Code of Ethics

Policy Statement

The Irish Windsurfing Association is fully committed to safeguarding the wellbeing of its members, especially young members under the age of 18.

Leaders should at all times show respect and understanding for their rights, safety and welfare and conduct themselves in a way that reflects the principles of the association and the guidelines contained in the Code of Ethics and Good Practice for Children's Sport.

The IWA will strive to locate any event organised by the association at venues that are appropriate for all its members.

Core Values in Sport for Young People

The work of the Irish Windsurfing Association is based on the following principles, which guide the development of windsurfing in the association.

Young people's experience of sport should be guided by what is best for the young person. The stages of development and ability of the young person should guide the type of activity provided within the association. Adults working with young people within the association need a basic understanding of the needs of young people, including physical, emotional and personal needs.

Integrity in Relationships

Adults interacting with young people in sport should do so with integrity and respect for the child. Sporting contexts must never be used to exploit or undermine children. All adult actions in sport should be guided by what is best for the child and by quality, open working relationships. Verbal, physical, emotional or sexual abuse of any kind is unacceptable within sport.

Quality Atmosphere and Ethos

Sport for young people should be conducted in a safe, positive and encouraging atmosphere. A child-centred ethos helps to ensure that competition and specialisation are kept in their appropriate place. Competitive demands are too often placed on children too early, resulting in excessive pressure and high levels of drop-out from the sport.

Equality

All children should be treated in an equitable and fair manner regardless of age, ability, sex, religion, social background or ethnic background. Children with disabilities should be involved in sporting activities in an integrated way, allowing them to participate to their potential alongside other children.

Fair Play

Fair play is the guiding principle of the Code of Ethics and Good Practice for Children's Sport.

Where children are involved in sport it should be conducted in an atmosphere of fair play. Ireland has contributed to and is committed to the European Code of Sports Ethics, which defines fair play as much more than playing within the rules. It includes friendship, respect for others and always playing with the right spirit. Fair play is a way of thinking, not just behaving, and it includes elimination of cheating, excessive commercialisation and corruption.

Competition

A balanced approach to competition can make a significant contribution to the development of young people while also providing fun, enjoyment and satisfaction. However, competitive demands are often placed on children too early, resulting in excessive pressure and increased drop-out from the sport. Leaders should put the welfare of the child first and competitive standards second. A child-centred approach helps to ensure that competition and specialisation are kept in their appropriate place.

Code of Conduct for Young People

The IWA wishes to provide the best possible environment for all young people involved in the sport. Young people deserve enjoyable, safe sporting opportunities free from abuse of any kind. They have rights that must be respected and responsibilities that they must accept. Young people should be encouraged to realise that they have responsibilities to treat other participants and sports leaders with fairness and respect.

Young windsurfers are entitled to:

Be safe and to feel safe
Be listened to
Be believed
Be treated with dignity and respect
Have a voice in the association
Participate on an equal basis
Have fun and enjoy sport
Experience competition at a level they feel comfortable with
Make complaints and have them dealt with
Get help against bullies
Say no
Protect their own bodies
Confidentiality

Young windsurfers should always:

Treat sports leaders with respect
Do their best and play fairly at all times
Respect fellow windsurfers, even when things go wrong
Respect opponents and be gracious in defeat
Abide by the rules set down by team managers when travelling to events
Behave in a manner that avoids bringing the sport of windsurfing into disrepute
Talk to the Children's Officer if they have any problems

Young windsurfers should never:

Cheat
Use violence or physical contact in an aggressive manner
Shout or argue with officials, fellow windsurfers or opponents
Harm fellow windsurfers, opponents or their property
Bully or use bullying tactics to isolate another windsurfer
Use unfair or bullying tactics to gain advantage
Take banned substances
Tell lies about adults or young people involved with the sport
Spread rumours

Guidelines for Parents

The IWA believes that parents should:

Be a role model for your child and maintain the highest standards of conduct when interacting with children, other parents, officials and organisers
Always behave responsibly and not seek to unfairly affect the outcome of competitions
Never intentionally expose any young participant to embarrassment or disparagement through flippant or sarcastic remarks
Recognise the value and importance of the volunteers who provide sporting and recreational opportunities for your child, and not publicly question the judgement or honesty of referees, coaches, organisers and other windsurfers
Encourage your child to play by the rules and understand that honest endeavour is as important as winning
Set a good example by applauding good sailing on both sides and encouraging mutual respect for fellow sailors and opponents
Support all efforts to remove abusive behaviour and bullying in all its forms

Guidelines for Leaders in Our Sport

Leaders in children's sport should strive to create a positive environment for the children in their care. They have an overall responsibility to take the steps necessary to ensure that positive and healthy experiences are provided.

The IWA recognises the key role leaders, including coaches, selectors and team managers, play in the lives of children in sport.

All leaders should adhere to the guidelines and regulations set out in the association's Code of Ethics.

Leaders must respect the rights, dignity and worth of every child and must treat everyone equally, regardless of sex, ethnic origin, religion or ability.

Leaders working with young people in the IWA should be suitable and appropriately qualified. Leaders are expected to go through appropriate recruitment and selection procedures that apply to all persons with substantial access to young people, whether paid or unpaid. References will be needed and followed up.

Leaders will be given a copy of the association's Code of Ethics and will be expected to abide by the Code of Ethics and Good Practice for Children in Sport.

Once appointed, a leader must act as a role model and promote the positive aspects of sport at all levels. He or she must maintain the highest standards of personal conduct.

The use of drugs, alcohol and tobacco must be actively discouraged as being incompatible with a healthy approach to sporting activity.

Remember that your behaviour towards young windsurfers, other officials and opponents will affect the windsurfers in your care.
Be generous with praise and never ridicule or shout at participants for making mistakes. All young windsurfers are entitled to respect.
Be careful to avoid the star system. Every child deserves equal time and attention.
Take care not to expose a child, intentionally or unintentionally, to embarrassment or disparagement by sarcastic or flippant remarks about the child or his or her family.
Physical punishment or physical force must never be used. Never punish a mistake by verbal or physical means or by exclusion.
Insist that windsurfers in your care respect the rules of the sport. Insist on fair play and make sailors aware that cheating and bullying will not be tolerated.
Remember that young people sail for fun and that skill development and personal satisfaction take priority over highly structured competition. Never make winning the only objective.
Encourage respect for opponents, selectors and other coaches. Avoid criticism of fellow coaches.
Certain situations or friendly actions can be misinterpreted by the participant or by outsiders. Avoid working alone and ensure there is adequate supervision for all activities.
Leaders are responsible for setting and monitoring boundaries between a working relationship and friendship with young sailors.
When young sailors are invited into adult groups, it is advisable to get agreement from a parent or guardian. Boundaries of behaviour are normally different from those that apply to junior groups.
Leaders should communicate and co-operate with medical and ancillary practitioners in the diagnosis, treatment and management of sailors' medical or related problems. Avoid giving personal or medical advice unless qualified to do so. Personal or medical information must be kept strictly confidential unless the welfare of the child requires that it be passed on.
The nature of the relationship between leader and participant can mean that a leader learns confidential information about a participant or his or her family. This must not be disclosed to a third party without the express permission of the sailor or family.
Set realistic goals for participants and do not push young sailors. Create a safe and enjoyable environment.
Do not criticise other leaders, officials, coaches or selectors. You are the role model for the children in your care.
Leaders should avoid alcohol before coaching, during events and on trips with young sailors.
Leaders should familiarise themselves with the Code of Ethics and Good Practice for Children's Sport and with the IWA Code of Conduct, and follow the procedures if they suspect or receive complaints of abuse of any sort.

Leaders Code of Conduct

Leaders should:

Be positive during sessions, praising and encouraging effort as well as results
Plan and prepare appropriately
Put the welfare of young people first and strike a balance between this and winning
Insist on fair play and treat participants equally
Keep your own knowledge and skills up to date
Involve parents where possible and inform parents when problems arise
Keep records of attendance at training
Keep a brief record of injuries and action taken
Keep a brief record of problems, actions and outcomes if behavioural issues arise

Where possible leaders should avoid:

Spending excessive amounts of time with children away from others
Taking sessions alone
Taking children to your home
Taking children on journeys alone in your car

Sports leaders should not:

Use any form of punishment or physical force on a child
Exert undue influence over a participant in order to obtain personal benefit or reward
Engage in rough physical games, sexually provocative games, inappropriate touching of any kind, or make sexually suggestive comments about or to a child
Undertake any form of therapy in the training of children

I have read and agree to abide by the above guidelines.

_____________________________________________________ (signed) __________________ (date)

Recruitment and Selection Policy

The IWA will take all reasonable steps to ensure that leaders working with young people are suitable and appropriately qualified. Recruitment and selection procedures are therefore necessary and these procedures apply to all persons with substantial access to young people.

All adults taking responsibility for children in sport should undergo a recruitment process. The responsibilities of the role and the level of experience or qualifications required should be drawn up and clearly stated beforehand.

Volunteers should fill in an application form giving the names of two referees who can be contacted. Where possible there should be an interview.

A probationary period is advisable.

There will be a sign-up procedure whereby the newly recruited volunteer agrees to abide by the Code of Ethics and Good Practice for Children in Sport and the association's codes and policies.

Every effort should be made to manage and support appointed leaders. Adequate supervision should always be provided and a leader should not have to work alone.

A decision to appoint a leader is the responsibility of the association and not of any one individual within it. The association's committee should ratify recommendations for appointment.

Child Welfare Protection Procedures

The IWA accepts that organisations that include young people among their members are vulnerable to the occurrence of child abuse. Below are the procedures for dealing with any welfare or protection issue that may arise. Child welfare and the protection of young people are the concern of all adults at all times, irrespective of their role within the organisation.

If there are grounds for concern about the safety or welfare of a young person, you should respond to the concern. Persons unsure about whether certain behaviours are abusive and therefore reportable should contact the duty social worker in the local health board or social services department, where they will receive advice. Grounds for concern include a specific indication from a child, a statement from a person who witnessed abuse, or an illness, injury or behaviour consistent with abuse.

A report may be made by any member of the association but should be passed on to the Children's Officer or to the Chairperson, who may in turn pass the concern on to the local statutory authorities.

It is not the responsibility of anyone working within the IWA, whether paid or voluntary, or those working in affiliated organisations, to decide whether child abuse is taking place. That is the responsibility of the local statutory authorities. However, there is a duty to protect children by assisting the appropriate agencies so that they can make enquiries and take any necessary action to protect the young person.

Everyone should follow both procedures below: first the procedure for responding to a child in distress and second the procedure for reporting the concern.

Response to a Child Disclosing Abuse

When a young person discloses information of suspected abuse you should:

Deal with allegations of abuse in a sensitive and competent way by listening to and facilitating the child to tell about the problem, rather than interviewing the child for details
Stay calm and not show any extreme reaction to what the child is saying. Listen compassionately and take what the child is saying seriously
Understand that the child has decided to tell something very important and has taken a risk in doing so
Make no judgemental statements against the person against whom the allegations are made
Do not question the child unless what he or she is saying is unclear. Leading questions must be avoided. Open, non-specific questions should be used such as Can you explain to me what you mean by that?
Check out the concerns with parents or guardians before making a report unless doing so would endanger the child
When giving the child some indication of what will happen next, such as informing parents, guardians, the health board or social services, remember that the child may have been threatened and may feel especially vulnerable at this stage
Carefully record all details
Pass on the information to the Children's Officer
Reassure the child that they have done the right thing in telling you

IWA Complaints Procedure

Responding to Allegations Against Staff and Volunteers

Where there is a complaint against a member of staff or a volunteer, there may be three types of investigations:

A criminal investigation
A child protection investigation
A disciplinary investigation

What to Do if There Are Concerns

If the allegation is about poor practice, the person in charge will deal with it as a misconduct issue.

If the allegation is about poor practice by the person in charge, or if the matter has been handled inadequately and concerns remain, it should be referred to the Code of Ethics Officer of the Irish Sailing Association, who will decide how to deal with the allegation and whether to initiate disciplinary proceedings.

Any suspicion that a child has been abused by either a member of staff or a volunteer should be reported to the person in charge, who will take such steps as are considered necessary to ensure the safety of the child in question and of any other child who may be at risk.

The person in charge will inform the IWA Children's Officer, who will refer the allegations to the appropriate Health Board Social Work Department, who may decide to involve An Garda Siochana.

The parents or guardians of the child will be contacted as soon as possible following advice from the Social Work Department.

The Code of Ethics Officer of the ISA should also be notified.

Confidentiality must be maintained at all levels at all times.

If the person in charge is the subject of the allegations, the report must be made to the ISA, which will then be responsible for taking the action outlined above.

Protection for Persons Reporting Child Abuse Act, 1998

This act came into operation on 23 January 1999. The main provisions of the act are:

Immunity from civil liability for any person who reports child abuse reasonably and in good faith to designated officers of the Health Board or An Garda Siochana
The creation of a new offence of false reporting of child abuse where a person makes a report knowing that statement to be false

A person shall not be liable for damages in respect of the communication, whether in writing or otherwise, to an appropriate person of an opinion that:

a child has been or is being assaulted, ill-treated, neglected or sexually abused; or
a child's health, development or welfare has been or is being avoidably impaired or neglected,

unless it is proved that he or she has not acted reasonably and in good faith in forming that opinion and communicating it to the appropriate person.

Common Difficulties in Dealing with Child Abuse

Dealing with child abuse is rarely straightforward. Many complications can arise, including the following:

Disclosure is made and then withdrawn
A disclosure is made and secrecy is expected
A young person may threaten to harm himself or herself if the report is passed on
The young person will often try to protect his or her abuser

Despite these and other complications that may arise, the officer in charge should always follow the procedures and the code of good practice described above.