Charity no: 1151510

Level Water and Swim Collective Safeguarding Policy Statement

Updated: September 2024

Updates: No updates

Next update due: September 2025

The purpose and scope of this policy statement

At Level Water, we believe that everyone should have the opportunity to learn to swim and fall in love with the water. So we work in partnership with pools and swim schools around the country. We train teachers who are hired by leisure providers and help with funding to offer high-quality one-to-one and adapted lessons to children with disabilities. In order to fundraise for this programme of work, we also run a series of open water swims around the UK.

The purpose of this policy statement is:

  • to protect all people, including children, young people and at-risk adultswho come into contact with Level Water staff and volunteers from harm,exploitation and abuse.

  • to provide staff and volunteers, as well as children, young people and at-risk adults and their families, with the overarching principles that guide our approach to child protection and safeguarding.

This policy applies to anyone working on behalf of Level Water and/or Swim Collective, including senior managers and the board of trustees, paid staff, volunteers and freelancers. We have a zero tolerance approach to harm, exploitation and abuse.

Legal framework

This policy has been drawn up on the basis of legislation, policy and guidance that seeks to protect children in England. A summary of the key legislation and guidance is available from nspcc.org.uk/childprotection.

Our agreement with pool providers states that their swim teachers must be Level 2 qualified and have up to date DBS checks in place as per the standards of Swim England’s WavePower Safeguarding Policy 2022/23

Supporting documents

This policy statement should be read alongside our organisational policies, procedures, guidance and other related documents:

  • role description for the designated safeguarding officer

  • dealing with disclosures and concerns about a child or young person

  • managing allegations against staff and volunteers

  • recording concerns and information sharing

  • code of conduct for staff and volunteers

  • Anti-bullying

  • Grievance

  • induction, training, supervision and support

We believe that:

  • Children, young people, at-risk adults and all other people should never experience harm, exploitation or abuse (see Annex 1 for definitions of abuse) of any kind

  • We have a responsibility to promote the welfare of all children, young people and at-risk adults, to keep them safe and to operate in a way that protects them.

We recognise that:

  • the welfare of children, young people and at-risk adults is paramount in all the work we do and in all the decisions we take

  • working in partnership with children, young people and at-risk adults, their parents, carers and other agencies is essential in promoting young people’s welfare

  • all children, young people and at-risk adults, regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation have an equal right to protection from all types of harm, exploitation or abuse

  • some children, young people and at-risk adults are additionally vulnerable because of the impact of previous experiences, their level of dependency, communication needs or other issues

  • extra safeguards may be needed to keep children, young people and at-risk adults who are additionally vulnerable safe from harm, exploitation and abuse.

    We will seek to keep children, young people and at-risk adults safe by:

  • valuing, listening to and respecting them

  • appointing a nominated safeguarding officer for children, young people and at-risk adults and a lead trustee/board member for safeguarding

  • adopting child protection and safeguarding best practice through our policies, procedures and code of conduct for staff and volunteers

  • ensuring all staff and volunteers understand and implement our safeguarding standards and work within our code of conduct through providing effective training, supervision and quality assurance measures.

  • recruiting and selecting staff and volunteers safely, ensuring all robust recruitment processes are followed including obtaining x2 professional references and DBS checks are made for those directly working with children, young people and at-risk adults.

  • recording, storing and using information professionally and securely, in line with data protection legislation and guidance [more information about this is available from the Information Commissioner’s Office: ico.org.uk/fororganisations]

  • making sure that children, young people and at-risk adults, their families and anyone who comes into contact with Level Water/and or Swim Collective work knows where to go for help if they have a concern

  • using our safeguarding and child protection procedures to share concerns and relevant information with agencies who need to know, ensuring confidentiality and involving children, young people, parents, families and carers appropriately

  • using our procedures to effectively manage any allegations against staff and volunteers appropriately

  • creating and maintaining an anti-bullying environment and ensuring that we have a policy and procedure to help us deal effectively with any bullying that does arise

  • ensuring that we have effective complaints and whistleblowing measures in place

  • ensuring that we provide a safe physical environment for children, young people, at-risk adults, staff and volunteers, by applying health and safety measures in accordance with the law and regulatory guidance

  • building a safeguarding culture where staff and volunteers, children, young people, at-risk adults and their families, treat each other with respect and are comfortable about sharing concerns.

Contact details

Nominated safeguarding officer Name: Lucy Powell, Head of Operations

Phone: 07912 432 660 Email: lucy@levelwater.org

This policy was last reviewed and signed on: September 2024

Signed document available here

Annex 1: Definitions of Abuse

Abuse occurs when an individual or individuals hurts another child, young person or at-risk adult either physically or mentally. In the majority of cases, the abuser is someone the survivor knows well, such as a parent, other caregiver, relative or friend. Abuse can be intentional or unintentional.

There are several forms of abuse including:

Physical abuse: Physical abuse is causing deliberate injury to a person, however slight. This may involve hitting, shaking, throwing, poisoning, biting, burning or scalding, drowning, suffocating or otherwise causing or attempting to cause physical harm to a person. Physical harm may also be caused through the misuse of medication, restraint or being given alcohol or a substance that is known to cause harm. It’s also physical abuse if a parent or carer makes up or causes the symptoms of illness in children. For example, they may give them medicine they don’t need, making them unwell. This is known as fabricated or induced illness (FII) Emotional/psychological abuse: Emotional or psychological abuse is the emotional ill-treatment of a person that adversely affects their wellbeing or development. Some level of emotional abuse is involved in all types of ill treatment, though it may occur alone. It includes threats of harm or abandonment, deprivation of contact, humiliation, blaming, controlling, intimidation, coercion, harassment, verbal abuse, isolation or withdrawal from services or support networks. Other harmful experiences such as frequently being forced to witness violence in their domestic environment are also classified as emotional abuse.

Neglect: Neglect is not meeting a child, young person or at risk adult’s basic physical and/or psychological needs. This includes ignoring medical or physical care needs, failure to provide access to appropriate health, social care or educational services, withholding medication, inadequate hygiene, nutrition, housing or heating, or preventing someone from interacting with others. This can result in serious damage to their health and development. Neglect of children, young people and adults with disabilities is more common than neglect of those without disabilities and is often under-reported. Neglect is the most common type of child abuse. It often happens at the same time as other types of abuse.

Sexual abuse: Sexual abuse is the involvement of a person in sexual activities which they do not want or truly understand, or to which they are unable to give valid or effective consent. This may involve rape, sexual assault, inappropriate sexual contact, or exposure to inappropriate material.

Any kind of sexual activity involving a child constitutes sexual abuse, whether the child, under 18, is aware of, or consents to, what is happening. This includes rape, incest, fondling genitals, masturbation, voyeurism, exhibitionism, exposing a child or young person to adult sexual material, or making them take part in any sexual activity, real or simulated, whether face-to-face, online, or in any other medium.

Exploitation: Those who want to exploit children, young people and adults will seek out those who are in vulnerable circumstances to use them for their own purpose, activity, or gratification. This could be financial, commercial, sexual, or related to extremism and terrorism. Exploitation involves a process of grooming; when someone builds an emotional connection with a child or adult to gain their trust for the purpose of exploitation. They may also manipulate their environment, so they become isolated from those who could help or support them. Those affected may not realise they have been groomed, or that what has happened is abuse.

Types of exploitation include:

Sexual exploitation: a type of sexual abuse in which children. Young people or adults are sexually exploited for money, power, or status. A person may be coerced or groomed into exploitative situations and relationships. They may be given things such as gifts, money, drugs, alcohol, status or affection in exchange for taking part in sexual activities. A child, young person or at risk adult may be tricked into believing they're in a loving, consensual relationship. They often trust their abuser and don't understand that they're being abused. They may depend on their abuser or be too scared to tell anyone what's happening. They might be invited to parties and given drugs and alcohol before being sexually exploited. They can also be groomed and exploited online. Some children, young people or at risk adults are trafficked into or within the UK for the purpose of sexual exploitation.

Modern slavery: this includes forced labour, domestic servitude or coercing, deceiving and forcing an individual into a life of abuse. ·

Radicalisation: the process by which those who are vulnerable come to support terrorism or violent extremism and, in some cases, to directly participate in or support terrorist groups. There is no obvious profile of a person likely to become involved in extremism or a single indicator of when a person might move to adopt violence in support of extremist ideas. The process of radicalisation is different for every individual and can take place over an extended period or within a very short time frame. It may follow an experience of racism or discrimination. They believe that joining a movement offers social and psychological rewards such as adventure, camaraderie, and a heightened sense of identity.

Financial or material abuse: Financial or material abuse is the theft or misuse of a person’s property or assets. This includes money being withdrawn or stolen, goods or services purchased in someone’s name without their consent, being deliberately overcharged for goods or services, misappropriation of property, possessions or benefits, or money being borrowed by someone who is providing a service to the vulnerable person.

Discriminatory abuse: Discriminatory abuse is repeated, ongoing or widespread discrimination due to a person’s age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation. This can include unfair or less favourable treatment, sexual or gender preference, slurs, harassment, name-calling, breaches of civil liberties, and unequal access to health or social care.