Guided fishing trips by Martyn Green, Angling Trust Level 2 Tridiscipline (Sea, Coarse and Fly Fishing) Coach, Coach Educator and author of 'The Challenge ...' series of sea fishing books, etc.
Angling Trust - Event Support Coach (Internet) and L2 Angling Coach Courses in Brixham
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Safeguarding Policy
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Safeguarding Policy
Background Information
Devon Fishing Guides is a collaborative partnership of angling coaches with the following aims:

1) To enjoy the sport of angling in a friendly atmosphere and to promote the sport in a way that makes such enjoyment accessible to others.
2) To encourage people to fish in a manner that takes conservation firmly into account and discourages cruelty in the treatment of fish or disregard for the environment.
3) To organise events that promote the sport and help to develop the skills of the participating anglers.
4) To ensure that participants and coaches may enjoy their time at events without any fear of harassment, bullying or intimidation. Further to ensure that activities are carried out in a safe manner and location that minimises the likelihood of harm to any participant or member of the public that may be present at an event.
 
These aims reflect our values, specifically…
…that the sea and other aquatic environments are unique and wonderful resources to which all people should have access. In this respect, Devon Fishing Guides regards angling as a traditional sport that not only encourages a love of nature but which also may become a fundamental part of peoples’ lives, helping them both to enjoy their recreational time and manage the stress that is a part of adult life. We believe that anyone, regardless of age, gender, colour or creed, should be able to enjoy the sport of angling and that this enjoyment is made greater when shared in the company of others. It is also our belief that disabled people may benefit from time spent fishing and we will, accordingly, maintain awareness of angling environments such as fisheries, coastal waters etc that may be accessed by wheelchair users and others.
   At Devon Fishing Guides, we believe in the sharing of knowledge and the promotion of interest in both the sport and the environment itself. We believe that this should be done in a friendly atmosphere in which participants feel safe and free from intimidation or bullying. We also believe that respect for the environment and serious regard to conservation are both issues that should be given a high priority in any training that we provide.
   We believe that angling is a sport that has contributed much to the local economy, to people’s lives and to the history of our community. We wish to preserve this and to pass our knowledge and our love of angling on to the next generation, thereby helping to ensure the future of the sport. In this respect we will actively seek to promote angling activities that will help to raise the sport’s profile and encourage not only interest but also public participation.
      In order to facilitate access to angling, we will endeavour to purchase equipment that enables both individuals and families to participate in our events.

Child Protection
   In relation to child protection issues, all correspondence should be marked for the attention of the Devon Fishing Guides Director, namely Martyn L. Green, 31 Collapark, Totnes, Devon, TQ9 5LW. (Telephone enquiries can be answered at 07704 602180.) Both he and other coaches contributing towards the organisation of events will have DBS checks carried out on them as and when necessary.
   Devon Fishing Guides are fully aware of the issues involved in Child Protection and understand that the abuse of young people and children can take the form of physical, sexual, emotional abuse or neglect. We therefore want to ensure that both ourselves and any children and young people attending Devon Fishing Guides events will be safe. All adults sub-contracted to work with us, such as Angling Trust or AAPGAI (Advanced Association of Professional Game Angling Instructors) coaches, will therefore be checked for their suitability through the DBS system, as will any volunteer working upon a project related specifically to younger people.
   If any child or young person comes forward with a disclosure, they will be able to make it to Martyn Green, Devon Fishing Guides Director, who will receive training in child protection issues. Similarly if any other adult participants of Devon Fishing Guides receive a disclosure, they should inform Martyn Green, Devon Fishing Guides Director, as soon as possible, who will then inform the Social Services Team on 0845 6000388 immediately.
   If a child tells a coach at a Devon Fishing Guides event that something has happened:-
   We understand that it is not the duty of anyone receiving a disclosure to make a decision on whether abuse has actually taken place; they just record the details of concern and pass them on to the Social Services team.

Recruitment
   Devon Fishing Guides will seek to train new participants from all branches of local communities, providing them with training and advice regarding safe opportunities to participate in angling. It is our intention to promote angling as a whole family sport which engages parents and children in quality time and purposeful activity.
   While we recognise that young people are the future of angling, we believe that all children of primary school age must be accompanied to waterside activities by a parent or responsible adult. This is for three reasons. The first, and primary consideration, is the safety of the children, avoiding any situation where numbers of adults are insufficient to maintain a safe charge over the numbers of young people present, while the second is because we feel that, without parental involvement, they are less likely to be offered further opportunities to practice the skills that they need to develop. The third is the protection of DFG coaches, ensuing that they never inadvertently offer 1:1 coaching without an appropriate adult witness being present. For this reason Devon Fishing Guides will not accept requests for coaching from solitary children of any age. Instead they must be accompanied by an adult family member.

Training
   Some training events may call upon the services of external trainers. Where this is the case, such instructors will hold either an Angling Trust or AAPGAI (Association of Advanced Professional Game Angling Instructors) qualification, which carries first aid and DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) requirements, or similar award with these same requirements. We will not be employing instructors without proof that their qualification carries a requirement for regular DBS checks to establish their suitability for working with young people.
   In relation to the initial and continuing assessments of angling skills, these will rest with the Director, who is also the lead coach. However resources to help develop angling skills will be made available, sometimes at a small charge, to all participants that have attended DFG events. We will also contribute free articles to Baywater Anglers for them to place upon their website at www.seafishing4fun.org . In this way we will be contributing to angling training for all interested in taking up the sport, not just the ones paying for our services.

Health and Safety at Devon Fishing Guides Events
   At all our events, we have a duty to ensure the safety of all young people present, ensuring that they are not, or do not put, themselves at risk. All coaches will therefore be advised to be vigilant to the safety of young people, helping them to develop safe angling practices and guarding against dangers such as their being accosted by unknown members of the public. It will also be the duty of the leading coach present to carry out a risk assessment before each event and, in particular, to examine the weather and possibly sea conditions prior to an event so that a decision can be made as to whether or not it is safe to proceed. His, or her, decision, will be final and can be accessed on 07704 602180.
   Where an event involves the hire of a charter boat, Devon Fishing Guides will only use professional, Department of Trade recognised skippers with all necessary qualifications and safety checks carried out on their vessels.

Access
  Devon Fishing Guides believes strongly that disabled people should have the opportunity to fish, deliberately selecting safe and accessible marks when requested to undertake the training of a person with physical or mental health conditions. We will also explore alternative approaches that will make their pursuit of the sport somewhat more comfortable. In addition, we will make representations to local authorities on issues that could affect their access to the sport, e.g. our recent discussions with Torbay Harbour staff as to the difficulties faced by wheelchair users as they made their way around the harbour.

Procedural and Safety Reviews
   In regard to the safety of all its participants, though particularly that of young people, Devon Fishing Guides will consult not only with adult participants but also with younger participants as to the safety procedures that they would like to see in place at DFG events, implementing these where it is safe and practicable to do so.

Specific procedures when working with Children, Young People and Vulnerable Adults
 
Devon Fishing Guides follows the Angling Trust Child and Young Persons Protection Policy (See PD42 – Safeguarding Children and Young People in Angling v1.2 Jun 2021 (anglingtrust.net) and their Vulnerable Adults Policy. (See PD43 Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults Jun 2021 v1.2 (anglingtrust.net) All officials, organisers and coaches carrying out activities for Devon Fishing Guides must complete a declaration that they know of the policy and will comply with its contents. Volunteers will be under the supervision of a lead coach and will be made aware of the policy, its principal requirements and where they can find out additional information.

People working for Devon Fishing Guides must be aware of the legal requirements regarding the supervision of young people.

Principles

• The child’s welfare is of paramount consideration
• All young people, whatever their age, culture, any disability they may have, gender, language, racial origin, religious belief and sexual identity have the right to protection from abuse
• All incidents of poor practice or suspicions of poor practice and allegations of abuse will be taken seriously and responded to swiftly and appropriately
• A young person is recognised as being under the age of 18 years (Children’s Act 1989 definition)
• Adults with responsibility for children have a moral and legal duty for their care
• All young people have the right to participate in the sport of angling in an enjoyable and safe environment
• Young people have the right to expect appropriate support in accordance with their personal and social development in relation to their involvement in the sport of angling
• It is the responsibility of the child protection experts and agencies to determine whether or not abuse has taken place
• It is everyone’s responsibility to report any concerns
• Confidentiality should be upheld in line with the Data Protection Act 1998, Human Rights Act 2000 and General Data Protection Regulations 2016/679 May 2018

Promoting Good Practice

When working with children, young people and adults at risk these good practice guidelines are recommended:

• Sport should be fun, enjoyable, child and participant-centred and promote fair play
• It is your duty to ensure that participants are safe and protected from abuse in any form
• Always work in an open environment, e.g. avoid private, unobserved situations and secrets
• Treat all participants equally, with respect and dignity
• Put the welfare of all participants first before winning or achieving performance goals
• Offer enthusiastic and constructive feedback rather than negative criticism
• Ensure if any form of manual or physical support is required for participants it is provided openly, the person is informed of what is being done and their consent is obtained
• Please note that, where intimate care is needed, it will NOT be delivered by Devon Fishing Guides personnel, who are not trained nursing staff and, as such, will not be involved in its delivery. This will be done by the person’s carers who will, of necessity, attend the event themselves.
• Proactively engage with carers if necessary, ensuring they are fully aware of the safeguarding process.
• Ensure the people who deliver any activity are supported, confident, aware and capable.
• Find out as much information on participants prior to your activity, this allows for you to plan appropriately in advance taking into account any additional requirements, minimising opportunities for poor practice and abuse.

Good communication is essential:

• Ask how you can best communicate with the person don’t assume.
• Find out if they have a carer who might interpret.
• If they need help moving around (e.g. visually impaired); let the person take hold of your arm rather than vice versa.
• Don’t shout or over emphasise words or lip movements with people with a hearing impairment;
• Think about where to stand to optimise light (e.g. so can see your face to lip read or facing the light if visually impaired) and for clarity (e.g. 3-6 feet if deaf)
• Always speak to the person not to his/her carer or interpreter.
• Learn to use different communication methods (e.g. finger spelling for those with a hearing impairment); become skilled at using gestures and subtle changes in tone and volume to help get your message across.
• Be patient and give people time; never finish sentences for them;
• Don’t pretend you understand if you don’t; ask them to repeat it or use another form of communication.
• Introduce yourself and tell people necessary information (e.g. visually impaired need to know who’s in the room, what equipment is laid out).
• Make sure you are clear, precise and simple in your language, treat people according to their chronological age rather than presumed IQ.
• Break down large blocks of information for those with learning impairments.

• Build balanced relationships based on mutual trust that empower participants to share in the decision-making process
• Maintain a professional relationship with participants, e.g. it is not appropriate to have an intimate relationship with a participant, or to share a room with them unless the specific care needs of the individual dictates otherwise
• Recognise the developmental needs and capacity of participants and avoid excessive training or competition and either pushing them against their will or putting undue pressure on them
• Be aware of any pre-existing medical conditions, medicines being taken by participants or existing injuries and treatment required
• Keep a written record of any injury that occurs, along with the details of any treatment given
• Where possible, ensure access to medical advice and/or assistance is available
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