Introduction
Derwent Valley Orienteers (DVO) is committed to the safety, well-being and enjoyment of all those involved in the sport including competitors, volunteers, coaches, parents and members of the public. The club recognises that everyone has a shared responsibility for safeguarding and creating safe, enjoyable environments in Orienteering whether as an Orienteer, parent, coach, club official or spectator.
Policy
Derwent Valley Orienteers is affiliated to British Orienteering, the national governing body, and is bound by its rules and regulations for the conduct of the sport. DVO has adopted British Orienteering’s relevant safeguarding policies and guidelines which are:
- the Child Safeguarding Policy
- the Safeguarding Adults at Risk Policy
- the Supplementary Safeguarding Guidance document
- the Code of Ethics and Behaviour
- the Safeguarding Regulations
- the Remote Teaching and Coaching Guidance document
These current documents can all be accessed from https://www.britishorienteering.org.uk/safeguardingandsafety
Reporting a Safeguarding or Safety concern
The DVO Club Welfare Officer will ordinarily be the first point of contact within the club in respect of safeguarding queries and concerns (including in respect of poor practice), and they will in turn report concerns to British Orienteering using the procedures detailed in the Child Safeguarding Policy.
The Club Welfare Officer may be contacted through the organiser at an event or by email to
Reports can also be made directly to British Orienteering using one of the reporting forms explained below:
British Orienteering Quick Report Form
British Orienteering recognises that when someone wishes to report a safeguarding concern or incident, it is important to note the key details as soon as possible. Often an incident or concern will occur when away from home and it is not always possible to have easy access to the other reporting forms.
British Orienteering has introduced a quick report form which can be used on mobile devices to make immediate reports to the Lead Safeguarding Officer. The quick report form can be accessed here.
On completion of the quick report form the British Orienteering Lead Safeguarding Officer will follow up with you directly.
Other British Orienteering Reporting Forms
British Orienteering has provided three other forms which should be used to report more details of an incident involving a child or young person, an incident involving an adult at risk or a more general concern about the welfare of any individual.
These reporting forms can be accessed from https://www.britishorienteering.org.uk/safeguardingandsafety
If you complete one of these forms, it will then need to be emailed to either the Club Welfare Officer or the British Orienteering Lead Safeguarding Officer as soon as possible.
If you need any advice on how to complete a form or what should you do if someone reports something to you, this short video may help you.
Supplementary Safeguarding Guidance
Derwent Valley Orienteers follows the guidance set out in the British Orienteering Supplementary Guidance document which covers the following areas:
- Good practice
- Responding to a safeguarding concern or a child making a disclosure
- Making an Incident Report
- Finding volunteers for positions of trust
- Working with children and coaching ratios
- Transporting children
- Using social media
- Taking of pictures and video at activities and events
- Using images of children
- Non-Formal accommodation
Further Resources and Guidance
In addition to the policies and guidance referred to above Derwent Valley Orienteers will follow:
- British Orienteering Position of Trust update July 2022
- Position of Trust Update 2022 FAQ’s
- Remote (online) teaching and coaching guidance
There is also now a British Orienteering Social Media Policy and a Social Media Rules and Good Practice for Coaches guidance document. These documents are elsewhere on the British Orienteering website but can be accessed from links on page 4 of the Supplementary Safeguarding Guidance.
What you can expect from us
Derwent Valley Orienteers concurs with the British Orienteering statement on Safeguarding and Safety which states that:
When you bring your children orienteering we will help you to ensure their welfare and safety by ensuring that:
- the people who run the sport are safe to be with
- we take all reasonable steps to ensure that your children will be safe from other participants and strangers
- the challenges set will be manageable so that your children are able to find their way around the course
- they are not likely to be injured but if they are there are people and procedures in place to look after them
- your children’s individual needs will be considered as far as possible within the nature of the sport.
Whilst they refer to children, these statements apply to all those involved in the sport.
Code of Ethics and Behaviour
Derwent Valley Orienteers expects that all individuals involved in orienteering will at all times follow the British Orienteering Code of Ethics:
- Respect the spirit of fairness in orienteering. This is more than participating within the rules – it also incorporates the concepts of friendship, respect for others and always participating with the right spirit.
- Respect the rights, dignity and worth of others.
- Conduct themselves in a manner that takes all reasonable measures to protect their own safety and the safety of others.
- Promote the reputation of orienteering and take all possible steps to prevent it from being brought into disrepute.
- Protect themselves and others involved in orienteering from verbal or physical abuse and threatening or intimidating behaviour.
- Never use inappropriate language or gestures.
- Abide by the British Orienteering Child Safeguarding and Safeguarding Adults at Risk Policies and Supplementary Safeguarding Guidance.
- Abide by the British Orienteering Equality Policy.
- Abide by the British Orienteering Anti-doping Rules.
- Take personal responsibility to ensure that they are suitably insured for their activities.
Useful Safeguarding Contacts
Orienteering Contacts
Peter Brooke, British Orienteering, Lead Safeguarding Officer
British Orienteering, Scholes Mill, Old Coach Road Tansley, Nr Matlock DE4 5FY
07540 150963
The DVO Club Welfare Officer may be contacted through the organiser at an event or by email to
Local Contacts
Derby City Council:
During normal working hours, Initial Response Team 01332 641172
Out of hours, Careline 01332 956606
Derbyshire County Council:
During normal working hours, Starting Point 01629 533190
Out of hours, Call Derbyshire 01629 532600
Other contact details, including the Local Authority Designated Officers (LADO) who are available for queries and support, can be found on the Derby and Derbyshire Safeguarding Children Partnership website https://derbyshirescbs.proceduresonline.com/contacts.html
Local Police Child Protection Team; in an emergency contact via 999
NSPCC free phone 24-hour helpline 0808 800 5000
Date adopted: 13th December 2022
Review date: 13th December 2025
Unless there are subsequent changes to British Orienteering’s policies and/or the legal situation.
