1. Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to set forth Stornoway Golf Club’s statement of policy and procedures for the safeguarding of children. The policy lays out the commitments made by Stornoway Golf Club, and informs staff, volunteers and associated personnel of their responsibilities in relation to safeguarding.

1. Scope

• All staff contracted by Stornoway Golf Club
• Associated personnel whilst engaged with work or visits related to Stornoway Golf Club, including but not limited to the following: consultants, volunteers, contractors, programme visitors including journalists, PGA Pros, professional players, celebrities and politicians.

1. Policy Statement
Stornoway Golf Club is fully committed to safeguarding the welfare of all children in its care. It recognises the responsibility to promote safe practice and to protect children from harm, abuse and exploitation. Staff and volunteers will work together to embrace difference and diversity and respect the rights of children and young people.
This policy outlines Stornoway Golf Club’s commitment to protecting children throughout its work, through the three pillars of prevention, reporting and response.

These guidelines are based on the following principles:

• The welfare of children is the primary concern.
• Child protection is everyone’s responsibility.
• All children – regardless of age, gender reassignment, being married or in a civil partnership, being pregnant or on maternity leave, disability, race including colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation – have the right to protection from all forms of harm and abuse.
• Children have the right to express views on all matters which affect them, should they wish to do so.
• Organisations shall work in partnership together with children and parents to promote the welfare, health and development of children.

Stornoway Golf Club will:

• Promote the health and welfare of children by providing opportunities for them to take part in golf safely.
• Respect and promote the rights, wishes and feelings of children.
• Promote and implement appropriate procedures to safeguard the wellbeing of children and protect them from abuse.
• Recruit, train, support and supervise its staff, members and volunteers to adopt best practice to safeguard and protect children from abuse and to reduce risk to themselves.
• Require staff, members and volunteers to adopt and abide by this Safeguarding Policy and associated procedures.
• Respond to any allegations of misconduct or abuse of children in line with this Policy and associated procedures as well as implementing, where appropriate, the relevant disciplinary and appeals procedures.
• Regularly monitor and evaluate the implementation of this Policy and associated procedures.

1. Prevention
Stornoway Golf Club responsibilities

Stornoway Golf Club will:

• Ensure all staff and volunteers have access to, are familiar with, and know their responsibilities within this policy.
• Design and undertake all its programmes and activities in a way that protects people from any risk of harm that may arise from their coming into contact with Stornoway Golf Club. This includes the way in which information about individuals in our programmes is gathered and communicated.
• Implement stringent safeguarding procedures when recruiting, managing and deploying staff, volunteers and associated personnel.
• Ensure staff, volunteers and associated personnel receive training on safeguarding at a level commensurate with their role in the club.
• Follow up on reports of safeguarding concerns promptly and according to due process.

Staff and volunteer responsibilities
Child safeguarding

Stornoway Golf Club staff, volunteers and associated personnel must not:

• Engage in sexual activity with anyone under the age of 18.
• Sexually abuse or exploit children.
• Subject a child to physical, emotional or psychological abuse, or neglect.
• Engage in any commercially exploitative activities with children including child labour or trafficking.

Protection from sexual exploitation and abuse
Stornoway Golf Club staff, volunteers and associated personnel must not:

• Exchange money, employment, goods or services, including team selection or the promise of team selection, for sexual activity.

Additionally, Stornoway Golf Club staff, volunteers and associated personnel are obliged to:

• Contribute to creating and maintaining an environment that prevents safeguarding violations and promotes the implementation of the Safeguarding Policy
• Report any concerns or suspicions regarding safeguarding violations to the designated Safeguarding Officer, or appropriate staff member or appropriate authority in their absence in urgent cases.

1. Reporting a Concern
Stornoway Golf Club will ensure that safe, appropriate, accessible means of reporting safeguarding concerns are made available to staff, volunteers and the communities we work with.

Stornoway Golf Club will also accept complaints from external sources such as members of the public, partners and official bodies.

How to report a safeguarding concern
Staff members or volunteers who have a complaint or concern relating to safeguarding should report it immediately to the Safeguarding Officer or line manager. If the staff member or volunteer does not feel comfortable reporting to their Safeguarding Officer or line manager (e.g. if they feel that the report will not be taken seriously, or if that person is implicated in the concern) they may report to any other appropriate staff/committee member and Scottish Golf.

Safeguarding officer
Jane Nicolson – janen474@gmail.com

2. Response
Stornoway Golf Club will follow up safeguarding reports and concerns according to this policy and procedure, and legal and statutory obligations (see Responding to Concerns Procedures).

Stornoway Golf Club will apply appropriate disciplinary measures to staff or volunteers found in breach of policy.

Stornoway Golf Club will offer support to survivors of harm caused by staff, volunteers or associated personnel, regardless of whether a formal internal response is carried out (such as an internal investigation). Decisions regarding support will be led by the survivor.

3. Confidentiality
It is essential that confidentiality is maintained at all stages of the process when dealing with safeguarding concerns. Information relating to the concern and subsequent case management should be shared on a need-to-know basis only and should be kept secure at all times.

GDPR and child protection
GDPR emphasises the importance of asking children for consent before sharing personal information. If a child is mature enough, they should be given the opportunity to decide whether they agree to their confidential information being shared. If a child does not have the capacity to make their own decisions, their parent or carer (unless this would put the child at risk) should be asked.

However, if you have a child protection concern, you must share information with the relevant agencies, even if you have not been given consent. GDPR does not affect this principle.

4. Review
This Policy and associated Procedures will be regularly reviewed:

• In accordance with changes in legislation and guidance from Scottish Golf on the protection of children or following any changes within Stornoway Golf Club.
• Following any issues or concerns raised about the protection of children within Stornoway Golf Club.
• In all other circumstances, at least every three years.

_________________________________________________

Club Safeguarding Officer: Jane Nicolson
Contact Details: janen474@gmail.com
Date: 01.04.23