Child Protection & Safeguarding

The NSEA takes child protection and safeguarding very seriously.

NSEA places the highest importance on safeguarding, and the safety and well-being of School Children is paramount in all NSEA activities. Furthermore, NSEA recognises that officials/volunteers/ Team Managers/ Parents and School Children have an important role to play in safeguarding, in particular the welfare of young people and vulnerable persons and preventing abuse and/or harm. NSEA also acknowledges that at any time any person could be classed as ‘vulnerable’.

The NSEA believes that it is essential that children and young people are encouraged to take part in outdoor activities and sports as part of their development to adulthood. Their participation in sport must be in a secure, safe and fun environment and be protected from harm. 

NSEA Safeguarding Policy Statement

The NSEA accepts its legal and moral obligation and recognises that it has a duty of care to protect all. Everyone who participates in NSEA competitions is entitled to do so in a safe and enjoyable environment. To ensure this, the NSEA is committed to devising and implementing policies and procedures which are commensurate with the BHS Safeguarding Policies.

In pursuit of this, The NSEA is committed to ensuring that:

  • The welfare of children and young people is paramount.
  • All reasonable and practical steps are taken to protect children from harm, discrimination or degrading treatment, and respect their rights, wishes and feelings.
  • High standards of behaviour and practice are maintained through compliance with Codes of Conduct produced for Members, Team Managers, Coaches, Officials, Volunteers and Staff, Parents / Guardians and Spectators.
  • All concerns and allegations of child abuse or poor practice are taken seriously and responded to swiftly and appropriately.
  • All employees and volunteers are carefully selected, informed about their responsibilities and provided with guidance and/or training in good practice and safeguarding procedures.

This policy applies to all NSEA events, staff and volunteers working with us and to all NSEA Members and their parents / guardians affiliated to or taking part in activities run by the NSEA or its affiliated organisers.

This document will be reviewed annually or where there are significant changes to legislation and/or statutory guidance.


Role of NSEA Safeguarding Team

The NSEA has a Safeguarding Team which has primary responsibility for managing, reporting and dealing with concerns about children and adults at risk and for putting procedures in place to safeguard children and adults at risk within the organisation.

Specifically their role is:

  • To work with others to create a positive environment within the NSEA
  • To play a lead role in developing and establishing NSEA approach to safeguarding members – a key role within the organisation.
  • To maintain records of cases of child abuse and poor practice reported to the NSEA
  • To manage referrals to statutory agencies (police, social care or LADO) or to support Safeguarding Leads of member organisations to make these referrals
  • To be a central point of contact for internal and external individuals and agencies
  • To represent the organisation at external meetings related to safeguarding.
  • To coordinate the dissemination of policy, procedures and resources throughout the organisation.
  • To provide advice and support to the board and other officials and play a role in their recruitment, selection and training.
  • To ensure adherence to NSEA’s disclosure check and safeguarding training requirements for any NSEA staff who undertake Regulated Activity / Work
  • To ensure systems for obtaining disclosure checks are simple, effective, running properly and easily accessible, providing advice and support where necessary

 

Role of Schools

Each member school has its own Child Protection / Safeguarding Policy and must ensure that its Team Manager / Coaches / Parents/ Riders are aware of it

Role of the School

The role of each School is:

  • To ensure a positive, child-centric environment within the school.
  • To fulfil its responsibilities to safeguarding members at the school.
  • To implement their own school’s Safeguarding Policy and Procedures.
  • To play a key role in responding to and reporting concerns about pupil welfare, child abuse or poor practice (whether these are suspected or confirmed).
  • To ensure appropriate confidentiality is maintained and information is only shared on a need-to-know basis, in line with requirements of GDPR
  • To promote The NSEA’s Codes of Conduct (see NSEA Rules)
  • To DBS check their own Team Manager/s and coaches as appropriate.
  • To train their staff in line with their responsibilities within the schools so far as they pertain to safeguarding.

 


Who do I contact?

If you have any queries regarding Safeguarding within the NSEA or any concerns please contact:

 Lead Safeguarding Officers:

Mrs C Allison or Mr C Quinnell

Email: safeguarding@nsea.org.uk

Tel: 07552 836032

Section 2: Dealing with Concerns & Allegations

 

Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility and everyone has a duty to action any concerns they have or that are raised to them. No action is not an option.

It is essential to deal with any concerns of abuse in a sensitive and appropriate way. These concerns should be taken seriously and must be reported and handled the same day that it is raised or received. Strict confidentiality must also be exercised and maintained at all times with information only passed on to those who need to know. The following sections outlines the Four R’s of dealing with any concerns or allegations:

Recognising Abuse

Responding

Reporting

Recording

It is not the place of anyone within the NSEA to ascertain whether abuse is taking place or to find evidence to support this. Instead any concerns should be reported as follows:
1 Low risk- Report to the member schools Safeguarding Officer
2 High risk- If a child is in immediate danger, report to the police or social care

NSEA Schedule to Team Managers

Child Protection & Safeguarding
If you have any concerns, please contact the NSEA Safeguarding team on

 

Lead Safeguarding Officers:

Mrs C Allison & Mr C Quinnell

Email: safeguarding@nsea.org.uk

Tel: 07552 836032

 

If a child is at immediate risk of harm then you should contact the Police.

 

 

NSEA General Rules includes the following-

  1. C) Codes of ConductC1)Team Managers.
    The Team Manager is the school representative on the day.
    They need to ensure that riders and parents from their school display good sportsmanship, horsemanship and equine welfare at all times and adhere to the NSEA rules.

    C2)    Competitor’s Code of Conduct
    Competitors need to be aware of and abide by the rules of competition.
    Competitors need to be correctly turned out, according to the rules.
    Competitors must be aware that they are representing their school at all times and they need to be polite and considerate to all officials and fellow competitors.
    The welfare of their horse/ pony is of paramount importance.
    Competitors are expected to attend official Prize Givings, dressed in appropriate competition dress ie show jackets for show jumping and dressage and XC kit for arena eventing. If a competitor is unable to attend, they will need to send a representative to attend for them. Competitors will forfeit any prizes / rosettes not collected at the prize giving.
    Competitors are encouraged to thank the show organisers of the competition, before they leave. It is much appreciated.C3)  Parents’ Code of Conduct
    Parents need to be aware of the NSEA competition rules and abide by them.
    There should be no outside assistance, except in Grass Roots classes (40 & 50cm) and in

Dressage.  See specific Grass Roots and Dressage Rules for guidance.
The Team Manager acts for the school. Parents must defer to the Team Manager at all times, including when making enquiries.
Parents should be reminded that whilst NSEA events are competitive, it is the rider and not the parent who is competing.
Sportsmanship and respect for officials, Team Managers, other competitors and fellow Parents is of utmost

importance.
The welfare of the horse/pony and child is of paramount importance.
All siblings need to be under the control of their parents at all times and may not ride if they are not competing.

C4)  Social Media

Whilst the NSEA recognises the need for communication through social media it must not be used as a medium to undermine the NSEA’s reputation in any way nor to compromise the NSEA’s confidentiality and child safeguarding policies.

The BHS offer training courses in Child Protection and Safegurding as well as being an umbrella body to process disclosure checks with the DBS and Disclosure Scotland, for all recruiters in the horse community. For more information, please go to their website www.bhs.org.uk/our-charity/working-with-the-law/safeguarding-children

NSEA Lead Safeguarding Officer 07552 836032
Childline 08001111
NSPCC 0808 800 5000