Reporting Policy and Procedures for Accidents, Incidents, Allegations, Disciplinary Breaches, and Complaints

The primary goal of Blackrock Athletic Club is to provide a positive Athletics experience for all our members. Our Child protection ethos, policies and procedures adopted by the Club help to provide a safe, positive, and nurturing environment where athletes can develop and enhance their physical and social skills.

Identifying and eliminating practices that impact negatively on safe and enjoyable participation in athletics goes hand and hand with our Child protection ethos.

As part of our safeguarding policy we:

• adopt safeguarding best practice with guidance from Athletics Ireland through our policies, procedures, and code of conduct for volunteers, athletes, and parents
• promote the safety and wellbeing of all our athletes and children
• recruit volunteers safely, ensuring all are Garda Vetted
• ensure volunteers know about our policies, procedures and behaviour codes and follow them confidently and competently
• appoint a nominated Child Welfare Officer and a Designated Liaison Person to deal with issues of child abuse
• ensure everyone understands their roles and responsibilities in respect of safeguarding and is provided with appropriate child safeguarding training to recognise, identify, and respond to signs of abuse, neglect and other safeguarding concerns relating to children and young people

Despite considerable efforts, it is an unfortunate fact that incidents impacting the Athletics experience can and do occur from time to time.
The purpose of this policy is to describe the process for addressing them when they occur.

April 2022

Reporting ProceduresReporting procedures may vary depending upon whether an incident concerns a matter solely within the Club’s Domain or a matter involving persons outside of the Club. We appreciate the sensitive nature of reported incidents and will make every effort to ensure that information received by the Club is kept confidential, except to the limited extent necessary to evaluate and respond to reported incidents.

To ensure appropriate action is taken in the event of accidents / incidents or concerns of abuse and to provide support to the individual(s) who raise or disclose the concern Blackrock Athletic Club has developed the following Reporting Procedures:

1. Procedures and Guidelines for Reporting Accidents
2. Procedure for Code of Conduct breach by Juvenile Athlete
3. Guidelines and Procedures for Disciplinary, Complaints & Appeals of Code of Behaviour Breaches
4. Guidelines for a young person to report possible abuse
5. Guidelines for Members when a child protection concern has been observed by them or reported to them including Guidelines for Responding to a Child, reporting an Incident / Abuse

(These policies/procedures are available on request)

If the incident / complaint is a child abuse concern

The designated person is responsible for reporting allegations or suspicions of child abuse to Health Services Executive and/or An Garda Siochána.

Children First: National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children 2017 (ROI) defines four categories of abuse: neglect, emotional abuse, physical abuse, and sexual abuse. A child/young person may be subjected to one or more forms of abuse at any given time.   Blackrock Athletic Club DLP – Barry Thornton 083 0367197

Blackrock Athletic Club has the following guidance documents for the Designated Liaison Person when dealing with reporting of Child Welfare Concerns

• Steps to be taken by DLP when a Child Welfare Concern is raised in the Club and Reporting Procedures for the DLP
• Procedure for Reporting a concern about a child to Statutory Authorities / TUSLA
• Procedure for Child Welfare Concerns not Reported to Statutory Authorities/ TUSLA
• Internal Club procedures for dealing with a Member/Sports Leader/Volunteer/Child Member subject to a Child Welfare Concern

(These policies are available on request and are contained in the Club Document – Designated Liaison Person (DLP) – Roles, Responsibility and Procedures for dealing with a Child Welfare Concern

Summary Guide to Reporting Process

The following process outlines how a complaint received by a club should be handled in the first instance. The Complaints and Disciplinary Officer in Athletics Ireland can be consulted regarding this process as to how best to proceed on receipt of a complaint.

The Athletics Ireland Complaints and Disciplinary Officer is Kieron Stout.

Telephone 01 886 9933 or email kieronstout@athleticsireland.ie

 Are you Concerned about the behaviour of an officer/coach/volunteer or member of your club?

If Yes

Could it also be Child Abuse?