CHILD SUPERVISION POLICY

Policy statement

Reigate Lawn Tennis Club (“the Club”) is proud of the welcome and support given to its junior members of all ages. The Club encourages all members to make full use of its facilities as often as possible. As part of its obligations with regards to the protection of children, this document sets out details of its policy for the supervision of children at the Club.

Adult supervision

The Club will ensure that all children’s activities organised by the Club will be adequately supervised by members of the Club’s coaching team or by adult volunteers designated by the Junior Sub-Committee.

The adult supervisor with overall responsibility for a formally organised session at the Club targeted at children must have a valid enhanced DBS check.

Adult supervisors not possessing a valid enhanced DBS check will ensure that they are not left alone with an individual child. Where circumstances require an off-court one-to-one encounter between an adult and child then such a meeting must be permitted under this policy and must take place in an open area visible to others.

Supervision of children under the age of 13 by parents and carers

Children under the age of 13 must be supervised by their parent or carer:

• whilst at the Club, except where the child is participating in a formally organised sessions at the Club targeted at children (such as coaching lessons or tennis camps); and

• whilst representing the Club in a team competition at the premises of another tennis club (and whilst travelling to and from that tennis club).

Start and finish times for formally organised sessions will be clearly stated. Parents and carers are requested to collect their children as punctually as possible. It is the responsibility of parents and carers to make arrangements for the timely collection of children. If a parent is unavoidably delayed then they should contact the Club. Consistent late collection may require alternative arrangements to be put in place. The Club welcomes parents and carers who wish to stay and supervise sessions.

Under no circumstances should a child under the age of 13 leave the Club’s premises without informing an adult supervisor.

While the Club takes every reasonable measure to ensure the safety and protection of all of its members including junior members while they are on the Club’s premises, such measures do not extend to the provision of adequate adult supervision other than for formally organised sessions targeted at children. In that regard, it is the responsibility of each parent or carer to ensure that their child is adequately supervised at all other times that they are on the Club’s premises.

Whilst there may be adults present on the Club’s premises at other times, the Club does not regard their presence as the provision of adequate adult supervision, and the Club is not responsible for the safety and protection of children outside of formally organised sessions targeted at children.

Coaching of children

When coaching independently, all coaches will (as a minimum) be ‘Level 2’ qualified and in possession of a valid enhanced DBS check.

Coaches and other adult supervisors must not go into the toilet area with children.

Enhanced DBS checks

Where a member or coach is required to possess a valid enhanced DBS check in order to fulfil a role at the Club, that enhanced DBS check must have been issued within the last three years.

Coach:player ratios

When setting maximum coach:player ratios, the Club (with support from its coaching team) will ensure the following conditions are satisfied:

• On court activity is safe

• On court activity is delivered with quality

• On court activity represents good value for money

• Supervision of children will not be compromised in the event of an emergency (or other situation) that requires the coach to leave the court or Club

It is not possible for the Club to specify definitive maximum coach:player ratios for each activity as the appropriate ratio will vary depending on the following factors:

• The age of players

• The facilities available

• The activity taking place

• The level and experience of the coaching staff

However, other than in exceptional circumstances, the Club will adhere to the following maximum coach:player ratios for recreational coaching:
 
• Coaching for under 10s: Maximum coach:player ratio of 1:10, based on the use of an appropriately sized tennis court or space
• Coaching for ages 11-17: Maximum coach:player ratio of 1:12, cardio tennis sessions may exceed this ratio
• Taster and introductory sessions, tennis camps, open days: Maximum coach:player ratio of 1:16

In all cases, the maximum group size can be increased where coaching assistants are actively present.

Approved by the Management Committee in November 2020