SAFEGUARDING AND WELFARE

Telford and Wrekin Hockey Club has welfare officers available to players and parents, in the event of an incident that they are concerned about.

If you have any concerns about safeguarding or wish to report something to the club please see contact details below.

If you would like any further information from England Hockey regarding their safe guarding good practice or have a concern to report to them please email safeguarding@englandhockey.co.uk 

You can contact each officer from here. Please click on the officers name to open up a secure message page.

Everyone in hockey has a responsibility to safeguard and protect young people. 

The role of a welfare officer is primarily to promote good practice within our club, to be a named point of contact for young people, parents, coaches and volunteers and to understand England Hockey’s reporting procedures in case a concern is raised.

The information below outlines the role, and skills and knowledge to look for in a welfare officer. 

ROLE

• To be the first point of contact for staff, volunteers, parents and young people where concerns about welfare, poor practice or child abuse are identified.
• Implement the club’s reporting and recording procedures.
• Promote the club’s best practice guidance/code of ethics within the club.
• Assist the club to fulfil its responsibilities to safeguard young people.
• Assist the club to implement its child welfare implementation plan.
• Assist volunteers in keeping their certificates and qualifications up to date.
• Sit on the club’s management committee
• Ensure confidentiality is maintained.
• Promote anti-discriminatory practice.
• Be the first point of contact with the England Hockey Lead Child Welfare Officer
• Maintain contact details for local social services, police and the Local Safeguarding Children Boards (LSCB) in case of an emergency.

EXPERIENCE & KNOWLEDGE

• Own club’s policy and procedures related to safeguarding and protecting young people.
• Own club’s role and responsibilities to safeguard the welfare of young people – boundaries of the club welfare officer role.
• Knowledge of the England Hockey’s Safeguarding and Protecting Young People in Hockey Policy & Procedures
• Basic knowledge of roles and responsibilities of local statutory agencies (social services, police and Local Safeguarding Children Board).  This can be gained through training. The Welfare Officer should have full contact details for their local agencies.
• Awareness of equalities issues and child protection.
• Basic knowledge of core legislation, government guidance and national framework for child protection – This can be gained through training

SKILLS

• Approachable
• Child focused
• Basic administration
• Basic advice and support provision
• Communication
• Maintain records
• Ability to promote organisation’s policy, procedures and resources
• Interpersonal

Telford and Wrekin Hockey Club believes that all young people have the right to be safe and enjoy their involvement in hockey and is committed to promoting the welfare of all young people in our sport to protect them from harm alongside the hockey family. In this instance, a young person is defined as anyone under the age of 18.

England Hockey have created a safeguarding young people policy and are actively aiding affiliated hockey clubs and associations in adopting and implementing their own policy. Safeguarding advice and support is also provided through the England Hockey Ethics and Welfare Team for anyone who reports concerns about the welfare of a young person.

England Hockey’s safeguarding young people policy is named SafeD. This policy covers the commitments of those who created and adopt the policy, how to recognise poor practice and abuse, how to report safeguarding and welfare concerns, useful contacts and provides links to templates and further guidance. All hockey clubs, areas and individuals are bound to this policy, regardless of their role or whether they have links to young people. All hockey clubs and areas should adopt SafeD and have their commitment to it available to view for all current and prospective members.

Telford and Wrekin Hockey Club has adopted, and is committed to the England Hockey SafeD policy.

To view the England Hockey SafeD Good Practice when working with Young People document please click on the link below.

Telford and Wrekin Hockey Club has adapted and implemented the England Hockey ‘Young People playing in Senior Teams’ Guidance. A link to the guidance can be found below.

Welcome to Telford and Wrekin Hockey Club’s guide to parents.

The Hockey Club is committed to creating and maintaining a safe and positive environment for all young people involved in hockey; we embrace and apply the framework and guidelines set by England Hockey to make sure we are using the most up-to-date and appropriate process to look after our Junior Players.

What can you expect from the club?

• A friendly welcome, an opportunity to meet new friends play and watch hockey
• Opportunities for your child to have fun and develop their game as much as they want to
• A safe environment
• Qualified coaches and responsible volunteers
• Relationships based on trust, honesty and respect where your child is valued and listened to
• Your child’s welfare and safety is paramount
• Club members will recognise your child’s rights, whatever your age, gender, culture, ability, language, religious belief, racial origin, and/or sexual identity
• Opportunities for you to get involved in the club Safeguarding and Protecting Young People / Child Protection Policy and Complaints Policy are available for you on request 
• Clear lines of communication with you about your child, fixtures, training and events
• If you child is playing in a senior team, please be aware that travel is usually via a shared car agreement with senior club members and that they will be entering changing rooms with the rest of the squad.

What does the club expect from my child?

• To adhere to the club’s and England Hockeys codes of conduct

The club does expect you to….

• accompany your child to and from the Astroturf for training, and the designated drop-off and collection point for matches – PLEASE do not just drop them off in the car-park, as you will have no guarantee that the session for that day is definitely on, or that the coaches are there to look after your children (as they may have been unavoidably detained for some reason).
• Adhere by the club rules and codes of conduct
• Register your child on the club website (by registering yourself) AND MAINTAINING ALL REQUIRED EMERGENCY CONTACT DETAILS AND MEDICAL INFORMATION that the club should know about – it is YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to ensure it is up to date on the website, as this is the source the club will use for its most up- to-date information
• Be aware that the club and its coaches only expect to look after the wellbeing of your child whilst they are on the Astroturf training/playing – at all other times they are YOUR responsibility.

The club will expect you to….

• ensure that your son/daughter is dropped off and picked up promptly from training
• accept the guidance that coaches provide and umpire’s decisions within matches
• use correct language at all times
• never force your child to participate.

The Club would like you to…

• become involved in the club as much as possible. This provides your child with the support to enjoy their hockey
• feel able and willing to take on a volunteer role within the club
• ensure your plays within the rules of the game
• encourage fair play
• encourage your child to recognise good performance, not just results

Communication

• The club will need to ensure they can contact if required, so they should ask you for your contact details.
• It is part of the hockey philosophy that you are involved in your child’s interest. Please ensure that you build a relationship with the coach and support the club where possible
• Communication is two way and if you have any questions or concerns about your child’s participation in hockey please talk to his/her coach.

What do I do if I am concerned about my child’s safety, well-being or behaviour?

• Club has a team of Welfare Officers – contact details on our website
• Please ask to speak with them and explain you concerns
• All concerns will be taken seriously and investigated
• All concerns will be treated in the strictest confidence, with only the people who can help the situation becoming involved if required

If you have any questions or queries please get in touch with any captain or committee member or come and speak to a member of the coaching staff before, during or after training.

Telford and Wrekin Hockey Club is committed to creating and maintaining an environment in which everyone involved in hockey are free from bullying. The Hockey Club is also committed to ensuring that concerns relating to bullying of anyone in hockey are taken seriously and acted upon swiftly and appropriately.

Principles

• Anyone acting for, or on behalf of, Telford and Wrekin Hockey Club should have an understanding of what bullying is, and act in accordance with England Hockey’s anti- bullying policy (EH Anti-Bullying Policy).
• Bullying of any kind is not acceptable in hockey and should not be tolerated by anyone within the Hockey Club.
• The Hockey Club promotes a telling culture and anyone who knows, or suspects, that bullying is happening must take the matter seriously and report it to either the club’s Welfare Officer, Head of Hockey or Chair.
• All incidents or concerns of bullying must be acted upon swiftly.

Bullying:

Bullying is anything that is done with the intention of hurting or intimidating, frightening or upsetting another person. Bullying is not always physical but it results in distress to the victim. Instances of bullying can occur not only between young people but also from adult to young person.

Bullying can be:

• Emotional - persistently being unfriendly, excluding, tormenting, threatening gestures

• Physical - pushing, kicking, hitting, punching or any use of violence

• Racist - racial taunts or language, graffiti, gestures

• Sexual - unwanted physical contact or sexually abusive comments

• Homophobic - because of, or focusing on the issue of sexuality

• Verbal - name-calling, sarcasm, spreading rumours, teasing

It should be noted that bullying may not only occur through face to face contact. Increasingly, bullying may occur through other forms of communication e.g. internet, email and text messaging.

Introduction

England Hockey is strongly committed to ensuring the safety and integrity of hockey and all those who participate in the sport. To ensure the continued safety of all members, England Hockey require data of injuries sustained across the sport so that trends can be identified and reported to both England Hockey’s Board and the International Hockey Federation (FIH). It is imperative that England Hockey collects this data in order to influence rules changes and improve the safety of the sport.

Injury Reporting Policy

This Policy relates to the recording and reporting of injuries sustained during hockey activity by any member of a club or association affiliated to England Hockey.

In order to collect meaningful data, England Hockey require clubs/associations to complete the England Hockey online ‘Injury Monitoring Form’ following injuries sustained that require one or more of the following:

• Treatment from a first aid specialist (e.g. Team doctor/ first responder)
• Hospital treatment
• Subsequent visit(s) to a GP

England Hockey’s online ‘Injury Monitoring Form’ can be found at.the link below.

Please complete the form for any injuries sustained which meet one or more of the criteria outlined above.

All clubs/associations have a responsibility to record injuries using accident report forms/accident books. Accident reports should be stored for a minimum of 10 years or until the individual is 25 years old. All personal information should be processed, stored and retained in accordance with both the Club’s Privacy Notice and GDPR.

In the event of an injury, insured clubs/associations will be liable for the actions of its members. Please note that from September 2021, clubs/associations are required to meet the minimum standards for insurance, as outlined by England Hockey.

First Aid and Young People (U18)

All hockey clubs have a duty of care towards young people in the sport. It is essential that a young person’s parent or guardian is informed of any injury a child sustained whilst participating in hockey activity. Clubs/associations should ensure that the individual(s) responsible for the delivery of hockey activity have access to relevant medical information and that parent/guardian contact details are readily available in case of an emergency for all junior players and stored in accordance with all relevant data protection legislation.

Non-Compliance with England Hockey’s Injury Reporting Policy

England Hockey takes the safety of its members extremely seriously and for this reason, members’ commitment to Safe Hockey has been included as a condition of affiliation. In the event that a member club/associations fails to complete England Hockey’s online ‘Injury Monitoring Form’ for any injury which meets the criteria outlined in England Hockey’s Injury Reporting Policy, or fails to comply with the terms of affiliation relating to Safe Hockey, England Hockey reserves the right to review the affiliation status of the club/associations in question and/or consider disciplinary action.

Photography, Filming and Livestreaming Guidance

Telford & Wrekin Hockey Club (Aligned with England Hockey Safeguarding and Protecting Young People Policy)

INTRODUCTION

Positive images of young people enjoying hockey are essential to promote the sport and a healthy lifestyle. Parents and carers wish to celebrate the achievements of their children through photographs and recorded images, and such images can also be a valuable coaching aid.

England Hockey and Telford & Wrekin Hockey Club are committed to providing a safe environment for all young people and to ensuring that all necessary steps are taken to protect them from the inappropriate or uninformed use of images in resources, media publications, on the internet, and elsewhere.

This guidance applies to all forms of image capture, including photography, video recording, and livestreaming, whether captured live or for delayed viewing, using any device capable of recording images (e.g. cameras, mobile phones, tablets, fixed camera systems).

The interests and welfare of young people taking part in hockey are paramount.

GENERAL PRINCIPLES FOR IMAGES OF YOUNG PEOPLE

• Written consent to take and use images must be obtained from the player and their parent or legal guardian.
• If a player is named, avoid using an image that enables the name and image to be linked.
• If an image is used, avoid naming the player.
• Never publish personal details (email addresses, telephone numbers, home addresses, school names, or location data).
• Only use images of players in suitable hockey attire.
• Focus on the activity rather than a particular individual.
• Where possible, use images that represent the broad range of young people involved in hockey, including:
• Boys and girls
• Players from ethnic minority communities
• Players with disabilities
• Images must reflect positive aspects of young people’s involvement in hockey.

LIVESTREAMING AND FIXED-CAMERA RECORDING

Livestreaming Context

Telford & Wrekin Hockey Club operates livestreaming at home matches using a fixed-position, elevated, wide-angle camera covering the synthetic turf pitch at St Georges Recreation Ground.

• This form of recording differs from handheld or close-range filming:
• The camera captures the entire pitch only
• There are no close-ups, zoom, tracking, or focus on individual players
• Players are not singled out or targeted
• The view is comparable to that seen by a spectator watching from pitch-side

Because of the fixed and wide-angle nature of the system and the dynamic nature of hockey, it is not reasonably practicable to exclude individual participants from the livestream without stopping the broadcast entirely.

Livestreaming and England Hockey Guidance

England Hockey guidance advises caution around the simultaneous streaming of images of young people. Telford & Wrekin Hockey Club recognises this guidance and applies it proportionately, taking into account:

• The public nature of competitive hockey matches
• The wide-angle, non-intrusive camera setup
• The absence of close-up or individual-focused footage
• The safeguarding controls and consent processes in place

Livestreaming is used to promote hockey positively, support player development, and engage the wider community, while maintaining safeguarding as a priority.

CONSENT AND RESPONSIBILITY

Club Players (Under 18)

Written parental or guardian consent is required for all Telford & Wrekin Hockey Club players under the age of 18 to participate in matches that may be filmed or livestreamed.

Where consent is not in place, the player will not be permitted to take part in a livestreamed fixture.

Visiting Clubs and Opposition Players

Visiting clubs are notified in advance where matches may be filmed or livestreamed.

Responsibility for informing players and obtaining any required parental or guardian consent for players under the age of 18 rests with the visiting club.

By participating in a match that is filmed or livestreamed, the visiting club confirms that appropriate consent has been obtained in line with England Hockey safeguarding guidance.

Telford & Wrekin Hockey Club will not routinely request proof of age or individual consent from visiting teams and is entitled to rely on confirmation provided by the visiting club.

OBJECTIONS AND CONCERNS

Concerns relating to photography, filming, or livestreaming should be raised in advance of fixtures wherever possible.

The club will consider concerns in good faith. Where reasonable adjustments can be made, these will be explored. However, where concerns cannot be accommodated without preventing livestreaming entirely, the club reserves the right to proceed where it has a legitimate interest in doing so.

Any safeguarding concerns must be reported immediately to the Club Welfare Officer.

USE OF PHOTOGRAPHIC OR RECORDING EQUIPMENT AT HOCKEY EVENTS

In addition to the above principles:

• Individuals using handheld or mobile devices to capture images beyond normal spectator use may be asked to register their details.
• The club reserves the right to question or challenge any person deemed to be taking inappropriate images.
• Notices will be displayed to inform attendees that photography, filming, and livestreaming may be taking place.

If an individual is taking photos or recording images in a way that causes concern and refuses to cooperate:

• The matter should be reported to the Welfare Officer
• If behaviour becomes aggressive, it should be reported to the Police

PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHERS AND MEDIA

Where professional photographers or press are present:

• Their identity and role must be verified
• They will be provided with a clear brief on acceptable behaviour and content
• Supervision may be required
• Consent must be in place for both taking and publishing images
• Unsupervised one-to-one photo sessions or sessions away from the event are not permitted.

USE OF IMAGES AS A COACHING AID

• Written consent must be obtained from players and parents/guardians
• The purpose of filming must be clearly explained
• Opposition teams should be informed before competition starts

FIVE RULES TO REMEMBER

• If a player is named, avoid using their photograph
• If a photograph is used, avoid naming the player
• Never publish personal details
• Ensure appropriate dress and positive representation
• No consent, no photo (or targeted filming)

The matrix below demonstrates the safeguarding training required or recommended for roles within the club.