Safeguarding, Equality & Conduct

1. Children and young people

The Club adopts and will implement the Badminton England Safeguarding and Protecting Children and Young People Policy and its supporting procedures. Everyone under 18 is treated as a child for this policy. National safeguarding processes govern referrals and case handling.

People and responsibilities

The Club Welfare Officer is Huaiwen Xu, who can be contacted at hx@redlionsportculture.co.uk. The role must be carried out in line with Badminton England guidance. Members, juniors, parents/carers, coaches and volunteers must be told the officer’s name and how to contact them directly. This information must be accessible when joining and whenever it changes. Before deploying coaches or volunteers, the Club will assess the role, obtain references and complete the checks and safeguarding training required by Badminton England, including enhanced DBS checks through Badminton England for regulated activity. Qualified coaches must hold the required Badminton England coaching membership.

Safe sessions, camps and collection

For each session or camp the organiser will identify who supervises participants, confirm suitable staffing for ages and needs, assess the venue and activity risks, and establish first-aid and emergency arrangements.

Parents will receive start and finish times, drop-off and collection arrangements, and the contact for delays.

Children will remain supervised until safely collected or leave under a previously agreed arrangement.

The Club will obtain emergency contacts and relevant medical, accessibility and support information before participation. Staff will know how to access essential information securely during the activity. Changes to collection arrangements must be verified with the parent or carer. Session and camp organisers must establish and communicate missing-participant procedures, including supervision of the remaining group, notification of parents/carers and escalation to police where needed.

Boundaries and communication

Coaching should be observable and interruptible. Adults must avoid isolated one-to-one situations and must not arrange solo transport, home stays or shared sleeping accommodation with junior participants. Any exceptional emergency arrangement must be recorded and reported promptly. Necessary coaching contact must be explained, appropriate and respectful of the child’s wishes.

Routine messages to juniors will go through parents or carers, or an agreed transparent channel that includes them. Staff must not use private or disappearing messages with juniors. No sexualised comments, humiliating discipline, favouritism, bullying or inappropriate relationships are permitted. Concerns involving a person in a position of trust must be reported.

Photos, changing and listening to children

Photography and publication require an explained purpose, appropriate parental permission and respect for the child’s own wishes. No photography is permitted in changing areas. The Club will agree safe changing arrangements with the venue and families. Children will be told, in age-appropriate language, whom they can approach and that they can raise concerns without losing opportunities to play.

2. Adults and mixed-age activity

The Club adopts and will implement the Badminton England Safeguarding Adults Policy and supporting procedures. Adult safeguarding applies alongside the Club’s duty to offer all participants a safe, respectful environment. Adult participation does not reduce the safeguards required for juniors.

Responding to an adult’s needs

The Club will listen to the adult, ask what support and outcome they want, and enable them to participate in decisions wherever possible. Disability, age or a diagnosis alone must not be treated as proof that someone lacks capacity or cannot make decisions. Support and accessible communication will be offered without unnecessary disclosure of personal information.

Suspected abuse, exploitation, coercion, neglect or unsafe practice must be raised promptly. Where safe and appropriate, discuss sharing information with the adult and seek their consent. Consent is not an absolute barrier to reporting: immediate danger, possible serious crime, risk to others or questions about capacity may require information to be shared without it. Seek advice from Badminton England or the appropriate statutory service and record the reasons for action.

Mixed-age sessions

Before adults join junior activity, the organiser will consider the ages, skill levels, supervision, physical demands, changing arrangements and individual support needs. Adults must follow the Club’s conduct and safeguarding rules. An adult player or parent is not automatically authorised to supervise, coach, transport or privately contact children.

The Club will explain which activities are suitable for adults, which are for juniors, and who is responsible for each group. Any adult given a role with children must first complete the role assessment, recruitment, checks and training appropriate to that role.

Positive culture

Everyone may raise a concern about their own welfare or another person’s welfare. The Club will offer a private way to speak, avoid assumptions about personal circumstances, and take concerns seriously. A person who raises a concern honestly must not be threatened, penalised or excluded for doing so.

Implementation responsibility

The Club organiser will ensure relevant staff and volunteers understand both safeguarding policies, know the reporting route in the reporting section below, and can obtain advice. Adult-specific safeguarding concerns will be referred through the applicable Badminton England and local Adult Social Care routes, rather than managed solely as ordinary membership disputes.

3. Reporting and responding

Immediate danger

Call 999 if someone is in immediate danger or urgent police or medical help is needed. Do not delay emergency action while trying to contact the Club. Then notify the appropriate safeguarding contact as soon as it is safe to do so.

Club contact and independent route

Email is not an emergency service. If someone is in immediate danger, use 999 rather than waiting for an email response.

Club Welfare Officer: Huaiwen Xu

Email: hx@redlionsportculture.co.uk

Badminton England Safeguarding Team:

Email: safeguarding@badmintonengland.co.uk

Official Badminton England telephone: 01908 268400

Use the official safeguarding hub for current reporting instructions and contact options. If the concern relates to Huaiwen Xu, she is unavailable, or you prefer an independent route, contact Badminton England directly. You do not need permission from the Club.

Badminton England safeguarding hub

If someone tells you about harm

Listen calmly and take them seriously. Explain that you may need to share information with people who can help; do not promise secrecy. Ask only what is necessary to understand immediate safety needs, without suggesting answers. Do not investigate, confront the person complained about, or attempt mediation of suspected abuse.

Make a factual record promptly: what was said, the person’s own words where possible, what you observed, dates and times, witnesses, immediate risks and actions taken. Keep relevant evidence securely; do not circulate it in group chats or repeatedly question the person. Share safeguarding concerns promptly with the Badminton England Safeguarding Team, following its reporting procedure, and with statutory services where needed. Do not delay reporting to finish collecting information or completing a form. A child-protection concern must not wait for committee approval or an internal complaints hearing.

Records and follow-up

Safeguarding records will be stored separately from routine member administration with restricted access.

Share only what is needed with those responsible for protection and case handling. Retention, secure transfer and disposal must follow applicable Badminton England records guidance and data-protection requirements; the Club organiser is responsible for allocating responsibility for records and ensuring secure handling arrangements.

Explain the next step where appropriate without making promises about outcomes. Follow instructions from Badminton England, police or social care. Any temporary safety measures must be proportionate, recorded and reviewed; they do not decide whether an allegation is proven. Disciplinary or membership processes must not obstruct safeguarding action.

4. Equality, diversity and inclusion

The Club aims to give children and adults a welcoming, fair and accessible opportunity to enjoy badminton. This Club policy supports Badminton England’s equality principles and sets expectations for everyone involved in Club activities.

Fair treatment

The Club will not tolerate unlawful discrimination, harassment or victimisation. Decisions about membership, coaching opportunities, volunteering and participation will be made fairly, with regard to relevant needs and applicable equality law. Respect is expected regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation.

Access and reasonable adjustments

Participants and parents may raise access or support needs privately with the Club contact. The Club will discuss reasonable adjustments, such as accessible information, adapted exercises, breaks, communication support or suitable session arrangements, and explain what can be provided. Information about a person’s needs will be shared only where necessary for support and safety.

Sessions and selection

Where sessions have age, ability or capacity limits, these will be explained clearly and applied consistently.

Coaching groups and progression decisions will use relevant, transparent criteria. Junior-focused provision and mixed-age participation will be planned with safety, suitability and accessibility in mind. Any competition eligibility requirements will be checked against current governing-body rules and applicable law.

Concerns and accountability

Report discriminatory conduct to the Club contact. If the concern involves that person, an independent person must handle it, or the issue should be referred to Badminton England where within its remit. If the conduct raises safeguarding concerns, use the safeguarding reporting route immediately.

The Club will hear those affected, consider relevant evidence, explain its response, and take proportionate action to prevent recurrence. No one should suffer retaliation for raising a concern honestly. Feedback from juniors, parents and adult participants will inform improvements to access and Club culture.

Further guidance

The Club will refer to Badminton England’s current equality, diversity and inclusion guidance when reviewing its practices. Participants and families can find further information through the official hub below.

Badminton England equality, diversity and inclusion hub

5. Codes of conduct

These Club expectations apply to sessions, camps, matches, travel arranged by the Club and Club-related online activity. They support the Badminton England ethical framework without changing national rules or disciplinary jurisdiction.

Everyone

Treat people respectfully, follow safety instructions and play fairly. Do not bully, discriminate, threaten, intimidate or use abusive language. Respect privacy, equipment and facilities. Raise concerns through the appropriate route, and cooperate honestly with safeguarding and fair complaints processes.

Junior players

Be kind to other players, listen to coaches and tell a trusted adult if you feel unsafe, hurt or worried. Respect others’ belongings and personal space. You can ask questions, say when an activity feels uncomfortable and seek help without being blamed for speaking up.

Parents and carers

Provide accurate emergency and support information, collect children as agreed, and tell the Club promptly about changes. Encourage effort and enjoyment; do not shout at, shame or pressure children, coaches or officials. Use the agreed communication routes and respect other children’s privacy and photography choices.

Coaches, volunteers and adult participants

Model respectful behaviour and maintain clear adult-child boundaries. Coaches and volunteers must act within their competence and assigned role, complete required checks and training, and plan safe activity. Adult players must not assume a supervisory role or privately approach juniors outside approved arrangements. Never ignore or conceal a safeguarding concern.

Responding to breaches

The Club may intervene immediately to stop unsafe behaviour. Ordinary conduct concerns will be documented and considered fairly, with the person told the concern and given a reasonable opportunity to respond.

Outcomes should be proportionate and explained. A request for review or appeal must be considered by someone not involved in the original decision. The Club will arrange an impartial reviewer and explain the route to the person concerned.

Safeguarding matters must follow the reporting route in the reporting section, rather than being resolved through informal mediation. Matters within Badminton England’s jurisdiction will be referred under its applicable regulations. Any membership sanction must be authorised by the Club’s applicable constitution or membership terms.

Related national obligations

Members must also follow any applicable governing-body rules on integrity, betting and anti-doping. This pack does not create separate local versions of those technical rules. Their current requirements should be checked when relevant to an activity or competition.

6. Policy review and useful links

Responsibility and communication

The Club organiser is responsible for maintaining this policy pack, allocating implementation responsibilities, and ensuring that the relevant requirements are communicated to coaches, volunteers, participants and families. The Club Welfare Officer is Huaiwen Xu. Her contact email is hx@redlionsportculture.co.uk, as listed in this pack. The officer’s name and direct contact route must be accessible to members and families; anyone may also use the independent Badminton England safeguarding route directly.

Review and updates

The Club will review these policies annually and sooner following a significant incident, a material change to activities or arrangements, or updated national policies or guidance. Relevant changes will be communicated to participants, parents and carers, coaches and volunteers. Review must include whether the reporting routes, supervision, recruitment, access and record-handling arrangements remain effective.

The Club will keep its contact information accessible on its website and in joining information. Coaches and volunteers must know where to find the safeguarding policies and how to report concerns promptly. The national policies and procedures should be accessed through Badminton England’s official pages so that updates can be identified.

Reporting a concern

Club Welfare Officer: Huaiwen Xu

Email: hx@redlionsportculture.co.uk

Independent safeguarding route: safeguarding@badmintonengland.co.uk

Badminton England telephone: 01908 268400

If someone is in immediate danger, call 999. Full reporting instructions are in the reporting section.

Useful links

Club website

Badminton England safeguarding hub and reporting guidance

Badminton England safeguarding policies

Badminton England Welfare Officer role description

Badminton England event safeguarding guidance

Badminton England equality, diversity and inclusion

National policies and Club arrangements

The national safeguarding policies and supporting procedures operate alongside this pack. Questions about national policy interpretation, safeguarding case handling or current national conduct requirements should be referred to Badminton England. Safeguarding referrals must not be delayed while seeking clarification of an ordinary Club rule.