Sports Coach UK Chaperone Guidance – November 2016
In this document the term chaperone refers to a responsible adult who would support a 16 / 17 year old through participation in a Sports Coach UK ‘ Safeguarding and Protecting Children ’ workshop .
In 2014 , Sports Coach UK took the decision to discontinue the ‘ Safeguarding and Protecting Children 16 – 18 ’ workshop as we felt young people will be best served by the ‘ Keeping Safe in Sport : Safeguarding for Young Volunteers ( 13 +)’ workshop that has been specifically developed for participants who are considered children in the eyes of the law .
Despite ‘ Keeping Safe in Sport ’ being our recommended workshop for all under 18s , Sports Coach UK is aware of the fact that many 16 and 17 year olds do already have assistant coaching qualifications . As such , Sports Coach UK has retained our policy of allowing 16 and 17 year olds to undertake the ‘ Safeguarding and Protecting Children ’ workshop , when and only when accompanied by an adult chaperone . Please note – under 16s may not attend the ‘ Safeguarding and Protecting Children ’ workshop .
Sports Coach UK has taken guidance from the Child Protection in Sport Unit that 16 and 17 year olds may sometimes find some of the topics of discussion within the ‘ Safeguarding and Protecting Children ’ workshop challenging or upsetting . For this reason and because 16 and 17 year olds may simply sometimes need a little extra support , Sports Coach UK is committed to a chaperone policy .
To help tutors and workshop organisers understand the chaperone role we have produced some simple guidance :
� The chaperone should be a responsible adult and able to support the young person as required .
� The chaperone should be known to the young person before the workshop takes place and someone they feel comfortable talking about sensitive subjects with .
� The chaperone should not be a delegate already participating in the workshop as the chaperone ’ s purpose should be to support the young person .
� Chaperones will not be certificated following a ‘ Safeguarding and Protecting Children ’ workshop .
� The chaperone must stay for the duration of the workshop , but how individual tutors use chaperones can be agreed with a young person on a case-by-case basis .
� Chaperones are not required for the ‘ Keeping Safe in Sport ’ workshop as this workshop is specifically designed for under 18s .
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