Working with Children and Young People Policy

Foreword

The British Go Association is committed to maintaining a culture in which children can develop their abilities in an environment which protects their safety and wellbeing. The Association has Policy and Guidance on working with children and young people who attend our sponsored Go events. The Guidance also covers situations in which Association members may offer Go tuition to young people in schools or youth clubs.

The Policy covers:

  • providing a safe environment for children and young people to enjoy Go;
  • appointing a Child Protection Advisor;
  • appointing and supporting members who work with young people; and
  • what to do if a situation of concern arises involving children or young people.

We also have Guidelines for Volunteers Visiting Schools.

To contact the Child Protection Advisor, please email: child-protection@britgo.org

Principles

The British Go Association puts a high value on promoting Go amongst young people. It aims to encourage participation by young people in Association activities by making the events enjoyable and fun and by ensuring that the young people are safe and feel safe and welcome.

  1. When adults are in contact with young people, the rights, needs and dignity of the young people are paramount.
  2. It is the prerogative of parents or legal guardians to determine how a young person will be cared for and what they may and may not do. An adult who undertakes to care for a young person, other than in an emergency, must have the knowledge and consent of the parents and must obey all requirements placed on him/her by them.
  3. It is the duty of anyone undertaking to care for a young person to protect the physical and mental health and wellbeing of the young person from all reasonably foreseeable risk.

Policy

  1. It is the responsibility of all members of the Association to do their best to prevent the physical, sexual and emotional abuse of children and young people and to report any abuse, alleged or suspected.
  2. The Association will respond without delay to any complaints made that a child or young person, for whom the Association or its members or officers are responsible, may have been harmed.
  3. Association members who provide Go teaching to children and young people in schools should comply with any request by the school to obtain a Disclosure or Enhanced Disclosure from the Disclosure and Barring Service.
  4. Members who teach Go to children or young people in an unsupervised setting are likely to fall under the definition of Regulated Activity. This means that they are required by law to undergo a Barred List check. (See Policy and Procedures for checking criminal records).
  5. Council is responsible for appointing a Child Protection Adviser who:
    1. advises Council on Child Protection Policy and its implementation;
    2. advises members involved in youth Go activities; and
    3. is available to members to discuss any situation of concern that may come to their notice.
  6. The Association requires an Enhanced Disclosure for the Youth Development Officer, Child Protection Adviser and Education Officer. The Enhanced Disclosure must be not more than three years old. The Association will obtain and/or renew such disclosures where they are needed.
  7. Council will satisfy themselves as to the suitability of any person applying to take on the roles of Youth Development Officer, Child Protection Adviser and Education Officer, through a process which as a minimum:
    1. discusses any previous experience working with children and young people;
    2. requests the volunteer to confirm that they have never been convicted of, or cautioned for, a sexual offence or other offence against children;
    3. has the volunteer either show or complete an application for the Enhanced Disclosure required by the previous policy;
    4. may consider taking up references if appropriate.
  8. The organisers of Association-supported Go Tournaments and other events which are open to all adults and children are considered for the purposes of this policy not to have direct responsibility for the care and supervision of children participating in the event. They are therefore not required to seek Disclosure or Enhanced Disclosure.

Guidelines

1. Association activities aimed at young people

Each member working with young people should:

  • treat all young people with respect and dignity;
  • not engage in any of the following:
    • scapegoating, ridiculing or rejecting a young person;
    • making any racially provocative comments to a young person, even in fun;
    • rough, physical or sexually provocative games;
    • making sexually suggestive comments about or to a young person, even in fun;
    • inappropriate and intrusive touching of any form;
    • sexual relationships with young people even if they consent.
  • not invite a young person to their home alone unless the parent(s) have given their permission;
  • if they see another volunteer acting in ways which might be misconstrued, be prepared to speak to the volunteer, or to the Child Protection Adviser, or to any member of Council, about their concerns.

2. Running a Go Club for young people

The Association recommends that a member who runs a Go club for children or young people is aware of the definition of Regulated Activity and the implications of this for their involvement with young Go players. This is explained fully in the Policy and Procedures for checking criminal records.

The Association can obtain a Criminal record check on their behalf and will help with teaching advice and materials.

3. Transporting young people to Go events

A major issue for young people attending Association events can be travelling costs. The Castledine-Barnes Trust may be able to assist financially with travel costs. For further information about what the Trust supports and how to apply, contact Castledine-Barnes Trust.

Members organising travel for young people to Go events should:
  • before taking a young person on a trip away from home, obtain from the parents:
    • contact phone number,
    • details about any medical conditions,
    • prescriptions and allergies,
    • the name and phone number of the young person's doctor, and
    • signed consent to your seeking qualified treatment for them in case of injury or medical emergency.
    We provide a form which you can use for this. It is advisable to update this information periodically;
  • for every trip obtain the consent of the parent(s) before taking a young person anywhere except in an emergency;
  • have more than one passenger when transporting young people, unless parental permission has been obtained to do otherwise;
  • provide the parents with a schedule and your contact information for the journey.

4. Go events involving overnight stays

Children and young people are welcome at Go events of several days duration. If they are not accompanied by a parent it is essential that there is an adult present at the event who has supervisory responsibility for them. The responsible adult should ensure that they have information on each young person outlined in 3. above.

If a Go club leader takes a group of children or young people to a tournament involving an overnight stay this falls under the definition of Regulated Activity. The individual thus requires a Barred List check. The Child Protection Advisor can provide further information and advice on this area.

The Association recommends that the adult with supervisory responsibility does not share a room with a child or young person (unless a family member).

5. Use of photographs of children for publicity purposes

The Association wishes to promote the playing of Go by children and young people. Accordingly it publishes photographs of children playing Go in its Journal, on its website, in the press, and elsewhere.

No photograph of a child will be published without the permission of the child and his or her parents/carers. This permission may be given in the form of a general authorisation on an event entry form, and/or verbally at the time the photograph is taken.

The name of a child appearing in a photograph will only be published with the explicit agreement of the child and his or her parents/carers.

The Association’s Child Protection Adviser should be consulted in cases of doubt.

Readers are also referred to our Policy and Procedures for checking criminal records. This policy required Council to appoint 2 Verifiers: on 8 May 2010 Council appointed Sue Paterson (Child Protection Advisor) and Toby Manning (Council Member). These appointments remain valid (Jan 2023).

Last updated Sat Jan 07 2023.
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