Wavepower - a summary of Swim England's safeguarding policy
Adult safeguarding
Currently, Wavepower is the Swim England safeguarding policy and procedures document for child safeguarding and did not cover the important, and developing, area of adult safeguarding. For the first time, Wavepower will include an adult safeguarding policy as well as directions on reporting concerns at adults at risk of harm.
Safeguarding changing rooms
Wavepower’s changing room policy prohibits taking photographs with a camera or mobile device in changing areas. This will change in the updated version of Wavepower to prohibit all use of a mobile phone or device in a changing area during Swim England regulated activity.
Approved training
From 2024, anyone who holds a role which Wavepower states requires safeguarding training will need to complete the Swim England Safeguarding course. This is a bespoke course which covers the important and unique aspects of safeguarding in an aquatic environment.
Safer recruitment
Wavepower’s update will clarify Swim England’s position on safer recruitment of paid roles in regulated activity, and it will be mandatory to follow the full safer recruitment actions contained in this policy.
The role of the Welfare Officer
It will no longer be ‘best practice’ but mandatory that the welfare officer of an organisation is not related to, or in a close relationship with, either the chair/owner/proprietor, or a coach/swimming teacher of the organisation they are the welfare officer for.
JASA will appoint a dedicated Welfare Officer for island representative events e.g. Island Games.