Sunderland Strollers Running Club

WELFARE AT SUNDERLAND STROLLERS RUNNING CLUB

Here at Sunderland Strollers Running Club we believe that it is everyone’s responsibility to help protect the welfare of our club members.

Welfare covers a range of issues such as safeguarding and protecting all adults including vulnerable adults as well as addressing bullying, poor practice in run leading and disciplinary matters. Welfare is essential in contributing to good practice within running, developing performance and to ensure the safety and enjoyment of runners, run leaders and volunteers.

United Kingdom Athletics take the lead for safeguarding across the sport of athletics and running for the UK. They set the policies, procedures and regulations for the sport – setting out minimum standards of expectations, such as codes of conduct, procedures to follow for dealing with safeguarding concerns, other welfare issues or complaints, and to ensure that England Athletics, clubs and associations meet their statutory responsibilities to safeguard and protect adults and, where applicable, children.

As part of England Athletics, Sunderland Strollers Running Club hope that everyone in the sport has a positive experience. Together we are committed to protecting everyone in the club so if you have any concerns about the safety of a runner, run leader or volunteer, please report your concerns to us.

Equality and Diversity

Sunderland Strollers Running Club is committed to improving its inclusion and accessibility to enable opportunity for the widest range of adults interested in taking part in running and athletics. At present we may struggle to accommodate certain individual’s needs/disabilities, for example wheelchair athletes. The routing of regular training runs and ratio of pack leaders to runners is a limiting factor. Where it is not possible to make genuine ‘reasonable adjustments’ we will of course look at these issues seriously through our committee and if the matter cannot be resolved we would happily sign post such athletes to alternative facilities/clubs.

There is however, no room in our club for discrimination. If you feel in anyway discriminated against, please know that you can contact the welfare officers in confidence and have your concerns taken seriously.

UKA Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan

Safeguarding – what to do if you have a concern

If you think an adult, whether vulnerable or otherwise is at risk of significant harm or abuse, or require urgent protection, call the Police on 999 and/or your local Social Services.

If the matter is not immediate, please speak to one of our welfare officers, or the session leader. (If the welfare officer is not available and you would rather not speak to the run leader you can contact the England Athletics Welfare Team by calling 07464 522426).

In either circumstance, a Safeguarding Incident form should be completed, please see the welfare officer for details of this (Safeguarding Concern form is attached below). 

Please note that UK Athletics will work with the complainant, the club, the respondent, and any statutory agency that is appropriate in order to manage or address the concern.

All safeguarding concerns are treated with confidentiality and information is only shared on a need-to-know basis.

Serious Misconduct

Serious Misconduct is unacceptable or improper behaviour, especially by a club member (athlete, runner, volunteer, coach, official or paid person).

Examples of serious misconduct include (without limitations) theft, doping violations, fraud, physical violence, safeguarding policy breach, serious breach of applicable health and safety, gambling and/or ticketing regulation or any act or omission of the respondent which in the opinion of England Athletics, acting reasonable, brings or is likely to bring the sport of athletics in disrepute.

To report serious misconduct, you should speak with the welfare officer and where possible email welfare@englandathletics.org copying in the welfare officer into the email.

Incidents and Accidents

Sunderland Strollers Running Club is committed to being able to respond in a timely manner to such situations. UK Athletics provide a Health and Safety Helpline, supported by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents. If you need support, you can call 0121 248 2235 or email athleticsafety@RoSPA.com

To report an accident, or an incident or near miss, please complete the appropriate Health & Safety Reporting Form see attached below. Please send a copy of the form to the welfare officers.

How to contact the welfare officers:

Please ask any committee member or run leader at the club and they will be happy to direct you to the welfare officer(s) or pass on your message if appropriate to do so.

To arrange an appointment with one of the welfare officers please email either of the following email addresses:

welfareofficer@sunderlandstrollers.co.uk (Lead Welfare Officer/Female)
mentalhealth@sunderlandstrollers.co.uk (Mental Health Ambassador/Male)

Further Support

WELFARE RESOURCES

Forms

  • Safeguarding form:

SUBMIT A SAFEGUARDING CONCERN | UK Athletics

  • Accident reporting form:

Health & Safety – Accident Reporting Form (myathletics.uk)

  • Incident or near miss reporting form:

Health & Safety – Incident Reporting Form (myathletics.uk)

Policies UKA

  • Child Safeguarding Policy and Procedures:

Child Safeguarding Policy & Procedures | UK Athletics

  • Adults Safeguarding Policy & Procedures:

Note – Adults at risk or vulnerable adults are defined by the Care Act 2014;

‘An adult at risk is an individual aged 18 years and over who:

(a) has needs for care and support (whether or not the Local Authority is meeting any of those needs) and

(b) is experiencing, or at risk of, abuse or neglect and

(c) as a result of those care and support needs is unable to protect themselves from either the risk of, or the experience of, abuse or neglect’

Adult Safeguarding Policy & Procedures | UK Athletics

Codes of Conduct UKA

  • UKA Codes of Conduct (general document)

Codes-of-Conduct-Booklet-March-2023.pdf (uka.org.uk)

  • UKA Club Safeguarding Code of Conduct

The UK Athletics (UKA) and the Home Country Athletics Federations (HCAF) Codes of Conduct set out national standards of conduct for all clubs, coaches, officials, volunteers and athletes in the sport.

Codes-of-conduct-club-safeguarding

Note: Please see the UKA website for a full list of their policies and codes of conduct UK Athletics | Official Website