as a result of their circumstances, prior experiences, communication needs or level of dependency.
• working with children, young people, their parents and/or guardians, carers or other agencies is essential to protecting their wellbeing.

6. Safeguarding Children at Events and Activities

There are three kinds of events/activities:

6.1 those open to adults and children of all ages

6.2 those for children accompanied by a parent or guardian

6.3 those for unaccompanied children, which are sometimes run alongside other events/activities.

At events and activities open to all ages, children under 16 must be accompanied throughout by an adult over the age of 18 who brings the child and takes them home afterwards. Young people aged 16 or 17 may attend unaccompanied if they bring the written consent and mobile telephone number of a parent or guardian.

At events and activities for children accompanied by a parent or guardian, the supervising adult must stay with the child throughout, including bringing and collecting them. If one adult brings more than one child, the children must stay together under that adult's supervision. Young people aged 16 or 17 may attend unaccompanied if they bring the written consent and mobile telephone number of one of their parents.

At events and activities for unaccompanied children, children under the age of 16 must be enrolled by a responsible adult before being left with the event leader. The enrolment must record the child's name, age and emergency contact, and the names and contact number of the child's parents or guardians. Young people aged 16 or 17 may attend unaccompanied if they bring the written consent and mobile telephone number of one of a parent or guardian.

Both events and activities are to be defined broadly to include any occasions where Gowaan Bike Club C.I.C will be providing a service, including online or digital sessions.

7. Recruitment and Vetting (PVG Scheme)

Gowaan offers the following activities involving children: cycling sessions, coaching, events, camps, and associated social media/online content.

• Anyone undertaking ‘regulated work’ with children, as defined by the Protection of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland) Act 2007, must be a member of the PVG Scheme and hold a satisfactory PVG Scheme Record/Update before having unsupervised contact with children.
• The Club will verify PVG membership and check the PVG Scheme Record (or use the Update service) before confirming any role involving regulated work with children.
• References will be obtained and checked before any adult has unsupervised contact with children.
• A record of PVG checks, dates and renewal status will be kept securely by the DSL.

8. Responding to Concerns or Allegations

Any concern about a child's welfare or about the conduct of an adult must be reported to the DSL (or Deputy DSL) as soon as possible and in any event within 24 hours.

Concerns must be recorded factually using the Club's safeguarding concern form, noting dates, times and exact words used where possible.

Where a child is in immediate danger, contact Police Scotland (999) first, then inform the DSL.

Where a concern meets the threshold for statutory involvement, the DSL will make a referral to the local authority's Child Protection service and/or Police Scotland without delay, following the National Guidance for Child Protection in Scotland.

Allegations against a member of the management team will be referred to an independent third party (e.g. an external safeguarding advisor or the relevant Local Child Protection Committee) rather than being decided solely by the two co-directors.

Confidentiality will be maintained on a need-to-know basis.

9. Whistleblowing

Any member of staff, coach or volunteer who has concerns about the the conduct of a colleague, including a founder/owner, may raise this confidentially with the DSL or, where the concerns involves the DSL, directly with an independent advisor.

No-one raising a genuine concern in good faith will suffer any detriment as a result.

10. Health and Safety Aspects of Safeguarding

Before any event for unaccompanied children, the Team will carry out a written risk assessment and take steps to minimise risks to health and safety. Risk assessments will be reviewed at least annually and after any incident.

Parents and children will be made aware of any particular risks and the steps taken to minimise them.

Sufficient adults must be present at any event for unaccompanied children to allow one adult to manage an emergency while another supervises the remaining children.

A qualified first aider will be present at all sessions involving under-18s.

11. Prevention of Bullying

Gowaan will not tolerate the bullying of children by adults or by other children. Any incident of child-on-child bullying will be addressed immediately by separating those involved; parents will be informed and involved in resolving the matter.

The DSL will review all incidents and assess future risk, and may apply proportionate sanctions in line with Section 13. Allegations of bullying by an adult will be handled under Section 8.

12. Online Safety and Use of Social Media

Direct one-to-one private messaging between an adult and a child must not take place; communication should be through group channels visible to parents/other adults, or directly with a parent/guardian.

Any official Club social media account used to engage with young people will be managed by at least two adults.

Concerns about a child's online safety (including cyberbullying or contact from a stranger linked to Club activity) must be reported to the DSL.

13. Use of Photographs and Video

Written parental or guarding consent will be obtained, using a specific photography/video content form (separate from general booking terms), before any photograph or video of a child is taken or published, including on the Gowaan website or social media.

The form will explain how images may be used, and confirm that consent can be withdrawn at any time. Where consent is not given, the child will be positioned outside the photographed/videoed area wherever practicable.

10. Managing Behaviour, Discipline and Restraint

Adults supervising children must never use corporal punishment. Physical restraint may only be used as a last resort to prevent injury or serious damage to property, and only to the minimum extent necessary.

Unacceptable behaviour will generally be managed by separating the children involved from the group, with appropriate supervision, and returning them to their parent/guardian as soon as possible.

Gowaan may apply a sanction, including suspension from future events for up to 18 months. Sanctions will be decided by the DSL in consultation with at least one other member of the Team who was not directly involved in the incident.

A parent may appeal a sanction. Appeals will be heard by an individual who was not involved in the original decision, which may include an external advisor where the original decision-makers are the only members of the Team.

15. Related Policies

This policy should be read together with Gowaan's Privacy Policy, Terms and Conditions, Event Disclaimer, Code of Conduct and Data Retention Schedule.

16. Legal Framework

• Children (Scotland) Act 1995
• Protection of Children (Scotland) Act 2003
• Protection of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland) Act 2007
• National Guidance for Child Protection in Scotland (Scottish Government, as amended)
• Getting It Right For Every Child (GIRFEC)
• United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child
• UK GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018
• Human Rights Act 1998
• Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act 2009
• Equality Act 2010
• Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004

17. Policy Approval and Review

This policy will be reviewed annually by the Gowaan leadership team, or sooner following any safeguarding incident, change in statutory guidance, or change in Gowaan Bike Club C.I.C. activities.

Policy approved by:

Date:

Next review date: