Keeping children safe and protected is most important to us at Colchester Junior Chess Club.

Please take a moment to look over our Safeguarding policy.  Our policy is outlined by the England Chess Federation (ECF) and by the NSPCC to abide by protection laws and, most importantly,

to keep our members safe

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Our Statement

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Colchester Junior Chess Club acknowledges the duty of care to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and is committed to ensuring safeguarding practice reflects statutory responsibilities, government guidance and complies with the best practice of the English Chess Federation (ECF). The ECF is the national governing body for chess in England. The ECF explains that safeguarding is a developing area and accordingly the guideline will be updated as necessary here.

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This policy recognises that the welfare and interests of children are paramount in all circumstances. It aims to ensure that regardless of age, ability or disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation, socio-economic background, all children:

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• have a positive and enjoyable experience playing and learning about chess at Colchester Junior Chess Club in a safe and child-centred environment

• are protected from abuse whilst participating in chess activities or participating in team tournaments

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We acknowledge that some children, including disabled children or those from ethnic minority communities, can be particularly vulnerable to abuse and we accept the responsibility to take reasonable and appropriate steps to ensure their welfare.

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Our Policy

What we'll do...

As part of our safeguarding policy we will:

• promote and prioritise the safety and wellbeing of children and young people

• value, listen to and respect children

• ensure robust safeguarding arrangements and procedures are in operation

• adopt safeguarding best practice through our policies, procedures and code of conduct for our committee members and volunteers

• ensure everyone understands their roles and responsibilities in respect of safeguarding and is provided with appropriate learning opportunities to recognise, identify and respond to signs of abuse, neglect and other safeguarding concerns relating to children and young people

• the designated adult coach in charge should have DBS clearance 

• one of our regular committee members with DBS clearance will remain in the room with all approved visitors and guest coaches

• Parents, caregivers, or adults responsible for players, must escort their children to the club room and return in good time to collect their children. If a child is not collected by the end of the session, a trusted committee member will wait with them until the adult responsible arrives. 

• provide effective guidance to volunteers through supervision, support, training and quality assurance, so that all volunteers know our policies, procedures and behaviour codes and follow them confidently and competently

• ensure appropriate action is taken in the event of incidents or concerns of abuse and support provided to the individual(s) who raise or disclose the concern

• ensure that confidential, detailed and accurate records of all safeguarding concerns are maintained and securely stored

• record and store information securely, in line with data protection legislation and guidance. More information about this is available from the Information Commissioner’s Office

• preventing the involvement of inappropriate persons by safely recruiting and selecting volunteers, while ensuring all necessary checks are carried out

• appoint a nominated safeguard leader and co-deputy leaders who are committee members for safeguarding

• develop and implement an effective online safety policy and related procedures

• share information about safeguarding and good practice with children and their parents via email, website and paper copy if requested.

• make sure that children, young people and their parents know where to go for help if they have a concern

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The policy and procedures will be widely promoted and are mandatory for everyone involved in Colchester Junior Chess Club. Failure to comply with the policy and procedures will be addressed without delay and may ultimately result in exclusion from the organisation.​

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Monitoring

This policy will be reviewed a year after development and then every three years, or in the following circumstances:

• changes in legislation and/or government guidance

• as required by the local safeguarding partnership and by the ECF and the English Chess Federation Child Protection Policy Statement

• as a result of any other significant change or event.

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This policy was last reviewed on 24/04/2024

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Our Safeguarding/Welfare Officer

Name: Michael Catabay

Email: colchesterjuniorchessclub1@gmail.com

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Our Co-Deputy Safeguarding/Welfare Officer

Name: Ella Catabay

Email: maecire18@gmail.com

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Download the Policy

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In a safeguarding emergency, where a young person is at immediate risk of harm, call 999

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