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Parents and Carers

Parents and Carers

We know how important parents and carers are to a child’s involvement in sporting activities. Organising transport, coordinating travel arrangements and supporting your child before, during and after sessions. Your actions have a significant impact on how they respond to the challenges of sport.

Please see our guidance below on how you can become their number one fan, how to find a safe club and how to respond to welfare or safeguarding concerns.

What should I expect from my club/centre?

  • Clear policies and procedures that are easily accessible when you join

  • Compliance with the British Water Ski & Wakeboard Affiliation process
    • All coaches are suitably trained, and DBS checked (every 3 years)
    • All coaches have completed safeguarding training (every 3 years)
    • Coaches are friendly and open to answering any questions you may have

  • A Club Welfare Officer (CWO) whose contact details are clearly displayed on a poster in the club/centre entrance and changing rooms
    • The CWO has completed 3 hours of sport specific safeguarding training (every 3 years)
    • The CWO holds a current BWSW approved DBS Certificate (every 3 years)

  •  Your club/centre should openly provide the above information when asked

  • The club/centre will display confirmation of their Affiliation with British Water Ski & Wakeboard
 You can access all BWSW policies and procedures here
 
Five questions to ask your child's club/centre
 

What do my club/centre expect from me as a parent/carer?

  • Be aware of and follow the parent/guardian Codes of Conduct provided by your club/centre
  • Be polite and kind to everyone involved in the sport. You should be punctual for your sessions
  • To ensure your child is well behaved and kind to everyone involved in the sport
  • To ensure your child follows the rules of the club/centre 

Knowing when something is wrong
It’s vital that all parents and carers can spot possible signs of abuse and know what to do if they are concerned. Is everyone included? Does it feel like a supportive environment? Is success celebrated? Does it feel OK to speak out? Are people afraid to challenge the club/centre?

Here are some typical signs to look out for:

  • a change in the way they talk about their sport, coach, a member of staff, peer or any other individual
  • anxiety about attending practice or taking part in a sport or activity they once enjoyed
  • mention of negative things they’ve seen or heard happen to others
  • changes in diet or appetite
  • frequent communication, either online or in person, with a coach or other member of staff outside of the sports setting that isn’t about practices or competition planning
  • unexplained gifts or favours from coaches or other staff members
  • increased levels of stress or pressure to achieve or perform well
Keep your child safe in sport
 
 
I am concerned, what shall I do?

You can tell your Club Welfare Officer as displayed on the Club Welfare Officer Poster, OR

You can tell the Lead Safeguarding Officer at British Water Ski and Wakeboard by completing the Online Reporting a Concern Form HERE

OR you can speak to your local Social Services or emergency services if you feel someone is in immediate danger.

Q. Is it serious enough to report?
Even if you want to get some welfare or safeguarding advice, it is ok to contact us and talk about your concerns.

Q. Should I be worried about what has happened/what I have seen?
If you are worried about the behaviour of an adult at your club, then it is important to report it.
Information and Advice in Cyber Bullying and Cyber Abuse can be found here.

Q. Will my worries by kept confidential
We have duty to keep everyone safe, and to do this, we sometimes need to pass concerns on to prevent any further harm. We cannot promise to keep everything confidential. However, we want to keep young people safe, so we will support you and keep you informed.
Remember, you don’t have to give your own details, although it is helpful to progress matters further if we know your name.

Q. What happens next?
We want to protect all young people. We want to treat everyone fairly and offer support.
If someone has broken the rules this needs addressing, and sometimes people need telling that what they have done is NOT OK. Anything that causes harm or worry needs to be stopped.
So, if someone has broken the rules, we will offer them support to make sure it doesn’t happen again.

FURTHER RESOURCES
For further information and advice, please visit the NSPCC Parents Hub.