Dewsbury Swimming Club has a policy with guidance for safeguarding all swimmers including the late collection of children and children going missing. Our policy is in accordance with the ASA and Wave Power guidelines. 

Everyone from coaches, parents and club officers are responsible for the safety and welfare of all swimmers whilst they are in the pool during training sessions, when getting changed and whilst waiting to be collected.

We understand that, on occasion parent/carers may be delayed and unable to collect their child on time from training or after an event, hence we would like everyone to be aware of the protocol that, as a club, we must follow.

In order to help keep your children/swimmers safe, we would ask that the guidelines below are followed:

• Any swimmer who has to get out of their session early through illness or injury (or is asked to leave the pool for behavioural reasons) will be asked to remain on poolside until their parent/carer arrives. This way we can ensure their well-being rather than them sitting unaccompanied in a changing cubicle etc.
• If a swimmer knows they will have to get out early for a particular reason in advance of the session, please could this be cleared with the coach/welfare officer beforehand, preferably by a parent/carer. If this has not been discussed and the parent/carer is not present, the swimmer (under 16 years old) will be asked to remain on poolside until the parent arrives, for their own safety.
• If parents/carers are not staying during training times, please make sure that you are contactable by phone at all times.
• Please insist that your children wait for you inside the leisure centre/pool building when being collected.
• If a child is aged 12 or under then it is unacceptable for the child to leave the Leisure centre/pool building – they need to wait inside to be collected.

As always, the safety and well-being of each and every swimmer, is the Club’s priority. Please discuss the above with your children/swimmers.

We need a working partnership between us to be able to provide the support we would like to give to your children.

Parents, who persistently fail to collect a child on time or have not arrived after a reasonable period of time, and have given no prior notice or informed the club that they will be delayed, may be failing in the care of their child.

In the event that a child/swimmer is not collected on time after a training session or event, the club (officers/coaches) will use the emergency numbers they have for the child to arrange for a nominated person to collect the swimmer. If no one nominated is available to collect the swimmer, and the parent has still not contacted the club, the child will be asked if there is another family member who may be contacted. After a reasonable period of time and if the child still has not been collected, the club will consult the local police or local authority Safeguarding Team duty officer for advice and appropriate action to take.

If a parent/carer arrives to collect a child/swimmer and the coach/club officers are concerned at their ability to take appropriate care of the child (i.e. they are considered to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs to the level under which they are unfit to drive, and/or take care of their child) the club should gain advice from the police or children’s services.

The club’s coaches / teachers and officers will avoid;

1. Taking the child home or to another location.
2. Asking the child to wait in a vehicle or at the club with them alone. A second responsible adult e.g. a club officer, coach, teacher, volunteer or parent will be asked to assist.
3. Sending the child home with another person without permission.

If a parent/carer fails to collect their child or young person on several occasions with no contact or reasonable reason for the delay, the club Welfare Officer and another club officer will arrange to meet with them to discuss the matter.

If there is no change, the Welfare Officer will contact either The Children’s team at local Social Services or seek advice from the ASA ICPO.