Child Safety
Introduction
The club’s Children’s Officers are responsible for leading the implementation of Child Protection
Policies and Procedures. In this task they will have the full support of the Executive Committee of the
club.
The club’s Children’s Officers will play a fundamental role in the creation of a child centered ethos
that promotes the positive aspects of tennis.
This will be achieved by communicating to every adult in the club that they have a duty of care to
safeguard the welfare of children and young people in order to protect them from inappropriate
behaviour and to promote a culture of safety and fun.
In order to do this the club’s Children’s Officers, require certain knowledge and skills - some of which
are a pre-requisite for the role and others that will be obtained through training and experience.
Role and Responsibilities
- To establish and promote a child-centered ethos within the club.
- To make themselves known to all members of the club but particularly the junior members.
- To act as an advisory and support resource to those working with children and young people.
- To serve on the Executive Committee of the club and report at each meeting of the
- committee on matters pertaining to Child Protection within the club.
- To ensure that children, coaches/volunteers and parents/guardians know how to voice concerns within the club or with external agencies.
- To implement, with support from the Executive Committee, the club’s Child Protection Policy and Procedures and to ensure that they communicate to all members and embraced at all levels within the club
- To ensure that the Child Protection Policy and Procedures are ratified by the Executive Committee.
- To ensure sign-up to the club’s Codes of Conduct by all coaches/volunteers, children and
- parents/guardians.
- To influence policy and practice regarding Child Protection by serving on the Executive Committee of the club.
- To manage and report concerns and to advise on poor practice issues which might not reach
- the threshold of intervention by statutory agencies but nonetheless require to be addressed.
- To promote greater consultation with and participation in club activities by junior members.
- Further, to ensure that there are ways for junior members to express their views and
- concerns about their activities and experiences within the club.
- To develop and maintain the register of club personnel who are engaging in regulated activity (as defined by government legislation) with children and young people within the club.
- To implement the required training and vetting needs of club personnel engaging in regulated activity with children.
- To commit to attendance at training as required.
- The Children’s Officers do not have the responsibility of investigating or validating child protection concerns within the club and therefore have no counselling or therapeutic role. This is the responsibility of statutory organizations.
Minimum Requirements (Children’s Officer)
- Have completed the Garda Vetting process.
- Have attended the Safeguarding 1 - Basic Awareness Workshop in Child Welfare & Protection
- and Safeguarding 2 - Club Children’s Officer Workshop.
- Have complied with the requirements of the club’s Recruitment Procedures (Appendix 5 of
- the policy document).
Desirable qualities and skills.
- A Children’s Officer should have good communication and listening skills, be approachable
- and non-judgmental.
- He/she should have a basic knowledge of child welfare and protection codes and guidelines
- (which will be acquired through appropriate training).
- The position will require the person to be trustworthy, discreet, impartial and sensitive as
- they will be required to handle and manage confidential material.
- Possession of basic administrative and organizational skills.
CHILDREN’S OFFICERS 2024/2025
The current Laytown & Bettystown Lawn Tennis Club Children’s Officers are:
Catherine Sullivan
Designated Liaison Person
Phone 086 3828842
Gillian Malone
Phone 087 8217248
If you have any concerns, please contact one of the above Children’s Officers.
If the concern is about the Children’s Officer, please contact the Chairperson of the Club Mr Jonathan Murphy 086 8197373
Appendix 4: Safguarding Training
Appendix 5: Roles & Responsibilities
Appendix 6: Reporting & Protection
Appendix 8: Best Practice Guidlines
Appendix 9: Codes of Behaviour