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Carlow
Golf Club values its Juvenile Members and respects
and upholds their worth as valued members of the
Club. Our Child Protection Policy clearly
acknowledges that the welfare of all our Juvenile
members is of paramount importance; therefore we
undertake the commitment to do all in our power to
safeguard any child or young person under 18 years
of age, under our care, from verbal, physical,
sexual and emotional harm.
We
encourage their active participation in the Juvenile
Section of the Club to enhance their development and
interest in golf as well as their personal and
social development.
We
recognize that we have a special duty of care, both
to the Juvenile members and those in leadership
roles with them, and therefore we have procedures
and practices through which this care is put into
effect.
Our
policy is drawn up in line with Children First, the
National Guidelines for the Protection and Welfare
of Children and Young People and according to the
guidelines contained in the Code of Ethics and Good
Practice for Children in Sport.
It is
our policy in Carlow Golf Club to work in
partnership with the Men’s and Ladies Committee, the
Management Committee and with all state
organizations charged with the welfare of children
and young people.
This
policy document applies to all those activities
which are organized directly by Carlow Golf Club in
relation to all areas of the course, clubhouse,
locker rooms and clubhouse environment, travelling
to other venues for day trips or overnight stays,
juvenile visitors to the club and the participation
of the parents/guardians.
Code of Conduct Basics:
All
Juvenile members and Juvenile visitors will be
treated with courtesy, respect and dignity and will
be expected to treat each other and their leaders in
the same way.
Dangerous uses of golf clubs on the course or near
the clubhouse, throwing clubs or noisy behaviour in
the environs of the club/course are considered
inappropriate.
Leaders or Juveniles will not use inappropriate
language.
Parents/Guardians will be expected to adopt the same
attitudes of courtesy, respect and dignity with
regard to the participation of their children/young
people in club activities.
Any
type of bullying behaviour by any member/visitor
involved in club activities is unacceptable and will
not be tolerated. All Juveniles involved in club
activities will be encouraged to report suspicions
or incidents of bullying to the Juvenile Chairperson
or Juvenile Convenors.
Young
people should always be encouraged to play fairly at
all times, to do their best, be organized and on
time, tell someone in authority if they are leaving
a venue or competition and respect team members even
when things go wrong.
Parents/Guardians are asked to be on time collecting
their child/children after club activities and to
notify the club if they are unduly delayed. If a
parent is late collecting a child the parent will be
contacted using the emergency contact number on
file. If there is no answer ask the child if there
is another family member to contact. The leader
waits with the young person at the club or venue,
preferably with other staff or volunteers. On
arrival the parent/guardian is reminded of the
importance of being on time or contacting the club
if delayed.
Leaders should always respect the physical integrity
of children and young people and never engage in
inappropriate physical contact or conversation.
Never do anything for a child that he/she is capable
of doing for him/herself.
Those
in leadership roles will not allow personal
relationships or parental roles to interfere with
the running of any golf activity – each child
deserves equal time and attention. Favouritism and
unnecessary or inappropriate contact with the
Juvenile outside of club activities is to be avoided
by leaders. Where possible work in an open
environment, avoid working alone and ensure there is
adequate supervision for all activities.
The
club is not in a position to provide supervision
outside Juvenile Competitions and organized group
activities. The Club cannot provide any guardianship
during unsupervised playing of casual golf.
Parents/Guardians are encouraged to accompany their
child (need not be in a golfing capacity) while
he/she plays casual golf particularly while they are
beginners. Parents/Guardians are requested to
familiarize themselves with course etiquette and
course safety and ensure their child practices same.
Leaders should keep a record of attendance at
training and competitions, keep a brief record of
injury(s) and action taken and keep a brief record
of problem/action/outcome, if behavioural problems
arise.
In the
event of an allegation of physical or sexual abuse
being made regarding any golfing activity the
protection of the child involved will be the
immediate consideration.
The
club will provide support to all those affected by
the allegation and the situation will be dealt with
promptly and carefully under the advice from the
Health Service Executive.
Disciplinary and Complaints Procedure
(Misconduct by a Juvenile Member):
The
Club reserves the right to take disciplinary action
where any Juvenile Boy or Girl whose conduct on the
course or in the clubhouse is judged, after
reasonable enquiry, to have been detrimental to the
interests of the Club or another member or members.
Any allegation of misconduct by a
Juvenile member must be submitted in writing to the
Juvenile Chairperson. The Juvenile Chairperson shall
consult with the Chairperson of the Committee of
Management to determine whether the allegation is
serious enough to initiate the disciplinary
procedures outlined in Article 18 of the Club
Constitution, and if it is so deemed, a disciplinary
committee, composed of the Juvenile Chairperson, the
Boys Juvenile Convenor and Girls Juvenile Convenor,
shall make such enquiries as are practical to obtain
all relevant details.
(In the event that the complaint
is made by any of the above, that person shall step
aside and an officer of the Joint club shall be
co-opted in his/her place).
The Honorary Secretary of the
Joint Club shall be responsible for reporting and
for ensuring that correct procedure is followed, but
shall not be a member of the disciplinary committee.
However,
if the complaint involves the possibility of a
criminal offence the Juvenile Chairperson should
follow the Codes
reporting procedure.
The statutory authorities will then be informed.
The Juvenile Member and their
parent/guardian will be notified by the Honorary
Secretary of the complaint in writing. The Juvenile
Member shall have the right to have representation,
and to speak at and/or to make a written submission,
at any subsequent meeting of the disciplinary
committee meeting at which the Juvenile member is
required to attend in relation to the conduct in
question. All related information shall be placed
before this committee.
The disciplinary committee,
appeals committee and the management committee
reserve the right to legal representation at their
own discretion at any meeting concerning the matter.
Having investigated the matter,
the disciplinary committee shall recommend to the
management committee in writing, outlining the
reasons for the recommendation, the action to be
taken.
The management committee shall
then decide whether or not to act on the
recommendation of the disciplinary committee. Having
considered the recommendation of the disciplinary
committee, the management committee shall take
whatever action it deems necessary, including: (a)
by a simple majority vote, suspend the member or,
(b) by a two-thirds majority, expel the member or
(c) take whatever other action it deems appropriate.
The Chairperson shall not have a casting vote. The
Juvenile Member and their parent/guardian shall be
informed of the management committee’s decision in
writing. A copy of said decision shall be forwarded
to the Chairperson of the Juvenile Committee.
Should the management committee
decide that a Juvenile Member be suspended or
expelled, such Juvenile Member and their
parent/guardian shall, within seven days of the date
of the decision be informed in writing by the
Honorary Secretary of the management committee, by
registered post or by delivery of such notice to his
or her last known address.
The Juvenile Member and/or their
parent/guardian shall have the right of appeal
against the decision, within fourteen days of the
date of notification. The appeal shall be made in
writing to the Honorary Secretary of the Committee
of Management, outlining the grounds for appeal.
The appeal shall be forwarded to the Appeals
Disciplinary Committee consisting of the Club
President , Club Chairperson, Club Vice Chairperson,
Juvenile Chairperson, and one Trustee to decide if
the grounds for appeal are to be accepted. (In the
event that the complaint is made by any of the
above, that person shall step aside and an officer
of the Joint club shall be co-opted in his/her
place).
The Honorary Secretary of the
Joint Club shall be responsible for reporting and
for ensuring that correct procedure is followed, but
shall not be a member of the appeals committee.
If the appeal is accepted the
Juvenile Member and/or their parent/guardian shall
have the right to appear before the appeals
committee to put their case.
Having listened to the appeal,
the Appeals Committee shall recommend to the
management committee in writing, outlining the
reasons for their recommendation, the action to be
taken.
The management committee shall
then decide whether or not to act on the
recommendation of the appeals committee. Having
considered the recommendation of the appeals
committee, the management committee shall take
whatever action it deems necessary, including: (a)
by a simple majority vote, suspend the member or,
(b) by a two-thirds majority, expel the member or
(c) take whatever other action it deems appropriate.
The Chairperson shall not have a casting vote. The
Juvenile Member and their parent/guardian shall be
informed of the management committee’s decision in
writing. A copy of said decision shall be forwarded
to the Chairperson of the Juvenile Committee.
During the period of suspension
or expulsion, the Juvenile member shall not be
entitled to:-
a) Enter upon the club property
save only to collect any of his or her property.
b) Refund or rebate of the whole
or any part of his or her annual subscription or
other sum paid or payable by him or her to the club
in respect of the year during which the expulsion
occurs.
All voting under this rule shall
be by secret ballot.
Complaints in relation
to coaches and their parents (who are non members)
may be dealt with under the ‘disputes’ rule
contained within the Unions’ Constitution and the
Disciplinary Procedure contained within Part 5 of
the PGA Code of Ethics. Complaints in relation to
JGI coaches should be made to JGI, complaints about
members should be made to the club and complaints at
national or provincial level should be made to the
GUI and ILGU as appropriate.
Best Practice Guidelines:
Safe Management of Activities:
·
Appropriate training will be offered to those taking
on the role of Juvenile Chairperson and the roles of
Juvenile Convenor for the Boys and Juvenile Convenor
for the Girls and any other members adopting a
leadership or supportive role with regard to the
Juvenile section of the Club.
·
All
activities must have a current permission form from
the parent/guardian of each juvenile participating
in the activity. This form will apply to all those
who are under 18 years of age and must include
parental consent and contact details, medical/other
relevant information. Separate written permission is
required for special activities (e.g. trips away to
other clubs, overnight stays etc.,) All written
consent forms will be treated as confidential
documents and stored in the Club Office. Only those
directly involved in activities with the Juvenile
members will have access to confidential
information. Parents/guardians may have access to
information regarding their own child.
·
Always
keep an attendance record for each Juvenile
participating in club activities. These records will
also be deemed confidential and filed in the Club
Office
·
All club
activities must be adequately supervised preferably
having two named adult supervisors in attendance at
all times. No one will at any time work alone in
private with a juvenile. Lessons can be given on a
group or an individual basis with a single coach out
in the open. Parents/guardians are encouraged to
attend in an adult supervisory role if they wish. No
one will at any time travel alone with individual
children who are participating in club activities.
If an emergency situation arises, proper and
sensible precautions must be taken – e.g. telephone
notification of the need to bring a child to
hospital and telephone verification of arrival at
the hospital.
·
All
visiting clubs, their juvenile and leader visitors
will be expected to abide by the Child Protection
Policy as provided by Carlow Golf Club while they
are participating in activities within the club, its
clubhouse and course environs.
·
Accurate
records must be kept of any incident that gives rise
to any type of concern regarding a juvenile member.
An incident book will be provided and maintained
accordingly.
Safe Recruitment and Selection Procedures:
All
those who have contact with children or young people
in club activities will be asked to complete an
application form, which will include a declaration
of suitability and references. These will be treated
as confidential documents and stored accordingly.
Garda
Vetting will be arranged by Junior Golf Ireland for
each of the above individuals.
Reporting of concerns:
·
The
appropriate Juvenile Officer must be notified of all
incidents that are recorded. These records must then
be retained in case there is a need for future
reference to them. All records will be confidential
and stored accordingly.
·
If there
is any type of incident, this will not be discussed
with anyone other than the Juvenile Chairperson,
Juvenile Convenors, the General Manager, Captains of
both Clubs and the Management Committee. This is to
protect confidentiality for the Juveniles and also
for those in leadership roles. No leader will
promise a child that they will “keep a secret”.
·
Parents
will be notified and concerns discussed with them in
all situations except those, which the Juvenile
Convenor feels, might cause risk to the safety or
welfare of the child concerned.
In
such a case where there is a perceived risk to the
safety or welfare of the child concerned the Duty
Social Worker from the Health Service Executive will
be contacted, or out of hours the local Garda
Siochana will be notified and the case handed over
to them. The Juvenile Chairperson then keeps a
record of the report that has been made to the
Health Service Executive or the Garda Siochana which
will be stored in the Club Office. |