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Session 5 Policies, procedures, and codes of conduct
5.1 Introduction
This session will help you understand the importance of your organisation’s safeguarding
Learning outcomes
In this session, you will explore:
Why your organisation needs a safeguarding policy and procedures. |
What the purpose of a safeguarding policy is and what are its basic parts. |
What safeguarding procedures are. |
A policy and procedures checklist. |
What codes of conduct are and why they are so important. |
5.2 Why does your organisation need a safeguarding policy and procedures?
Every sports organisation has a responsibility to do all it can to protect those involved in sport from abuse. A safeguarding policy is an organisation’s statement of intent – it describes, at a top level, what the organisation is committed to do to prevent and respond to abuse. It is usually ‘owned’ by senior leadership – and they are accountable for the policy.
Having a policy in place helps everyone to understand what is expected of them and others.
Is a safeguarding policy the same as safeguarding procedures?
a.
Yes
b.
No
The correct answer is b.
b.
The answer is ‘no’ They are different, and do different things. In order to safeguard those in sport, organisations need both.
Comment
It is important to note though, that while a policy and procedures do different things, for many organisations, they are brought together in the same document – which is often given the name ‘safeguarding policy’.
Let’s look at the policy and procedures in turn to find out how they are different.
5.3 What is the purpose of a safeguarding policy?
A safeguarding policy, in general terms, mainly answers the ‘Why?’ ‘What?’ and ‘Who’ of safeguarding in your organisation. In contrast, the procedures answer the ‘How?’ question – they provide the operational roadmap and are usually ‘owned’ by the Safeguarding Lead.
What are the main purposes of a safeguarding policy?
a.
True
b.
False
The correct answer is a.
a.
True
b.
False
The correct answer is b.
b.
A policy demonstrates your organisation’s commitment to safeguarding – not requirements from other bodies.
a.
True
b.
False
The correct answer is a.
a.
True
b.
False
The correct answer is a.
a.
True
b.
False
The correct answer is a.
a.
True
b.
False
The correct answer is b.
b.
If implemented properly, a policy will reduce the likelihood of cases happening and demonstrates your organisation’s safeguarding commitment.
a.
True
b.
False
The correct answer is b.
b.
Many of the policy commitments also relate to actions that help prevent safeguarding concerns arising.
5.4 What are the basic parts of a safeguarding policy?
Safeguarding policies can vary in terms of their length, structure, and content, but there are a number of core components that every policy should include.
These are:
- The policy statement (the organisation’s overall commitment to safeguarding) – this can be hard to phrase, so organisations often leave writing it until the end! As it is a statement on behalf of the organisation, leaders must agree with it and sign it off.
- The purpose of the policy (what it aims to do, and who it will safeguard).
- The scope of the policy (who it applies to – sometimes called the ‘covered persons’).
- Key definitions, including relevant national and international legislation about safeguarding, human rights, and child protection.
- A list of actions the organisation is responsible for (these form the basis of your safeguarding procedures, such as training, working with other organisations, responding to concerns).
- A reference to your organisation’s codes of conduct.
- How progress will be monitored.
- When it was signed off and when it will be reviewed.
Safeguarding Resources
The Example of a Basic Safeguarding Policy on the Safeguarding Resources site provides a basic style and content. It is also a good idea to look at policies written by other sports organisations in your country as they can be helpful as a starting point.
 |
Finally, remember that a safeguarding policy doesn’t exist in isolation – it interacts with and complements your sport’s other regulations and policies, particularly those related to events, training, and disciplinary matters. |
5.5 What are safeguarding procedures?
Safeguarding procedures describe in detail how the organisation will operate in practice. Your safeguarding procedures may be combined with your policy, or parts may be linked to your disciplinary procedures – there is no ‘right‘ way.
Clear procedures provide the organisation with a consistent step-by-step process. They provide clarity and reduce the risks of poor practice.
Procedures cover the measures that prevent and respond to concerns and should include what happens when the agreed procedure is not followed. They should be made available in simple formats that are accessible to everyone.
5.6 Looking at policy to procedure: a code of conduct example
Let’s explain the relationship between policy and procedures.
We will use one example from the Example of a Basic Safeguarding Policy found on the Safeguarding Resources site. Part of the policy says: "anyone working on behalf of our organisation is required to sign and comply with our organisation’s code of conduct".
What procedures are connected to this policy statement?
This policy commitment is linked to the procedures on how to put this into practice, as demonstrated in the diagram below.
This example shows that each policy commitment needs related procedures to make them work in practice.
Procedures work best when the organisation makes them mandatory. You will explore codes of conduct in more detail later in this session.
5.7 Reinforcing your learning about safeguarding measures
In the following activity, we have listed a few examples of an organisation’s safeguarding documents.
Identify which are policy or procedures
Read each statement below. Use the drop-down menu to indicate whether you think they are part of policy or procedures.
|
| Is there a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach? |
No! Different organisations use different approaches to developing and implementing their policy and procedures. The most important thing is that they are developed with colleagues and key |
5.8 Your policy and procedures checklist
Policy and procedures should be regularly reviewed and updated (at least every year), and also after any incidents to make sure learning is embedded. They must be implemented, tested for effectiveness, monitored, and updated based on how well they work in practice – and staff should be trained, so they understand how to put them into practice.
Perhaps the big question is:
What should be included in your organisation’s policy and procedures?
It may help to remember that safeguarding is a combination of what organisations and individuals do to prevent abuse and manage risk, and what they do to respond when concerns arise. Keep this in mind in the following activity.
Your checklist – measures that prevent or respond to abuse
Here is a list of some actions that help safeguard everyone in sport. Can you identify using the drop-down menu which ones will help to prevent abuse from happening (Prevent), which are part of a response to concerns (Respond), or in some cases which can help to do both (Prevent and Respond)?
To help get you started, we have provided the first four answers and an explanation. Take time to read these explanations.
5.9 What are codes of conduct?
Codes of conduct detail an organisation’s expectations of the behaviour of all participants including staff, volunteers, officials, athletes, and others involved with the organisation. A code of conduct helps individuals to recognise acceptable and unacceptable behaviour.
There is no ‘right’ way, but it can be helpful to have the same top-level requirements for all the adults involved in your sport, and to develop a separate code of conduct with and for children.
Codes of conduct need to be understood by the people using them – for example, a younger child would struggle to understand a code of conduct written for adults. Everyone should be required to sign to confirm they have read, understood and will comply with their code of conduct, and they should be actively promoted.
What is the role of a code of conduct in prevention and response?
Take a moment to reflect on how a code of conduct could be used to prevent abuse from occurring? How about the role it can play in supporting a response to concerns?
Answer
Codes of conduct help in both prevention AND response.
Codes of conduct as a preventative safeguarding measure:
- Codes of conduct establish a clear baseline of what is considered a required behaviour.
- Codes of conduct clarify the possible consequences of failing to comply.
- This reduces the likelihood of poor practice arising.
Codes of conduct as a responsive safeguarding measure:
- Codes of conduct help everyone to recognise inappropriate behaviour and report individuals who may have done something that is not allowed under the code of conduct.
- They support the organisation to investigate, manage wider risk, and, if appropriate, to take action when someone has failed to comply.
|
Although you often focus on those who have significant contact with and responsibility for children – expectations of minimum standards of behaviour must apply to everyone in the organisation – regardless of seniority, rank, or reputation. |
5.10 Why are codes of conduct so important?
Let’s see what can happen when there are no set standards of behaviour.
Why codes of conduct are so important
Read this account from the parent of a young ice skater where there is no code of conduct. Identify what differences a clear code of conduct may have had for:
The skaters |
Their parents |
The coaches |
The club |
‘My daughter Sofija has loved ice skating since she could walk. When she was small, she joined our local club with her friends. The club is easy-going. They have never been too bothered about having lots of rules and paperwork – the club is there to give kids the chance to skate.
For a long time, everything was fine, but then problems started. The coaches became more and more focused on winning – almost at all costs. Some kids – even long-time squad members like Sofija – never got a chance to skate, and coaches only seemed interested in the best skaters. The tone around the club changed too – there was a lot more shouting and swearing at the kids– it was horrible.
A group of parents decided we’d do something about it – but the club had no code of conduct we could use. Because the problem was about the coaches, we could only appeal to the club chair – but they sided with the coaches. Sofija really wanted to stay with her friends, but once the coaches heard that some parents had complained, Sofija and a few others were picked on. So, we decided to find another club.’
Make notes below on what you identified from this account before comparing them to our suggestions.
|
| Showing why a code of conduct is so important |
Codes of conduct help to reach a common understanding of what behaviour is expected; to encourage individuals to behave in an appropriate way; to help people recognise inappropriate behaviour; and to take immediate action if someone may be in danger. |
5.11 What are the basic parts of a code of conduct?
There are certain behaviours which are always unacceptable whatever someone’s role is. For example, using their position of
Starting to list the ways everyone should behave
Make a list of the values and ethics you expect everyone in your sport to uphold (for example, showing respect for others).
Ethics and values – I will:
Next, write ways you expect everyone to conduct themselves (for example, being a positive role model for athletes).
Positive behaviours – I will:
Now list those behaviours that you consider unacceptable (for example, engaging in bullying).
Unacceptable behaviour – I will never:
Comment
You probably came up with a list of 'dos' and 'don’ts' – but you may also have included statements that are about the values you want in your sport.
Here are our suggestions:
Ethics and values – I will:
| Respect my position of trust and maintain appropriate professional boundaries. |
| Show respect to others involved in the sport. |
| Demonstrate high standards of sporting behaviour. |
| Place the physical and mental wellbeing, safety, and enjoyment of each athlete above everything, including winning. |
Positive behaviours – I will:
| Be a positive example and role model for young athletes. |
| Develop mutual trust and respect. |
| Respect and value diversity, and challenge and report any form of bullying or abusive behaviour. |
| Ensure that any time spent with children or vulnerable adults is conducted in an open environment in the presence and visibility of others. |
| Adhere to the safeguarding policy and report any concerns about poor practice or abuse. |
| Undertake safeguarding awareness training as required. |
Unacceptable behaviour – I will never:
| Engage in or tolerate any form of bullying. |
| Reduce anyone to tears, scare, or humiliate them as a form of control. |
| Engage in, or tolerate, offensive, insulting, or abusive language or behaviour. |
| Engage in any sexual activity (contact or non-contact) with any child (under 18 years), including making sexually suggestive comments. |
| Engage in any sexual or intimate relationship with any athlete. |
| Share a hotel room or other residential bedroom with an athlete. |
| Share personal details with children, including online or digital information. |
| Spend time alone with children where my actions cannot be accounted for, including one-on-one engagement via social media or other technological means of communication. |
| Engage in any physical abuse (including hitting, slapping, shaking, throwing, pushing, or otherwise causing physical harm). |
| Emotionally or psychologically abuse anyone by shaming or degrading them (including threatening, humiliating, or intimidating). |
| Support or encourage a child to behave in an aggressive or abusive manner towards others. |
| Approve comments of a discriminatory nature towards or about any person in our sport. |
| Perform tasks of a personal nature for a child or person with disability. |
You can use this list to help your organisation develop your own code of conduct. Or to check if there are new points that you would like to add to an existing code of conduct.
5.12 Summary of Session 5
|
| The main learning and messages from this session are: |
|
When you are ready, move on to Session 6 How are safeguarding concerns raised?, where you will explore how people can raise safeguarding concerns.