At Woodfield Grove Tennis Club we aim to provide a safe and inclusive tennis environment, which enables all of our members, irrespective of varying needs and expectations, to feel welcome and to enjoy a positive tennis experience. In order to keep everyone safe, children, young people and adults alike, we are developing practices which promote well-being and which help us to be responsive to concerns, as they arise.

Our safeguarding action plan is a developmental tool and is regularly reviewed, so that we can ensure that our child protection and safeguarding arrangements are becoming more effective and that they are working well. We are keen to ensure that everyone at our club is kept well informed, with up to date knowledge of both our individual and collective responsibility and duty of care, in this area.

WGTC has adopted the six LTA Standards for the protection of all using the club. Importantly, the Standards for Safeguarding and Protecting Children in England are incorporated, which has led us to review and extend both our policies and our safe and inclusive practices. Our policies can all be downloaded below.

The LTA standards include:

• Standard 1 – Safeguarding Policy and Procedures (download policy)
• Standard 2 – Diversity and Inclusion Policy and Procedures (download policy)
• Standard 3 – Welfare Officer – Carole Britton
• Standard 4 – Criminal Record Checks – welfare officer and all coaches
• Standard 5 – Club Risk Assessment/Health and Safety
• Standard 6 – Coaching Safeguarding Standards – our level 3 coaches are LTA accredited

Other related policies:

• Anti-bullying policy (download policy)
• Whistle-blowing policy (download policy)
• Photography and recording policy (download policy)
• Safe and inclusive codes of conduct (download WGTC 3 codes of conduct: Children; Parents & Carers; Coaches, Members & Volunteers)
• Complaints and Appeals Policy (download policy)
• Fire Risk Policy (download policy)
• Safer Recruitment Policy (download policy)

• Covid-19 Risk Assessment (download assessment)

• Covid-19 Member Guidance (download guidance)

• Covid-19 Coaching Guidance for players, parents and guardians (download guidance)

Summary Statement of our Club Safeguarding Policy 2019

Safeguarding and protecting children at the club is the responsibility of everyone, members, officials, coaches and participants. The club and its members have a moral and legal responsibility to ensure the protection of the children and young people who use our facilities. Whenever coaches and volunteers provide activities for children, they have a duty of care for these children. This duty extends to making sure children are safe in tennis activities and, integral to this, is that sport is fun. At WGTC, we are continuously developing our safeguarding processes in order to promote a culture of safeguarding amongst our coaches, parents, young people and members.

Summary can be downloaded here.

Policy Statement

WGTC is committed to prioritising the well-being of all children and adults at risk, promoting safeguarding in our club at all times, including all programmes and events we run. All activities, events and competitions arranged by the club run in accordance with the LTA’s Safeguarding at Events, Activities and Competitions guidance. This Policy strives to minimise risk, deliver a positive tennis experience for everyone and respond appropriately to all safeguarding concerns/disclosures.