Welfare

County Welfare Officer – Kath Cleary
 welfare@warwickshireasa.co.uk

Safeguarding Contacts

How can I raise a child safeguarding concern?

If you have a concern about the welfare of any child/vulnerable adult or the behaviour of an adult towards any child you should, without delay, contact:

childline

ONLINE, ON THE PHONE ANYTIME

Call: 0800 1111

https://www.childline.org.uk

childline are here for you, whatever's on your mind. They will support you. Guide you. Help you make decisions that are right you. They will give you tips, ideas and inspiration, that can help you feel more in control, and you can access childline in your own time, at your own pace.

What Happens When You Contact Childline?

Click here to watch a video and find out what happens when you contact childline

National Safeguarding Team

  • Head of Safeguarding & Welfare - Kevin Suckling
    • National Safeguarding Case Manager - 
  • National Safeguarding Manager - James Diamond
  • Safeguarding Case Officer - Lisa Buxton
  • National Safeguarding Officer - Hannah Hogg
  • National Welfare Officer - Fiona Blackstone
    • National Safeguarding Administrator - Tansy Nottage
  •  
    • Independent Officers: Any individual with the requisite qualifications, experience and knowledge, who is directly engaged by Swim England on a regular basis.
    •  
  • Follow link for more details -  https://www.swimming.org/swimengland/child-safeguarding-contacts/

In an emergency

If you believe a child has been harmed or may be at immediate risk of harm, and you are unable to contact your welfare officer or the Swim England safeguarding team please make immediate contact with an appropriate agency, such as:

  • The Police
  • Children’s Services
  • Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH)
  • Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO)
  • NSPCC Child Protection Helpline

Take the name and contact details of the person you have spoken to, plus the incident / referral reference number (if applicable) so you have a record of the advice they give.

Then report this to the Club Welfare Officer and the Swim England safeguarding team the next working day.

Wavepower 2020-23: Child safeguarding policy and procedures for clubs

All Swim England affiliated clubs and organisations must adopt Wavepower.

The aim of Wavepower is to safeguard all children in line with current legislation, regulations and guidance and is for use within any Swim England affiliated organisation where children are present.  Wavepower consistently emphasises that the responsibility for child safeguarding in our sport belongs with all those involved in our sports and is not the sole responsibility of any one person at local, county, or national level. This document will be updated in 2023, but when updates or changes take place either in Swim England or through statute or governmental guidance these will be published on the website.  You can download the fully interactive Wavepower. It is in PDF format. If it doesn’t load after a few seconds, please refresh the page.

Further guidance on welfare

As well as Wavepower there are other welfare publications and resources clubs may find useful.

NSPCC & CPSU Guidance

For guidance on ensuring your sporting event is safe, download the CPSU’s Safe Sport Events, Activities, and Competitions document (PDF) here.

My Magic Sports Kit

This video shows several children involved in different sports describing how the behaviour of parents and spectators deteriorates when they wear their ‘magic sports kit’ – that is, when they compete.

Heart of Aquatics

Swim England's new 2023 safeguarding welfare and culture plan document can be found here.