1. Introduction and Policy Statement
Glasgow Southside Sports Club (GSSC) is fully committed to safeguarding the wellbeing of all children in its care. We recognise our responsibility to promote wellbeing and safe practice, and to protect children from harm, abuse and exploitation. For the purposes of this policy and its associated procedures, a child is anyone under the age of 18.
GSSC exists to provide sporting opportunities that are welcoming to anyone and everyone, at an accessible and affordable price. That purpose only means something if every child who takes part in our sessions, whether in a competitive junior squad, a recreational session, or a family session with a parent alongside them, is safe while they do it.
Our coaches, volunteers, committee members and staff will work together to embrace difference and diversity, and to respect the rights of children and young people.
2. Our Commitment
Our commitment to protecting children is based on the following principles:
- The wellbeing of children and young people is our primary concern.
- All children and young people, whatever their age, culture, disability, gender, language, racial origin, socioeconomic status, religious belief and/or sexual identity, have the right to protection from all forms of harm and abuse.
- Child wellbeing and protection is everyone's responsibility, not just the Child Wellbeing and Protection Officer's.
- Children and young people have the right to express views on all matters which affect them.
- GSSC will work in partnership with children and young people, and with parents and carers, to promote the wellbeing, health and development of everyone taking part in our sport.
We will:
- Promote the health and wellbeing of children by providing opportunities for them to take part in volleyball, and other sports we offer, safely.
- Respect and promote the rights, wishes and feelings of children.
- Promote and implement appropriate procedures to safeguard the wellbeing of children and protect them from abuse.
- Recruit, train, support and supervise coaches, committee members and volunteers to adopt best practice to safeguard and protect children and young people, and to reduce risk.
- Require all coaches, committee members, staff and volunteers to adopt and abide by this policy and its associated procedures.
- Respond to any allegations of misconduct or abuse of children and young people in line with the Responding to a Concern procedure in Section 9, as well as implementing, where appropriate, the club's disciplinary and appeals procedures.
- Regularly monitor and evaluate how well this policy and its procedures are working in practice.
3. Scope
This policy applies to everyone who acts on behalf of GSSC: committee members, coaches (paid and volunteer), match officials, helpers at sessions, and anyone else given a role of responsibility for children through the club. It covers all club activity, including training sessions, matches, tournaments, trips, and any online contact between the club and children, such as messaging through the club app.
This policy applies at every level of the club: our competitive junior squads (U19s and U17s), our 11–18 recreational sessions, and our family sessions for primary school age children and their parents.
4. Definitions
A child or young person is anyone under the age of 18.
Abuse and harm can take a number of forms, including physical, emotional and sexual abuse, and neglect. It can also include bullying (in person or online), exploitation, and radicalisation. Harm is not always deliberate — a child can also be harmed through poor practice, for example a coaching approach that ignores their welfare in the pursuit of results.
5. Roles and Responsibilities
5.1 The Committee
The GSSC Committee holds overall responsibility for child wellbeing and protection across the club. It approves this policy, makes sure the club has a Child Wellbeing and Protection Officer in place, and makes sure that officer has what they need to do the role, including direct access to the Committee when required.
5.2 Child Wellbeing and Protection Officer (CWPO)
GSSC's Child Wellbeing and Protection Officer is Robbie Kelly. The CWPO is the club's first point of contact for any concern about a child's wellbeing, and is responsible for:
- Acting as the main point of contact for concerns raised by children, parents, coaches or volunteers.
- Making sure concerns are recorded, handled sensitively, and passed on to external agencies (such as Police Scotland or social work services) where needed.
- Advising the Committee on child wellbeing and protection matters.
- Keeping this policy under review and making sure coaches and volunteers know it exists and what it means for them.
- Reviewing and, where necessary, acting on reports made through the club app's report-a-concern feature, including suspending a member's account or unlinking a parent from a child's profile where that is needed to keep a child safe.
5.3 Coaches, Committee Members, Staff and Volunteers
Everyone acting on behalf of GSSC must:
- Read and follow this policy and the codes of conduct in Section 7.
- Treat all children with respect and dignity.
- Report any concern about a child's wellbeing to the CWPO, without delay.
- Never investigate a concern themselves or promise a child confidentiality.
5.4 Parents and Carers
Parents and carers are partners in keeping children safe at GSSC. We ask parents and carers to:
- Share any information relevant to their child's safety and wellbeing, including at sign-up through the club app.
- Raise any concerns with the CWPO or a coach.
- Support the codes of conduct set out in this policy, including around photography and social media.
5.5 Children and Young People
Children and young people taking part in GSSC activities have the right to:
- Be treated with respect and to have fun playing sport.
- Be listened to, and to raise any concern with a coach or the CWPO.
- Know who to talk to, and how, if something is worrying them.
6. Safe Recruitment
GSSC follows safe recruitment practice for everyone who works with children through the club. All GSSC coaches and volunteers who have regular contact with children hold a valid PVG (Protecting Vulnerable Groups) Scheme membership through Disclosure Scotland, in line with Scottish Volleyball's affiliation requirements. No one is permitted to coach or volunteer in a role involving regular contact with children until their PVG Scheme membership is confirmed.
The Committee will keep a record of who holds a current PVG Scheme membership and will follow up promptly if a renewal or update is required.
7. Codes of Conduct
7.1 Coaches and Volunteers
- Plan sessions that are appropriate to the age, ability and needs of the children taking part.
- Never be alone with a single child; work in sight of, or with, another adult wherever possible ("two-deep leadership").
- Avoid unnecessary physical contact, and always explain what you are doing and why if any contact is needed, for example a technique correction.
- Never transport a child alone in a car without another adult present, unless this has been agreed in advance with the child's parent or carer and the CWPO.
- Do not use social media or personal contact details to message a child directly outside of the club app or another approved channel.
- Do not smoke, vape, drink alcohol, or use recreational drugs while responsible for children.
- Challenge unacceptable behaviour, and report it to the CWPO.
7.2 Children and Young People
- Treat coaches, volunteers, officials and other players with respect.
- Follow the guidance of coaches and volunteers during sessions.
- Tell a coach, volunteer or the CWPO if something is worrying them, or if they see something that worries them about another child.
7.3 Parents and Carers
- Support your child's involvement in a positive way and encourage good sporting behaviour.
- Arrive on time to drop off and collect your child, and let a coach know if someone other than yourself will be doing so.
- Raise any concern about your child's welfare, or another child's welfare, with the CWPO.
8. Best Practice at Sessions
- Sessions take place at King's Park Secondary School, in partnership with Glasgow City Active Schools, and follow the school's own site safeguarding arrangements alongside this policy.
- Changing facilities are supervised appropriately and children are not left unsupervised in them.
- Where a session involves children under 16, at least two adults are present wherever possible.
- Photography and video at sessions or events is only taken and used with the consent recorded by a parent, carer or the young person themselves through the club app, and that consent can be reviewed or withdrawn there at any time.
- Any concern about the physical environment, for example damaged equipment or an unsafe space, should be reported to a coach or the Committee.
9. Responding to a Concern
Anyone — a child, a parent, a coach, a volunteer or a member of the public — who has a concern about a child's wellbeing at GSSC should raise it as soon as possible, in one of the following ways:
If a concern suggests a child is in immediate danger, contact Police Scotland on 999 (or 101 for non-emergencies) first, then let the CWPO know what has happened.
When a concern is raised, the CWPO will:
- Listen to the person raising the concern without promising confidentiality.
- Record what has been said, as close to the original words as possible, and when it happened.
- Decide, in line with Scottish Volleyball and Children 1st guidance, whether the concern needs to be referred to Police Scotland, social work services, or another external agency, and do so without delay where a child may be at risk.
- Keep the Committee informed as appropriate, while protecting the confidentiality of everyone involved.
- Where the concern relates to a coach, volunteer or committee member, follow the club's disciplinary procedure alongside any external referral.
No one raising a concern in good faith will be penalised for doing so, even if the concern turns out to be unfounded.
10. Confidentiality and Information Sharing
Information about a concern will only be shared with people who need to know it, on a need-to-know basis, and in line with data protection law. Where a child's safety is at risk, GSSC will share information with the relevant agencies even where full consent has not been given, because protecting the child comes first.
11. Data Protection and Records
GSSC is registered with the Information Commissioner's Office as a data controller. Records relating to a child wellbeing concern are kept securely, separately from general club administration, and only for as long as necessary. Dean Courtney, the club's Data Protection Lead, oversees how GSSC handles personal data, including the information held in the club app.
12. Online Safety
Communication with children through club channels (the club app and any group messaging within it) should stay focused on club business, be visible to at least one other adult where possible, and never take place through a coach or volunteer's personal social media or messaging accounts.
13. Anti-Bullying
GSSC does not tolerate bullying of any kind, including online bullying, whether between children, or from an adult towards a child. Anyone experiencing or witnessing bullying should tell a coach or the CWPO.
14. Whistleblowing
Anyone who has a concern about the conduct of another coach, volunteer or committee member towards a child should raise it with the CWPO. If the concern is about the CWPO, it should be raised directly with the Chair of GSSC. Concerns can also be raised directly with Scottish Volleyball or Children 1st if someone does not feel able to raise it within the club.
15. Equality and Diversity
GSSC is open to anyone and everyone. We will not discriminate against any child on the basis of age, culture, disability, gender, language, racial origin, socio-economic status, religious belief or sexual identity, and we expect everyone connected with the club to uphold this.
16. Related Documents
This policy should be read alongside GSSC's Articles of Association, Data Protection Policy, and Responding to Concerns Procedure (where held separately).
17. Review
We will review this policy and its associated procedures:
- In accordance with changes in legislation and guidance on the protection of children and young people, or following any changes within GSSC.
- Following any issues or concerns raised about the wellbeing and protection of children and young people within GSSC.
- In all other circumstances, at least every three years.
Approved by the GSSC Committee on: 24/08/2026
Next review due: 24/08/2028