Policy Statement  

 

Bubble and Bounce Swim Ltd. acknowledges the duty of care to safeguard, protect and promote the welfare of children and is committed to ensuring safeguarding practice reflects statutory responsibilities, government guidance and complies with best practice and Swim England and Birthlight requirements.

 

At Bubble and Bounce Swim Ltd. we deliver swim lessons in line with our Child Protection Policy. Our aim is to optimise young people’s learning and provide an environment where children and young people can flourish, stay safe and enjoy fun and positive learning experiences. 

 

We believe everyone has a responsibility to promote the welfare of all children and young people, to keep them safe and to practise in a way that protects them. 

 

We will give equal priority to keeping all children and young people safe regardless of their age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation. We also recognise that some children are additionally vulnerable because of the impact of previous experiences, their level of dependency, communication needs or other issues. 

 

Our commitment to keeping children safe:

 

• Protect children from harm

• Listen to and respect children

• Follow Government Child Protection guidelines

• Provide Designated Safeguarding Leads (DSLs)

• Provide staff inductions and relevant safeguarding training to all company staff

• Ensure customers are aware of our Policies and what to do if they have a concern 

• Build a safeguarding culture where staff, parents/carers and children know how they are expected to behave and feel comfortable about sharing concerns

 

In this document, a child is defined as anyone who has not yet reached their 18th birthday. ‘Children’ therefore means ‘children and young people’ throughout.

 

This policy applies to anyone working on behalf of Bubble and Bounce Swim Ltd., including Senior Directors, Swim Teachers and Teaching Assistants. Failure to comply with the policy and related procedures will be addressed without delay and may ultimately result in dismissal / exclusion from the organisation. 

 

Laura Thomson 

Swim School Director 

Designated Safeguarding Lead

​
 

Policy Procedures - Legal Framework

 

At Bubble and Bounce Swim Ltd., we have a duty to protect children. This policy has been drawn up on the basis of legislation, policy and guidance that seeks to protect children in education. 

 

The Department for Education (DfE) is responsible for child protection in England. It sets out policy, legislation and statutory guidance on how the child protection system should work. In England, the Department for Education (DfE) provides the key statutory guidance for anyone working with children and young people.

 

Their key guidance for child protection is: 

 

Working together to safeguard children (Department for Education, 2018). 

 

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/working-together-to-safeguard-children--2

 

This states:

 

• Everyone who works with children has a responsibility for keeping them safe.

• Everyone who comes into contact with children and families has a role to play in sharing information and identifying concerns.

 

Definitions

 

The Children Act of 1989 definition of a child is anyone who has not yet reached their 18th birthday, even if they are living independently, are a member of the armed forces or are in hospital. 

 

Child abuse: children may be vulnerable to neglect and abuse or exploitation from within their family and from individuals they come across in their daily lives. There are four main categories of abuse, which are sexual, physical, emotional and neglect. It is important to be aware of more specific types of abuse that fall within these categories, they are:

 

• Bullying and cyberbullying

• Child sexual exploitation 

• Child criminal exploitation 

• Child trafficking 

• Domestic abuse 

• FGM

• Grooming 

• Historical abuse 

• Online abuse 

 

Safeguarding children is defined in Working together to safeguard children (Department for Education, 2018) as:

 

• Protecting children from maltreatment 

• Preventing impairment of children’s health or development 

• Ensuring that children are growing up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care

• Taking action to enable all children to have the best outcomes

 

Responding to and Reporting Concerns

 

Should you wish to report a concern regarding a child’s welfare, you should contact our DSL at bbswimandyoga@gmail.com  

Our Incident Reporting Form can be sent to you upon request via the above email address.

 

Our reporting procedure is as follows. It is important that all concerns are recorded, even if there is no need to refer the matter to social care. Records should include the following:

 

• A clear and comprehensive summary of the concern

• Where/who it was reported to

• Details of how the concern was followed up

• What the outcome of the report was

• All concerns must be signed and dated 

• A record of any discussion/communication with parents, other agencies etc.

• All records will be stored in line with GDPR legislation

 

In England, people working with children are expected to report concerns about a child’s welfare to the relevant agencies. As per Working together to safeguard children (Department for Education, 2018): 

 

Where there is a risk to the life of a child or a likelihood of serious immediate harm, local authority social workers, the police or NSPCC should use their statutory child protection powers to act immediately to secure the safety of the child.

 

How to report concerns about a child’s welfare:

 

1. Follow Bubble and Bounce Swim Ltd.’s Child Protection Policy procedures.

2. Contact the NSPCC Helpline on 0808 800 5000 or by emailing help@nspcc.org.uk. Their trained professionals will talk through your concerns with you and give you expert advice. 

3. Contact your local child protection services. Their contact details can be found on the website for the local authority the child lives in. If you are not a professional involved with the child or family, you do not have to give your name and your conversation will be treated confidentially.

4. If you think a child is in immediate danger, please call the police on 999 straight away.

5. If a child or young person needs confidential help and advice, direct them to Childline. Calls to 0800 1111 are free. Children can also contact Childline online at https://www.childline.org.uk

 

Safe Recruitment  

 

Bubble and Bounce Swim Ltd. is committed to safe employment and recruitment practices that reduce the risk of harm to children from people unsuitable to work with them or have contact with them. Bubble and Bounce Swim Ltd. ensures that all staff:

 

• Are fully DBS checked 

• Have the right to work in the UK

• Have minimum 2 references 

• Have relevant and up to date teaching qualifications 

• Have read and signed our Staff Code of Conduct and Safeguarding Policy 

• Have completed relevant safeguarding training via Swim England, Swim Teachers Association or NSPCC

 

Staff Supervision, Support and Training 

 

Once recruited, all staff must be well informed, trained, supervised and supported to ensure that they effectively safeguard children and know how to respond to any concerns.

 

Training plays an important role in equipping staff to do their job safely and effectively. Different safeguarding training is available depending on the person's role. Bubble and Bounce Swim Ltd. ensures that relevant training and resources are available to new staff. This includes:

 

• An induction to the work and the organisation

• A trial period in which to develop skills whilst supervised

• Ongoing support and monitoring

• An understanding of what safeguarding is and their role in safeguarding children

• How to recognise a child potentially in need of safeguarding and follow correct procedure 

• How to respond to a safeguarding alert 

• Relevant safeguarding courses

 

Staff Code of Conduct

 

At Bubble and Bounce Swim Ltd. all teachers are DBS checked and are only employed following safe recruitment procedures. All teachers must sign and follow our company’s code of conduct which outlines the following. 

Staff must:

• Follow our safeguarding policy and procedures.

• Maintain up to date Swim England teaching qualifications and safeguarding training. 

• Report any concerns about or allegations of abuse or poor practice to our Safeguarding leads.

• Listen to any concerns or questions which children / parents / carers might have.

• Consider their behaviour - must not engage in any behaviour that constitutes any form of abuse.

• Respect their position of trust and maintain appropriate boundaries and relationships with young people. Engaging in sexual behaviour with any child under the age of 16 is illegal.

• Keep children in their sessions safe by supervising appropriately, using safe methods and techniques and by putting children's safety first.

• Ensure appropriate staffing ratios of adult to participant are maintained at all times.

• Ensure equipment is fit for purpose, safe to use and is accessible.

• Respect children’s trust and rights whilst being honest and open with them. 

• Champion everyone's right to take part and never discriminate against anyone, regardless of gender, race, sexual orientation or ability.

• Stop if an injury happens, administer first aid or call for help.

• Use constructive and positive methods of developing children’s skills without humiliating or harming them. 

• Challenge / address instances of poor, negative, aggressive or bullying behaviour amongst young people or raise a concern with the DSLs. 

• Lead by example when it comes to good sportsmanship, positive behaviour and commitment to swimming as a sport.

• Follow the company’s regular assessment procedures and maintain up to date achievement records for their students. 

• Make our swim school a friendly and welcoming place to be. 

 

If any staff fail to comply with this policy and related procedures, it will be addressed without delay and may ultimately result in a dismissal/exclusion from the organisation. 

 

Managing Concerns about or Allegations made against Staff 

 

There are procedures as stated within the Government guidance Working together to safeguard children (Department for Education, 2018) and Chapter 2.5 of the Cambridgeshire Local Safeguarding Board Procedures which are used to manage allegations against adults who work or volunteer with children.

 

If you have concerns about an adult who works or volunteers with children, please contact the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) for further advice or support. The LADO has a countywide responsibility for managing allegations against adults who work or volunteer with children across all agencies and settings.

 

Contact the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO): 

Email: LADO@cambridgeshire.gov.uk

Telephone: 01223 727 967 (Monday to Friday during office opening hours)
Telephone: 01733 234 724 (Emergency Duty Team - out of hours queries)

 

Safe Sports Activities 

 

Bubble and Bounce Swim Ltd. is delighted to offer lessons which help to promote positive wellbeing, fitness and social stimulation for children. We follow many procedures to ensure that our sport sessions are safe, and that all processes and teaching safeguards children’s mental, emotional and physical wellbeing:

 

• We work closely with the Duty Managers at the King’s Hedges, Bottisham and Fulbourn sites to ensure that safe procedures are in place, (health and safety checks, risk assessments, NOPs / EAPs Normal Operating and Emergency Action Plans, safe staff ratios, lifeguards etc).

• Pool Duty Managers only consent to pool hire once the company provides all necessary staff DBS checks, proof of qualifications, company policies, licences and insurance cover. 

• Parents/carers must complete enrolment forms prior to their child attending lessons. This is to ensure all relevant medical information has been gathered.

• Parents/carers must sign a waiver to confirm they agree to their child partaking in swimming lessons.

• All company risk assessments and policies are reviewed annually or immediately after a reported concern is received. 

 

Whistleblowing and Complaints

 

It is important to us that people within our organisation have the confidence to come forward to speak or act if they're unhappy with anything. Whistleblowing occurs when a person raises a concern about dangerous or illegal activity, or any wrongdoing within their sports organisation. This includes concerns about another employee. 

 

The NSPCC has a whistleblowing advice line to support professionals who have concerns about how child protection issues are being handled in their own or another organisation. Email help@NSPCC.org.uk or call 0800 028 0285.

 

There is also a requirement by Bubble and Bounce Swim Ltd. to protect whistleblowers. 

 

Relevant Contacts:

 

Bubble and Bounce Swim Ltd. Designated Safeguarding Lead / Director:

Laura Thomson bbswimandyoga@gmail.com 

​

​You can call the children's social care team at the Council in Cambridgeshire

034 5045 5203 (Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm)

017 3323 4724 (out of hours)

Report a concern via their website 

https://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/residents/children-and-families/children-s-social-care/safeguarding-children-and-child-protection

 

NSPCC Helpline 0808 800 5000

 

Police emergency: 999

Police non-emergency: 101