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Safeguarding Policy

 

Wolves Touch Rugby Club is committed to keeping every child and young person safe. This policy applies to all coaches, volunteers, parents and players, at training, tournaments and online. A child is anyone under 18. Where a 17-year-old plays in adult touch, we still take every reasonable step to protect them.

 

Our principles

  • The welfare of the child is always the most important consideration.

  • Every child has the right to be protected from harm, whatever their age, sex, ability, disability, race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or background.

  • Every concern is taken seriously and acted on promptly and fairly.

  • Safeguarding is everyone's responsibility. We work with parents, England Touch and local services to keep children safe.

 

Club Welfare Officer

Andy Penniceard: 07956 125207, andy@wtrc.co.uk.

If a concern involves the Club Welfare Officer, contact England Touch at safeguarding@englandtouch.org.uk.

 

If you are worried about a child

  1. If a child is in immediate danger, call 999.

  2. If a child tells you something, listen calmly, don't promise to keep it secret, don't ask leading questions, and write down what they said in their own words, with the date and time.

  3. Tell the Club Welfare Officer the same day. They will decide on next steps and, where needed, refer to England Touch (safeguarding@englandtouch.org.uk) and to Wandsworth children's services.

  4. If you can't reach the Club Welfare Officer, or you think a child is at risk, contact Wandsworth Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) directly on 020 8871 6622 or mash@wandsworth.gov.uk. Out of hours, call 020 8871 6000.

  5. Concerns about a coach or volunteer are passed to the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) through Wandsworth MASH, and to England Touch. The person may be asked to step back from coaching while the concern is looked into.

You can also get advice from the NSPCC Helpline: 0808 800 5000 or help@nspcc.org.uk. Young people can call Childline on 0800 1111.

 

Safer recruitment and training

  • Wolves is affiliated to England Touch. Coaches, team managers, the Club Welfare Officer and anyone else who regularly works with players must have an Enhanced DBS check with a children's barred list check, done through England Touch and renewed as England Touch requires.

  • From 1 September 2026, the DBS check must be in place before anyone starts coaching. Working under the supervision of someone who has a DBS check no longer counts.

  • Coaches and volunteers must also complete safeguarding training and keep it up to date. The Club Welfare Officer completes welfare officer training.

  • New coaches and volunteers are asked for references.

 

Good practice for coaches and volunteers

  • Never be alone and out of sight with a child. Keep one-to-one conversations in view of others.

  • Do not give lifts to a player on your own.

  • Keep physical contact to what is necessary, for example first aid or demonstrating a skill, and explain it first.

  • Do not drink alcohol, smoke or vape while responsible for players, and never give them to under-18s.

  • Never humiliate a player, use sexual language or share explicit material.

  • Never start a relationship with a player. Sexual activity between a coach and a player under 18 is a criminal offence.

 

Online safety and communication

  • Club updates go through the Wolves WhatsApp groups, which include parents and carers.

  • Team group chats for players must include at least two club adults, and parents are told about them.

  • Coaches do not send private messages to players or connect with them on personal social media.

  • Bullying or inappropriate content online is dealt with under our Anti-Bullying and Safeguarding policies.

 

Photography and filming

  • We only take and use photos or video of players whose parents or carers have given consent, and consent can be withdrawn at any time.

  • We don't publish a player's full name alongside their photo without permission, and we don't tag players on social media.

  • Parents and spectators should only photograph their own child.

  • Club images are stored securely and deleted when no longer needed.

 

Changing and toilets

  • Adults must not change or shower at the same time as players.

  • Adults should only enter changing areas in an emergency or when necessary for safety, and ideally in pairs.

 

Tournaments and trips

  • We collect parental consent, emergency contacts and medical information before each event.

  • We keep enough adults, including both men and women where possible, for the group's age and size.

  • Any overnight trip has its own safeguarding plan, shared with parents beforehand.

 

If a child goes missing during a session

Alert all coaches straight away, keep the rest of the group together and supervised, search the immediate area and contact the parents. If the child isn't found quickly, call 999.

 

Speaking up

Anyone can raise a concern about poor practice without fear of blame. If you don't feel able to raise it within the club, contact England Touch (safeguarding@englandtouch.org.uk), Wandsworth MASH or the NSPCC Helpline (0808 800 5000).

 

Records and review

Concerns and actions are recorded confidentially and stored securely. This policy is reviewed every year, and after any serious incident.

Last updated: 16 September 2026. Next review: September 2027.

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