Virginia Golf Club is fully committed to safeguarding the wellbeing of juniors and juveniles. Every individual in golf should, at all times, show respect and understanding for all member’s rights, safety and welfare and conduct themselves in a way that reflects the principles of Virginia Golf Club and the guidelines contained in the Code of Ethics and Good Practice for Children’s Sport and Golf’s Safeguarding Policy.

- https://www.sportireland.ie/Participation/Code_of_Ethics/Code_of_Ethics_Manual/

- http://www.cgigolf.org/safeguarding/

Virginia Golf Club’s first priority is the welfare of juniors[1] and we are committed to providing an environment that will allow participants to perform to the best of their ability, free from neglect, emotional, physical and sexual abuse, bullying and intimidation. Leaders within Virginia Golf Club undergo the necessary Garda Vetting checks, are advised of the relevant codes of conduct and complete appropriate safeguarding training as required.

Virginia Golf Club’s written Risk Assessment document indicates the areas of potential risk of harm, the likelihood of the risk occurring and gives the required policy, guidance and procedures required to alleviate these risks.

In addition to our risk assessment document described above, there are further procedures that support our intention to safeguard children whilst they are availing of our activities. Virginia Golf Club has the following procedures in place as part of our Safeguarding Policies:

· Procedures for the management of allegations of abuse or misconduct by staff or volunteers against a child availing of our activities

· Procedures for the safe recruitment of staff and volunteers to work with children in our activities

· Procedures for access to child safeguarding training and information, including the identification of the occurrence of harm

· Procedure for reporting of child protection or welfare concerns to Statutory Authorities

For further information in relation to safeguarding juniors or if you have a concern please contact our Designated Liaison Person person below. If you feel that a junior is in immediate danger contact Tusla/Gateway NI or An Garda Síochána/PSNI.

In addition to the above, SafeGolf, the UK & Ireland partnership working together to promote a safe and positive environment for everyone in the sport, have launched a website (http://www.safegolf.org) through which anyone who may have a concern about the welfare of any player, or are concerned about the behaviour or practice of a coach, volunteer, organiser, parent or a player, can contact the lead safeguarding officer at their national governing body.

Designated Liaison Person – Anthony O’Grady 085-2733391 ogradyanthony405@gmail.com

This Child Safeguarding Statement will be reviewed by 1st March 2026

Signed: Pat Murphy_______________

Position: Hon Secretary________________ Date: 16/01/2025

On behalf of Virginia Golf Club

Safeguarding Contacts 2023

Name of Junior Convener John Clarke____________________

Contact No: 086 3494607___________________

Name of Club Children’s Officer Maria O’Donoghue_______________

Contact No: 086-8261231 ________________

Name of Designated Liaison Person Anthony O’Grady ________________

Contact No: 085 2733391____________________

Name of PGA Professional delivering

Junior activities in the Club ______________________

Contact No: _____________________

Core Values

Junior golf is based on the following principles that will guide the development of juniors within Virginia Golf Club.

Integrity in relationships:

Adults interacting with juniors should do so with integrity and respect for the child. There is a danger that sporting contexts can be used to exploit or undermine children. All adult actions should be guided by what is best for the junior and in the context of quality, open working relationships. Verbal, physical, emotional or sexual abuse of any kind is unacceptable.

Quality atmosphere and ethos

Golf for juniors should be conducted in a safe, positive and encouraging atmosphere. A child-centred ethos will contribute to a safe and enjoyable atmosphere within the Virginia Golf Club.

Equality

All children should be treated in an equitable and fair manner regardless of age, ability, sex, race, religion or belief, gender reassignment, social and ethnic background or political persuasion. Children with disabilities should be involved in golf activities in an integrated way, thus allowing them to participate to their potential alongside other juniors.

Equality Statement

Virginia Golf Club is committed to the principle of equality of opportunity. Virginia Golf Club aims to ensure that all present and potential participants, members, instructors, coaches, competitors, officials, volunteers and employees are treated fairly and on an equal basis, irrespective of sex, age, disability, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, marriage and civil partnership, gender reassignment or social status.

Fair Play:

Fair play is the guiding principle of the Code of Ethics and Good Practice for Children's Sport. All sport for juniors should be conducted in an atmosphere of fair play. Ireland has contributed and is committed to the European Code of Sports Ethics, which defines fair play as: “much more than playing within the rules”. It incorporates the concepts of friendship, respect for others and always playing with the right spirit. Fair play is defined as a way of thinking, not just behaving. It incorporates issues concerned with the elimination of opportunities, excessive commercialisation and corruption.

(European Sports Charter and Code of Ethics, Council of Europe, 1993).

Competition

A balanced approach to competition can make a significant contribution to the development of juniors, while at the same time providing fun, enjoyment and satisfaction. However, competitive demands are often placed on children too early, which results in excessive levels of pressure on them. This can contribute to a high level of drop out from sport. Golf Leaders should aim to put the welfare of the young person first and competitive standards second. A child-centred approach will help to ensure that competition and specialisation are kept in their appropriate place.

General Guidelines relating to junior members

Supervision:

· Virginia Golf Club Leaders will ensure there is an adequate adult:child ratio. This will depend on the nature of the activity, the age of the participants and any special needs of the group.

· Leaders must avoid being alone with one participant, if you need to talk separately do so in an open environment, in view of others.

· Leaders should not need to enter the changing rooms unless juniors are very young or need special assistance, where supervision should be in pairs of appropriate gender.

· Leaders will clearly state time for start and end of training sessions or competitions, leaders should remain in pairs until all participants have been collected.

· Attendance records and records of any incidents / injuries that arise will be kept for administration purposes.

· Leaders will facilitate parents who wish to stay and supervise sessions, (for safety and supervision, not necessarily for their ‘technical’ expertise).

Safety:

Virginia Golf Club will:

· Ensure activities are suitable for age and stage of development of participants

· Keep a record of any specific medical conditions / medication and emergency contact numbers for parents / guardians

· Ensure First Aid kit is close at hand

· Know the contact numbers of emergency services

· If an incident occurs, a brief record of the problem/action/outcome is recorded by the Group Leader. He/she will contact the participant’s parents and keep them informed of all details

· Officials (conveners and referees, etc.) should ensure the conduct of the game

· Participants should know and keep the etiquette guidelines of golf, keeping in mind that many rules are there for safety

· Leaders should hold appropriate qualifications required by the governing body

· Ensure there is adequate insurance cover for all activities

· Ensure parents / guardians are present at finishing time of sessions or events

Physical Contact:

Golf on occasion requires a ‘hands on approach’, especially in a teaching or coaching situation, e.g., it may be necessary to assist a junior when learning how to grip the club for the first time but the following will be taken into consideration

· Avoid unnecessary physical contact.

· Any necessary contact should be in response to the needs of the junior and not the adult.

· It will be in an open environment with the permission and understanding of the participant and parent/guardian.

· It will be determined by the age and developmental stage of the participant – a leader won’t do something that a child can do for themselves.

· A Leader will never engage in inappropriate touching.

Late Collection:

If a parent/guardian is late to collect a junior, they will be contacted by a Leader using the emergency contact number. If there is no answer, the junior, will be asked if there is another family member to contact. A Leader will wait with the junior at the club or venue, preferably with other staff or volunteers. Parents/Guardians will be reminded of the policy in relation to good practice and supervision.

Adults and juniors playing together:

One of the reasons for the popularity of golf is that the game is not restricted either competitively or socially by skill, age or gender. Golf can be enjoyed and keenly contested by players from and between any number and apparently diverse groups. That this diversity, almost unique to golf, is encouraged is essential to ensure the continuity of one of the most endearing traditions of the game. Every effort must be made to promote this mix of physical and technical ability.

Responsible interaction between adults and juniors helps bring mutual respect and understanding and helps the standards of the club to be understood and maintained. Nevertheless, when playing golf with a junior, adults should always be aware that certain age-related differences do exist and should conduct themselves in a manner that recognises this.

Juniors playing on the course without adults:

Virginia Golf Club is not responsible for providing adult supervision of juniors, except for formal junior golf coaching, matches or competitions.

Changing Rooms:

As Virginia Golf Club clubs could be seen as a recreational facility, members, visitors and juniors are entitled to the use of the changing rooms. This means that often people of all ages regularly need to use the changing rooms during the same period.

The following guidance in relation to adults and juniors using the changing rooms must be followed:

· Adults should exercise care when in the changing rooms at the same time as juniors

· Parents/guardians should be made aware that adults and juniors may need to share the changing facility. The parent/guardian should discuss this with their child ensuring their child is aware of who to talk to if any issues arise in unsupervised areas.

· Parents can choose to supervise their child while they change.

· If juniors are uncomfortable changing or showering in public, no pressure will be placed on them.

· Use of Mobile phone/ I Pads or any other photography/recording device is strictly forbidden in the changing room area.

Mobile Phones:

Young people value their mobile phones as it gives them a sense of independence and they can often be given to young people for security to enable parents to keep in touch. However, technology has given direct personal contact between adults and juniors and in some cases adults have used this to cross personal boundaries placing themselves and young people at risk. The following guidelines should be followed:

A Leader in Virginia Golf Club will:

· Where relevant for junior members (age 15 to 18) use group texts for communication among players and teams and inform parents of this at the start of the season, tournament or event.

· Not have constant contact with an individual athlete.

· Not use their phone in inappropriate locations, such as changing rooms, especially if that phone has a camera.

· Not send messages late at night

· Remember the principles of the Leaders Code of Conduct apply to social media communication as well and consider their digital footprint before posting.

Junior golfers in Virginia Golf Club

· If you receive an offensive message, email or photo don’t reply to it, save it, make note of times and dates and tell a parent/guardian or responsible adult you trust.

· Be careful about whom you give your number or email address to and don’t respond to unfamiliar numbers.

· Don’t use your phone in inappropriate locations, such as changing rooms, especially if your phone has a camera.

· Treat your phone as you would any valuable item so that you can guard against theft.

Travelling:

There is extra responsibility taken on by leaders of Virginia Golf Club when they travel with juniors to events. When travelling with juniors a Leader should:

· Inform parents who will be transporting their child, why and how long the journey will take.

· Attempt to have more than one child in the car.

· Alternate drivers if possible and which child is dropped off last.

· Ensure the driver has a point of contact/mobile phone.

· Have a person other than the planned driver talk to the child about transport arrangements to check they are comfortable about the plans.

· Ensure that they have insurance to carry others.

· Ensure drivers representing and volunteering on behalf of a club are vetted.

Recruitment & Supervision Policy

Virginia Golf Club will take all reasonable steps to ensure that adults representing it, and working with juniors are suitable to do so and are appropriately qualified, experienced and motivated. Recruitment and/or supervision procedures will apply to all persons with substantial access to juniors, whether paid or unpaid. Every effort will be made to manage and support appointed Leaders in Virginia Golf Club. Coaching courses and workshops will be provided as needed; Codes of Conduct will be made available and Garda Vetting procedures will be implemented.

A decision to appoint a Leader is the responsibility of Virginia Golf Club and not of any one individual within it. The relevant committees ratify all recommendations for appointment and will use the following as a suitable recruitment procedure.

· The responsibilities of the role and the level of experience/qualifications required for these roles in Virginia Golf Club can be found in the Virginia Golf Club Leaders Code of Conduct

· Once nominated to an elected position the Leader will be made aware of the Code of Conduct as it relates to juniors and any related guidelines within this document. Existing/New Leaders may be requested to undergo Garda Vetting.

· Safeguarding 1 (Basic Awareness) Course must be completed if requested by the Committee.

· Where possible there will be an induction seminar for new Leaders in the Clubhouse. This will be conducted in an informal manner with members of the junior committee.

Anti-Bullying Policy Statement

Bullying can occur between an adult and young person, and young person to young person. In either case, it is not acceptable within Virginia Golf Club. The competitive nature of golf can create an environment that provides opportunities for bullying. The bully may be a parent who pushes too hard, a leader who adopts a win-at-all costs philosophy, a young player who intimidates another or an official who places unfair pressure on a person. The Anti-Bullying Policy is set out in Appendix 4.

Photography and Use of Images policy

Golf has adopted guidelines for consideration in relation to the use of images of athletes on their websites and in other publications as part of its commitment to providing a safe environment to juniors. Virginia Golf Club will take all necessary steps to ensure that juniors are protected from the inappropriate use of their images in resource and media publications, on the internet and elsewhere. The Photography and Use of Images Guidelines are set out in Appendix 5.

This guidance is for anyone with responsibility for the publication of official photography (including videos) of children involved in golfing activities or events.

Golf benefits from using images of young participants to promote and celebrate activities, events and competitions. Parents and children generally welcome opportunities to celebrate or publicise their achievements. Some leaders/ coaches in Virginia Golf Club may want to use photographs or videos as a tool to support a young athlete’s skill development.

Video recording as a coaching aid: Video equipment can be used as legitimate coaching aid. However, permission must be obtained from the player and the player’s parent.

Anyone concerned about any photography taking place at events or training sessions can contact the Designated Liaison Person and ask them to deal with the matter.

Code of Conduct

i. Golf Leaders (Including Professionals, Coaches, Conveners etc)

Leaders in Virginia Golf Club should:

· Be positive during sessions and competitions, praise and encourage effort as well as results.

· Put the welfare of young person first, strike a balance between this and winning / results

· Encourage fair play and treat participants equally

· Recognise developmental needs, ensuring activities are appropriate for the individual

· Plan and prepare appropriately

· Have experience relevant to working with juniors or hold up-to-date qualifications and be committed to the guidelines in the Safeguarding Policy

· Involve parents where possible and inform parents of progress as well as when problems arise

· Keep a record of attendance at training and competitions

· Keep a brief record of injury(s) and action taken

· Keep a brief record of problem/action/outcomes, if behavioural problems arise

· Report any concerns in accordance with this Code’s reporting procedures

Leaders in Virginia Golf Club will avoid:

· Spending excessive amounts of time with children away from others

· Taking sessions alone

· Taking children to their home

· Taking children on journeys alone in their car

Leaders in Virginia Golf Club will not:

· Use any form of physical punishment or physical force on a child

· Use any form of abusive language

· Exert undue influence over a participant in order to obtain personal benefit or reward

· Engage in rough physical games, sexually provocative games or allow or engage in inappropriate touching of any kind, and /or make sexually suggestive comments about, or to a child. This includes innuendo, flirting or inappropriate gestures and terms

· Take measurements or engage in certain types of fitness testing without the presence of another adult

· Undertake any form of therapy (hypnosis etc.) in the training of children

Communication with Parents

To continue to ensure a child reaches their full potential and enjoys their time at Virginia Golf Club, Officials/Coaches/Leaders need to encourage parents to consider:

· What do they want their child to get out of golf? Is it the same as what the parent wants?

· Does the parent understand what their child is trying to achieve and what support they need to achieve it?

· Is the parent being the best role model they can be to help their child enjoy their golfing experience?

· Is the parent focused on their child’s development and enjoyment?

ii. Junior Members

Virginia Golf Club wishes to provide the best possible environment for all juniors involved in the sport. Juniors deserve to be given enjoyable, safe sporting opportunities, free of abuse of any kind. These participants have rights, which must be respected, and responsibilities that they must accept. Juniors should be encouraged to realise that they have responsibilities to treat other participants and Golf Leaders with fairness and respect.

Junior members of Virginia Golf Club are entitled to:

• Be safe and to feel safe

• Be listened to and believed

• Have fun and enjoy golf

• Have a voice in relation to their activities within golf

• Be treated with dignity, sensitivity and respect

• Participate on an equitable and fair manner, regardless of gender, appearance, age, ability, religion or belief, disability, social and ethnic background or political persuasion etc.

• Experience competition at a level at which they feel comfortable

• Make complaints and have them dealt with

• Be safe from risk of bullying behaviour

• Say No to things that make them feel unsafe

• Privacy and Confidentiality

Junior members of Virginia Golf Club should always:

• Give their friends a second chance

• Treat Golf Leaders with respect, (including professionals, coaches, conveners, club officials, etc.)

• Look out for themselves and the welfare of others

• Play fairly at all times, do their best

• Be organised and on time, tell someone if you are leaving a venue or competition

• Respect team members, even when things go wrong

• Respect opponents, be gracious in defeat

• Abide by the rules set down by team managers when travelling to away events, representing the club, province or country, etc.

• Behave in a manner that avoids bringing golf into disrepute

• Talk to the Designated Liaison Person within the club if they have any problems

Junior members of Virginia Golf Club should never:

• Cheat

• Use violence or engage in irresponsible, abusive, inappropriate or illegal behaviour

• Shout or argue with officials, team mates or opponents

• Harm team members, opponents or their property

• Bully or use bullying tactics to isolate another player or gain advantage

• Take banned substances, drink alcohol, smoke or engage in inappropriate sexual behaviour

• Keep secrets, that may leave them or others at risk

• Tell lies about adults / juniors or spread rumours

• Discriminate against other players on the basis of gender, appearance, age, ability, religion or belief, disability, social and ethnic background or political persuasion

iii. Parents/Guardians of junior members

As a parent/guardian of a junior member, we would encourage you to consider the following messages as Virginia Golf Club wants to help you continue supporting your child to reach their full potential and enjoy their time within golf.

Therefore please:

• Focus on what your child wants to get out of golf

• Be the best role model you can be

• Help your child achieve their potential

• Be respectful of other children and coaches.

Virginia Golf Club believes that parents should:

• Be a role model for your child and maintain the highest standards of conduct when interacting with juniors, other parents, officials and organisers.

• Always behave responsibly and do not seek to unfairly affect a player or the outcome of the game

• Never intentionally expose any junior to embarrassment or disparagement using flippant or sarcastic remarks.

• Always recognise the value and importance of the officials and volunteers who provide sporting and recreational opportunities for your child. Do not publicly question the judgement or honesty of referees, coaches or organisers. Respect conveners, professionals, coaches, referees, organisers and other players. Parents are welcome to attend events and coaching sessions but should not interfere with the coach or professional while working with the player.

• Encourage your child to play by the rules. Teach your child that honest endeavour is as important as winning and do all you can to encourage good sportsmanship.

• Set a good example by applauding good play. Encourage mutual respect for teammates and opponents.

• Parents should support all efforts to remove abusive behaviour and bullying behaviour in all its forms.

• Respect the rules and procedures set down by Virginia Golf Club.

• Never demonstrate threatening or abusive behaviour or use foul language.

Any misdemeanours and breaches of this Code of Conduct will be dealt with immediately by a Golf official. Persistent concerns or breaches will result in the parent/guardian being asked not to attend competitions if their attendance is detrimental to the child’s welfare.

Complaints & Disciplinary policy

All child welfare concerns are governed by the Code of Ethics and Good Practice for Children’s sports.

The principal steps outlined in the Code of Ethics are as follows:

• Complaint is received by the Honorary Secretary or DLP.

• The member against whom the complaint is made should be informed of the nature of the complaint being made against them within one working day of the complaint being received by the club.

• A disciplinary committee should be formed consisting of a club committee member, the DLP and an ordinary member of the club. This committee should meet and review the complaint and discuss separately with the complainant and the accused member. This should be done within 10 working days.

• The disciplinary committee should notify the member of any sanction being imposed or not. The notification should be made in writing setting out the reasons.

• The member has a right to appeal any decisions to an appeals committee independent of a disciplinary committee. Any appeal should be made in writing within 10 working days of the decision of the disciplinary committee. The chairperson of the appeals committee should be a member of the club management committee along with two other ordinary members, neither of whom has participated on the disciplinary committee leading to the appeal. This committee will have the power to confirm, set aside or change any sanction imposed by the disciplinary committee.

• The DLP is responsible for reporting any abuse allegations to the statutory authorities.

Appendix 1 - Club Children’s Officer Role

Name of Children’s Officer in Virginia Golf Club : Maria O’Donoghue

Every club/organisation must appoint a CCO. Club Children's Officers should be child centred in focus and have as the primary aim, the establishment of a child centred ethos within the club. S/he is the link between the children and the adults in the club. S/he also takes responsibility for monitoring and reporting to the Club Management Committee on how club policy impacts on young people and Sports Leaders.

People

The Children's Officer should be a member of or have access to, the Club Management Committee and should be introduced to the young people in an appropriate forum. The Children's Officer should have the following role:

· To promote awareness of the code within the club, among young members and their parents/guardians. This could be achieved by:- the production / distribution of information leaflets, the establishment of children's/age-group specific notice boards, regular information meetings for the young people and their parents/guardians

· Familiarisation with all relevant documents and legislation

· Undertake training in relation to child protection (Safeguarding 1 Basic Awareness & Safeguarding 2 Children’s Officer workshops)

· To influence policy and practice within the club in order to prioritise children's needs

· Establish contact with the National Children’s Officer at governing body level.

· To ensure that children know how to make concerns known to appropriate adults or agencies.

· To encourage the appropriate involvement of parents/guardians in the club activities

· To act as an advisory resource to Sports Leaders on best practice in children's sport

· To report regularly to the Club Management Committee

· To monitor changes in membership and follow up any unusual dropout, absenteeism or club transfers by children or Sports Leaders

· To ensure that the children have a voice in the running of their club and ensure that there are steps young people can take to express concerns about their sports activities / experiences.

· Establish communication with other branches of the club, e.g. facilitate parent’s information sessions at the start of the season

· Keep records on each member on file, including junior members, their contact numbers and any special needs of the child that should be known to leaders

· Ensure each member signs an annual membership form that includes signing up to the code of conduct

· Ensure all volunteers successfully complete Garda Vetting process, are aware of codes of conduct and undertake the appropriate safeguarding training and keep records of same.

· Ensure that the club rules and regulations include:-

* complaints, disciplinary and appeals procedures

* an anti-bullying policy

* safety statement

* rules in relation to traveling with children

* supervision and recruitment of leaders

(Note: This may simply mean adopting the regulations set out in the governing body’s code for children’s sport)

(Taken from the Sport Ireland Code of Ethics & Good Practice for Children in Sport)

Appendix 2 - Club Designated Liaison Person Role

Name of Designated Liaison Person in Virginia Golf Club : Anthony O’Grady

Every club/organisation must appoint a person to be responsible for dealing with any concerns about the protection of children. The designated liaison person is responsible for reporting allegations or suspicions of child abuse to Tusla Child and Family Agency or and/or An Garda Siochána. It is recommended that this person is a senior club person. However, if there is difficulty identifying a separate individual to take this role, the Children’s Officer can be appointed as designated person once the club/organisation is clear about the responsibilities of the each role.

The organisation’s child protection policy and procedures should include the name and contact details of the designated person and the responsibilities attached to the role.

The Designated Liaison Person should have the following role:

· Have knowledge of the Code of Ethics and statutory guidelines

· Have a knowledge of categories and indicators of abuse

· Undertake training in relation to child protection (Safeguarding 1 Basic Awareness & Safeguarding 3 Designated Liaison Person workshops)

· Be familiar with and able to carry out reporting procedures as outlined in the code

· Communicate with parents and/or agencies as appropriate

· Assist with the ongoing development and implementation of the organisation’s child protection training needs

· Liaise with the national children’s officer in relation to child protection training needs

· Be aware of local contacts and services in relation to child protection, i.e. principal and duty social workers and their contacts

· To inform local duty social worker in Tusla Child and Family Ageny and/or An Garda Síochána of relevant concerns about individual children, using the Standard Reporting Form. Keep a copy of this form and ensure acknowledgement of receipt of this form

· Report persistent poor practice to the National Mandated Person

· Advise club administrators on issues of confidentiality, record keeping and data protection

Children's Officers/Designated Persons do not have the responsibility of investigating or validating child protection concerns within the club and have no counselling or therapeutic role. These roles are filled by the Statutory Authorities as outlined in Children First and Our Duty to Care. It is, however, possible that child protection concerns will be brought to the attention of the Children's Officer. In this event, it is essential that the correct procedure is followed.

(Taken from the Sport Ireland Code of Ethics & Good Practice for Children in Sport)

Appendix 3 - Child Welfare and Protection Procedures

The following are the procedures for dealing with any welfare or protection issue that may arise. Child welfare and the protection of juniors is the concern of all adults at all times, irrespective of their role within the club.

If there are grounds for concern about the safety or welfare of a junior, you should react to the concern. Persons unsure about whether or not certain behaviours are abusive and therefore reportable, should contact the duty social worker in Tusla – Child & Family Agency or An Garda Siochana where they will receive advice.

Reasonable Grounds for concern

TUSLA should always be informed when there are reasonable grounds for concern that a child may have been abused, or is being abused, or is at risk of abuse.

The following examples would constitute reasonable grounds for concern:

· A specific indication from the child that he or she was abused (disclosure)

· An account by a person who says the child is being abused

· Evidence, such as an injury or behaviour, that is consistent with abuse and unlikely to be caused in another way

· An injury or behaviour that is consistent both with abuse and with an innocent, explanation, but where there are corroborative indicators supporting the concern that it may be a case of abuse e.g. a pattern of injuries, an implausible explanation, and other indications of abuse and/or dysfunctional behaviour

· Consistent indication, over a period of time that a child is suffering from emotional or physical neglect

A report may be made by any member in the club but should be passed on to the National Children’s Officer & Designated Liaison Person, who may in turn have to pass the concern to the local Statutory Authorities. It is not the responsibility of anyone working within golf, in a paid or voluntary capacity, to take responsibility or decide whether or not child abuse is taking place. That is the job of the local Statutory Authorities. However, there is a responsibility to protect juniors by assisting the appropriate agencies so that they can then make enquiries and take any necessary action to protect the junior.

Everyone should follow both procedures outlined below, firstly the procedure for responding to a junior in distress and secondly the procedure for reporting the concern.

Response to a Child Disclosing Abuse

When a junior discloses information of suspected abuse you should:

a. Deal with any allegation of abuse in a sensitive and competent way through listening to and facilitating the junior to tell you about the problem, rather than interviewing the junior about details of what happened

b. Stay calm and don’t show any extreme reaction to what the junior is saying. Listen compassionately, and take what the junior is saying seriously

c. Understand that the junior has decided to tell something very important and has taken a risk to do so. The experience of telling should be a positive one so that the junior will not mind talking to those involved in the investigation

d. Be honest with the junior and tell them that it is not possible to keep information a secret but you will maintain confidentiality

e. Make no judgmental statements against the person whom the allegation is made

f. Do not question the junior unless the nature of what s/he is saying is unclear. Do not use leading questions. Open, non-specific questions should be used such as “Can you explain to me what you mean by that”

g. Check out the concerns with the Virginia Golf Club DLP and then advise the parents/guardians you are contacting the statutory authorities unless doing so would possibly place the child at any further risk.

h. Give the junior some indication of what would happen next, such as informing parents/guardians, or Statutory Authorities. It should be kept in mind that the junior may have been threatened and may feel vulnerable at this stage.

i. Carefully record the details

j. Pass on this information to the National Children’s Officer & DLP

k. Reassure the junior that they have done the right thing in telling you

Reporting Suspected or Disclosed Child Abuse

The following steps should be taken in reporting child abuse to the Statutory Authorities:

a. Observe and note dates, times, locations and contexts in which the incident occurred or suspicion was aroused, together with any other relevant information

b. Report the matter as soon as possible to the Designated Liaison Person within the club who has responsibility for reporting abuse. If the DLP has reasonable grounds for believing that the junior has been abused or is at risk of abuse, s/he will make a report to local Statutory Authorities who have statutory responsibility to investigate and assess suspected or actual child abuse

c. In cases of emergency, where a junior appears to be at immediate and serious risk and the DLP is unable to contact a duty social worker, An Garda Síochána should be contacted. Under no circumstances should a junior be left in a dangerous situation pending intervention by the Statutory Authorities

d. If the DLP is unsure whether reasonable grounds for concern exist s/he can informally consult with the Statutory Authorities. S/he will be advised whether or not the matter requires a formal report

A DLP reporting suspected or actual child abuse to the Statutory Authorities will first inform the family of their intention to make such a report, unless doing so would put the child at further risk or undermine an investigation.

The Protection for Persons Reporting Child Abuse Act, 1998 provides immunity from civil liability to persons who report child abuse ‘reasonably and in good faith’ to the Tusla Child and Family Agency or An Garda Síochána. The act also covers the offence of ‘false reporting’. The main provisions of the Act are:

1. The provision of immunity from civil liability to any person who reports child abuse “reasonably and in good faith” to designated officers of Tusla Child and Family Agency or any member of An Garda Síochána

2. The provision of significant protections for employees who report child abuse. These protections cover all employees and all forms of discrimination up to and including, dismissal

3. The creation of a new offence of false reporting of child abuse where a person makes a report of child abuse to the appropriate authorities “knowing that statement to be false”. This is a new criminal offence designed to protect innocent persons from malicious reports

Allegations against Golf Leaders

Virginia Golf Club has agreed procedures to be followed in cases of alleged child abuse made against Golf Leaders. If such an allegation is made against a Golf Leader working within the club, two procedures should be followed:

· The reporting procedure in respect of suspected child abuse (reported by the DLP), see previous page

· The procedure for dealing with the Golf Leader

The safety of the child making the allegation should be considered and the safety of any other children who may be at risk. The organisation will take any necessary steps that may be needed to protect children in its care.

The issue of confidentiality is important. Information is on a need to know basis and the Golf Leader should be treated with respect and fairness.

The reporting procedure

If the DLP has reasonable grounds for concern, the matter should be reported to the Statutory Authorities, following the standard reporting procedure.

The procedure for dealing with Virginia Golf Club’s leader

The DLP makes the report to the Statutory Authorities and seeks advice about how and when to inform the person the allegation is made against.

In golf, the Unions following advice from statutory agencies will inform the Leader that

a) an allegation has been made against him / her and

b) the nature of the allegation.

He / she should be afforded an opportunity to respond. His / her response should be noted and passed on to the Statutory Authorities

The Leader may be asked to step aside pending the outcome of the investigation. When a person is asked to step aside it should be made clear that it is only a precautionary measure and will not prejudice any later disciplinary proceedings

Disciplinary action on the Leader should be considered but only if this does not interfere with the investigation of the Statutory Authorities. It is important to consider the outcome of the investigation and any implications it might have. The fact that someone an allegation has been made against has not been prosecuted or been found guilty does not automatically mean that they are appropriate to work with juniors in the future.

Irrespective of the findings of the Statutory Authorities, the Golf Unions & PGA Disciplinary Committees will assess all individual cases to decide whether a member of staff or volunteer should be reinstated and if so how this can be sensitively handled. This may be a difficult decision, especially where there is insufficient evidence to uphold any action by the Statutory Authorities. In such case the Golf Disciplinary Committees must reach a decision based upon the available information which could suggest that on the balance of probability, it is more likely than not that the allegation is true, and the implications of this for the safety of juniors. The welfare of the junior should remain of paramount importance throughout. The Unions and PGA may need to disclose information to ensure the protection of juniors in its care.

Appendix 4 - Anti-Bullying Policy

What is Bullying Behaviour

Bullying behaviour can be defined as unwanted negative behaviour, verbal, psychological or physical, conducted by an individual or group against another person (or persons) and which is repeated over time.

Types of Bullying Behaviour

Bullying behaviour exists in many different forms, some are not as obvious as others, but are just as damaging to the victim. Listed below are some of the more common types of bullying, one or more method may be used by the person displaying bullying behaviour.

Physical

Physical bullying includes any physical contact that would hurt or injure a person like pushing, hitting, kicking, punching, tripping, etc. Physical bullying can put the person experiencing bullying behaviour at risk of injury and makes them feel powerless. Taking something that belongs to someone else and destroying it would also be considered a type of physical bullying.

Verbal

Verbal bullying usually takes the form of name-calling or making nasty remarks or jokes about a person's religion, gender, appearance, sexuality, ethnicity, socio-economic status, or the way they look. It can also include freezing the victim out by exclusion or spreading rumours.

Threats

Making threats against a person or their property is also a type of bullying. It can be a threat to damage or take something belonging to the victim or to hurt them physically. Often the threat is not actually carried out, but the fear created by the threat can be enough to upset the person experiencing bullying behaviour.

Cyber

Cyber bullying is done by sending messages, pictures, or information using electronic media, computers (email & instant messages), mobile phones (text messaging & voicemail) and social networking websites. This activity can be upsetting and harmful to the person targeted. This type of bullying can allow the person who is displaying bullying behaviour to hide their identity which may have a bigger impact on the person experiencing bullying behaviour.

Homophobic

Homophobic bullying is motivated by prejudice against a person’s actual or perceived sexual orientation and gender identity- lesbians, gay males, bisexual, transsexual, or transgender people.

Racist

Racist bullying is motivated by prejudice against a person’s skin colour, cultural or religious background or ethnic origin.

The Impact of Bullying Behaviour

The damage inflicted by bullying behaviour can frequently be underestimated. It can cause considerable distress to juniors, to the extent that it affects their health and development, or at the extreme, cause them significant harm.

Recognising Bullying Behaviour

There are a number of signs that may indicate a person is being bullied:

Reluctance to come to a venue or take part in activities
Physical signs (unexplained bruises, scratches, or damage to belongings)
Stress-caused illness – headaches, and stomach aches which seem unexplained
Fearful behaviour (fear of walking to a meeting, going different routes, asking to be driven)
Frequent loss of, or shortage of, money with vague explanations
Having few friends or drop out of newer members
Changes in behaviour (withdrawn, stammering, moody, irritable, upset, distressed, not eating, reduced concentration, drop in performance)
Anxiety (shown by nail-biting, fearfulness, tics)

This list is not exhaustive and there are other possible reasons for many of the above. The presence of one or more of these indicators is not proof that bullying is actually taking place

How to prevent Bullying Behaviour

Ensure that all members follow the Code of Conduct, which promotes the rights and dignity of each member
Deal with any incidents as soon as they arise
Use a whole group policy or ‘no-blame approach’, i.e. working with person(s) displaying the bullying behavior and the group of juniors, helping them to understand the hurt they are causing, and so make the problem a ‘shared concern’ of the group
Encourage juniors to negotiate, co-operate and help others, particularly new or children with specific needs
Offer the person experiencing bullying behavior immediate support and put the ‘no blame approach’ into operation
Never tell a young person to ignore bullying, they can’t ignore it, it hurts too much
Never encourage a young person to take the law into their own hands and beat the person(s) displaying the bullying behavior at his/her own game.
Reassure the person experiencing bullying behavior that they have done nothing wrong. Reinforce that there is a ‘right to tell’ culture within the club.

Who should deal with bullying?

While the more extreme forms of bullying would be regarded as physical or emotional abuse and are reported to the Statutory Authorities, dealing with bullying behaviour is normally the responsibility of all Leaders within golf. You should also liaise with the appropriate National Children’s Officer & DLP.

Using the NO BLAME Approach

The NO BLAME approach seeks to find a resolution for the young people involved in the bullying behaviour whilst maintaining their relationship within the club or the group.

This is important for young people who often simply want the behaviour to stop, without a need for punishments to be imposed.

The NO BLAME approach encourages young people to recognise the impact of their behaviour and then to take responsibility for changing it. By using this approach, a previous relationship between or within a team can often be re-established; this is often a preferred option for the young people involved.

The ethos behind the NO BLAME approach is to:

· EXPLAIN the problem, i.e. that someone seems to be unhappy in the club, seems to be picked on etc. and explain how that person is feeling; this should not accuse anyone.

· ASK for ideas as to how to help this person

· LEAVE the individuals involved to check how the behaviour has changed

· SHARE the responsibility of changing the behaviour and encouraging everyone to speak to a trusted adult if there is bullying behaviour in the club

The NO BLAME approach does not attempt to get ‘confessions’, it seeks to get an acknowledgement of behaviour and provides an opportunity for young people to change hurtful behaviour.

There may be issues that are not resolved through the NO BLAME approach, where behaviour continues.

Bullying behaviour is a breach of a code of conduct and may have to be dealt with through a disciplinary process. However, the outcome for young people is far better when issues can be resolved through the NO BLAME approach.

NO BLAME APPROACH

STEP 1: MEET WITH THE JUNIOR WHO IS THE TARGET OF THE BULLYING BEHAVIOUR

If you find that there has been an incident of bullying behaviour, first talk to the young person who is the target of the behaviour. At this stage find out who was involved and what the young person is now feeling. Try asking the following questions:

What was the behaviour that has caused upset?
Are you emotionally/physically hurt and/or how are you feeling?
Who was involved in the behaviour, i.e. was it in your own peer group?
When and where did it happen?
Make sure you actively listen and advise the young person of the next steps that will be taken

STEP 2: MEET WITH ALL INVOLVED

Arrange to meet with all those involved; this should include those who initiated the bullying behaviour, some of the backup and if necessary you might want to ask the audience.

The meeting should be informal, and it is better to try to meet the individuals before meeting as a group. If you meet with a group keep the number controllable and you should only deal with the topic. Make sure everyone knows you are there to get their point of view and find their solutions.

STEP 3: EXPLAIN THE PROBLEM

Talk about the hurt caused in general terms without apportioning blame, e.g. you might suggest the target of the bullying behaviour doesn’t seem to be happy in the club, and you have heard they have been called names/left out/picked on etc. It might be helpful to ask questions like:

What do you think they are feeling?
How would you feel if it was you?
What would you do if it happened to you?
What could we do to see it does not happen again?

You should not use specific details of the incident or allocate blame, however explain the feelings of loneliness, feeling left out, being rejected, laughed at and how that the person may be feeling.

Listen and watch out for reactions and pick up on comments without accusing or if in a group without isolating anyone; this is an opportunity to find out how others in the group feel about bullying behaviour.

STEP 4: ASK THE GROUP/INDIVIDUAL FOR THEIR IDEAS

At this stage the group or individual is encouraged to suggest ways that would make a target of the bullying behaviour feel happier. Use phrases like: “if it were you what would help you….”, to encourage a response.

Listen to all suggestions and note them, especially positive responses as these will help create an environment for young people involved to work together.

STEP 5: LEAVE IT TO THE GROUP OR INDIVIDUAL

Now the problem has been identified and solutions suggest it is now handed over to the group/individual to act on. Arrange what actions they will take and to meet again a certain time frame. You have now passed the responsibility over to the group or the individual to take the suggested action within that time.

STEP 6: MEET THEM AGAIN

Meet everyone, including the person who had been responsible for the bullying behaviour and the target of the behaviour; discuss how things are going and check if there have been other incidents.

This allows for continual monitoring and keeps everyone involved in the process.

The parents of the young people involved should be informed of the actions taken.

STEP 7: SHARE THE RESPONSIBILITY

Meet with the wider group or team to discuss what should be in place to help prevent further incidents and what impact bullying behaviour may have on everyone, e.g. less free time or social activities, or other actions might need to be imposed as a preventative measure.

Any action should be used in the spirit of prevention, not as a punishment.

Useful Contacts

Childline ROI Tel: 1800 66 66 66 or Text Talk to 50101 www.childline.ie

Appendix 5 - Photography & Use of Images Guidelines

Using photographs and videos of children and young people in golf for publication, promotion, press, or for coaching purposes.

This guidance is for anyone with responsibility for developing policies and procedures about the use and publication of official photography (including videos) of children involved in sports activities or events.

Golf clubs benefit from using images of young participants to promote and celebrate activities, events and competitions. Parents and children generally welcome opportunities to celebrate or publicise their achievements. Some sports coaches may want to use photographs or videos as a tool to support a young athlete’s skill development.

However, the use of photos and videos on websites and social media, and in posters, the press or other publications, can pose direct and indirect risks to children and young people if not managed correctly. Organisations wishing to use or permit the use of images of children involved in their activities must therefore have a policy in place to safeguard them.

What are the risks?

Children may be identified, located, groomed[2] or contacted.

Including the child's personal identity (full name, address) can make them identifiable and therefore vulnerable to individuals looking to locate, contact and 'groom' children for abuse.

Even if these details are kept confidential, any other details accompanying the images (such as the organisation, school or club they belong to, or their favourite sports person or team) can also be used to groom the child.

This also increases the risk of identification of, and contact with, a child by someone in circumstances where there are legal restrictions or this could otherwise be potentially harmful. For example if the child is in statutory care or placed in an adoptive family; or where it is potentially dangerous to reveal the child’s whereabouts to an estranged parent due to previous concerns about domestic violence.

Taking or producing inappropriate or illegal images of children

Photo or video content may themselves be inappropriate (for example images of children changing); or images may be used inappropriately, or out of context. Images can easily be copied and adapted, perhaps to create child abuse images, which can then find their way into the public domain on websites or social media.

Potential impact on children affected

The effects on children and young people of grooming or sexually abusive experiences can be devastating and life changing. Young people who have experienced online grooming or whose images have been misused and/or shared through social media often find this as traumatic and damaging as other, more direct, forms of sexual abuse.

There have been instances where identification of children through images and information appearing in public media have resulted in the breakdown of children’s foster or adoptive family placements due to the intervention of adults who have subsequently traced them. Some children have also been put at risk when identified and traced by adults (known to them or not) with bad intent.

How can the risks be minimised?

Think carefully before using any images showing children and young people on your website, social media, or in your publications.
Establish the type of images that present the activity in a positive light and promote the best aspects of the sport and organisation.
Avoid supplying the full name(s) of the child or children along with the image(s), unless this is considered necessary, is in the child’s best interests, and the child and parent have consented.
Only use images of children in suitable dress/kit.
Where possible images of these activities should:

focus on the activity rather than a particular child
avoid images and camera angles that may be more prone to misinterpretation or misuse than others.

· Consider using models or illustrations if you are promoting an activity, rather than the children who are actually involved in it.

· Link to guidance on talented young athletes and open, public sites (below)

· Provide coaches who wish to use images of young athletes for development purposes with clear guidelines they are required to comply with. Cover: consents, retention, safe storage, confidentiality, and use.

What to do when using official/professional photographers

· Ensure that children and parents are aware that a photographer will be active at the event, and consent has been obtained.

· Check the photographer’s identity, the validity of their role, and the purpose/use of the images to be taken.

· Issue the photographer with identification, which must be worn at all times.

· Provide the photographer with a clear brief about what is considered appropriate in terms of image content and their behaviour (as above)*.

· Clarify areas where all photography is prohibited (toilets, changing areas, and so on)

· Inform the photographer about how to identify and avoid taking images of children without the required parental photography consent (this will depend on the process in place at each event)*.

· Do not allow unsupervised access to children or one-to-one photo sessions at events*.

· Do not allow photo sessions away from the event, for instance at a young person's home*.

· Clarify issues about ownership of and access to all images, and for how long they will be retained and/or used

*(establish/clarify during commissioning/contracting process).

Do I need parental permission?

Close up images

· Organisers should seek parents’ consent to take and use images of individual or smaller groups of participants in which their child would easily be recognisable.

· Parents should understand how, where and in what context an image may be used (for example on a public website, through social media, or in a printed resource).

· They should be aware of and support your policy on using children's images, and of the way these represent the organisation or activity.

· This can be recorded on a parental consent form for use of images of children, possibly as part of the process for registering and consenting the child’s participation in the activity/event.

· You should also ask for the child's permission to use their image. This ensures that they are aware of the way the image is to be used to represent the activity. A children's permission form is one way of recording their consent.

Examples of consent forms are available on the Child Protection in Sport Unit website.

When using a photographer (even if this is undertaken by someone already involved in the club or activity) inform parents and children that a photographer will be in attendance and ensure they consent to both the taking and publication of films or photos.

General (e.g. wide angle) images of events

At many events organisers will quite reasonably wish to take wide angle, more general, images of the event, site/s, opening and closing ceremonies, and so on. It is usually not reasonable, practical or proportionate to secure consents for every participating child in order to take such images, or to preclude such photography on the basis of the concerns of a small number of parents.

In these circumstances organisers should (before and during the event) make clear to all participants and parents that these kinds of images will be taken, and for what purposes.

Talented young athletes

As young athletes progress up the competitive ladder within their sport, elite level events are increasingly likely to take place in a public arena. Event organisers and golfing organisation will quite reasonably seek publicity to positively promote their activity, and elite young athletes receiving endorsements or sponsorship may well welcome positive media coverage on a local, regional or national level.

In this case some aspects of the guidance around the use of images detailed above (for example avoiding the inclusion of names and some other personal details alongside photographs) are neither practical nor desirable. Organisers retain their duty of care to these athletes and a responsibility to safeguard them, and must ensure that parents and young athletes understand and consent to images being taken and information used in these circumstances.

It is important that other practice guidance (for example about the nature, content and use of images; and about ensuring that photography sessions are supervised) are still considered and applied. It is important for the athletes, their parents and media representatives to be clear about appropriate arrangements and ground rules for interviews, filming and photo sessions.

Young elite athletes and their parents will be supported by the golfing organisations and prepared to manage these and a range of other issues (including safeguarding concerns) that may arise as a result of their sporting success and increased public profile.

Parents of high performance young people should contact their golfing union for, guidance and support to help athletes manage the media, for example in planning for media interviews.

When parental consent is not given

Organisers have a responsibility to put in place arrangements to ensure that any official/professional photographers can identify or be informed about which children should not be subject to close-up photography. This could involve providing some type of recognisable badge, sticker or wrist band (perhaps a different colour to ‘consented’ young people – ideally something easily recognisable but not stigmatising for the child), and/or a system for photographers to check with the activity organiser and/or team manager to clarify which groups or individuals should not feature in images. It must be emphasised to any photographer that the use of images with these ‘unconsented’ children included will not be permitted.

How should I respond to concerns?

All staff, volunteers, children and parents should be informed that if they have any concerns regarding inappropriate or intrusive photography (in terms of the way, by whom, or where photography is being undertaken), these should be reported to the event organiser or another official.

There must be an appropriate safeguarding policy and procedure in place to ensure that any reported concerns are dealt with in the same way as any other child protection issue, ensuring that your club/event or lead child protection or safeguarding officer is informed. If there are concerns or suspicions about potentially criminal behaviour this should include referral to the police.

Concerns about professional photographers should also be reported to their employers.

Information adapted with permission from the Child Protection in Sport Unit

[1] Throughout Safeguarding Policy document references to “Juniors” covers both juvenile (age 8 to 14) and junior (age 15 to 18) members

[2] The term “grooming” refers to the process of a potential abuser using their knowledge of and/or relationship with a child to manipulate the child (and often adults around them) in order to create opportunities for sexually abusive behaviour.