Safeguarding, Welfare and Junior Participation Policy

Version: 1.1 | Effective Date: 14 September 2026

1. Purpose

Kings Langley Badminton Club (KLBC) is committed to providing a safe, welcoming and enjoyable environment where everyone can participate in badminton.

Although KLBC is primarily an adult badminton club, we recognise our responsibility to promote the welfare of everyone who attends the Club, including children, young people and adults who may be at risk.

This Policy explains how the Club approaches safeguarding, welfare and junior participation, and should be read alongside the Club Constitution and Member Code of Conduct.

2. Our Approach

KLBC is run by volunteers and aims to provide a friendly, inclusive and respectful environment for all members and visitors.

Safeguarding is about creating an environment where people feel safe, respected and able to enjoy badminton. We want to respect people's right to make their own choices about their own safety and wellbeing, while balancing this with our responsibility to keep everyone safe.

We encourage members to:

look out for one another;
treat everyone with dignity and respect;
raise concerns if something doesn't seem right; and
help maintain the welcoming atmosphere that is central to the Club.

KLBC will carry out proportionate risk assessments for its regular sessions, venue, equipment and any additional events, reviewed periodically or when something significant changes.

3. Club Welfare Officer

KLBC will appoint a Club Welfare Officer in accordance with Badminton England requirements.

The Club Welfare Officer is the first point of contact for safeguarding and welfare concerns within the Club.

Their role includes:

promoting a positive and inclusive club environment;
providing guidance on safeguarding and welfare matters;
responding appropriately to concerns raised by members;
seeking advice from Badminton England or relevant safeguarding organisations where appropriate; and
helping ensure the Club meets its safeguarding responsibilities.

The Club Welfare Officer does not replace the emergency services or statutory safeguarding agencies.

The Club Welfare Officer can be contacted at welfare@kingslangleybadminton.co.uk.

4. Reporting Concerns

Members are encouraged to raise any safeguarding or welfare concerns as early as possible.

Concerns may relate to:

the welfare of a child or young person;
the welfare of an adult at risk;
bullying or intimidation;
harassment or discrimination;
behaviour that makes someone feel unsafe or uncomfortable;
inappropriate conduct by a member or visitor; or
any other matter affecting the wellbeing of someone attending the Club.

Concerns may be raised with:

the Club Welfare Officer; or
any Director of the Club.

If a concern relates to the Club Welfare Officer or a Director, or a member would prefer not to raise it with the Club directly, concerns can instead be raised with the Badminton England Safeguarding Team.

If someone is believed to be at immediate risk of harm, members should contact the emergency services without delay.

All concerns will be treated seriously and handled sensitively. Where appropriate, the Club may seek advice from Badminton England or refer concerns to the appropriate statutory agencies. No one will be treated unfairly for raising a genuine concern in good faith. Where a concern relates to an adult and doesn't need an emergency response, we will aim to pass it on to Badminton England within 24 hours.

5. First Aid

KLBC maintains a separate First Aid Statement setting out our first aid and emergency arrangements, available on request.

If someone is injured or unwell at a session, contact the nearest available first aider or call 999 in an emergency.

6. Junior Participation

KLBC is primarily an adult badminton club.

From time to time, the Directors may permit junior players to participate where they consider this appropriate and compatible with the safe and enjoyable operation of normal club sessions.

The Club is not a beginner or junior development club. Junior players are expected to already have the ability, experience and confidence to participate safely in adult club badminton.

Permission for junior participation is entirely at the discretion of the Directors.

Given the additional governance this requires, junior participation is only possible where:

prior agreement has been given by the Directors or the Club Welfare Officer for that specific session; and
a club official holding a current Enhanced DBS check is organising or running that session.

Where these conditions cannot be met, junior participation is not possible for that session. As a result, junior attendance cannot be guaranteed at every Club session. Further detail is set out in Section 11 (DBS Checks).

7. Supervision of Junior Players

A junior player must always be accompanied by:

a parent;
a legal guardian; or
another responsible adult approved by the parent or guardian.

That responsible adult must remain at the venue throughout the session.

The supervising adult remains responsible for the junior at all times, including before, during and after play.

As club games are organised across multiple courts, junior players may play in different games from their supervising adult. However, both will remain within the same sports hall and in sight of one another.

Junior players must not be left at the venue without their supervising adult.

The requirement for a DBS-checked club official to be organising the session (see Section 11) is separate from, and additional to, the role of the supervising adult described in this Section. The supervising adult is not required to hold a DBS check unless they are also the club official organising that session.

8. Participation in Club Sessions

Junior players participate in the same club sessions and games as adult members.

The Club does not operate:

junior-only sessions;
junior coaching sessions;
supervised drop-off sessions; or
childcare facilities.

Participation is limited to juniors who are able to take part safely and appropriately in normal adult club badminton.

9. Photography

Photographs are occasionally taken during Club activities. See the Club Privacy Notice for how we approach photography.

Photographs of junior players will only be used with the agreement of their parent or guardian.

10. Transport

The Club does not normally arrange transport for junior players.

Parents and guardians remain responsible for travel to and from Club sessions.

Where transport is arranged in connection with Club activities, suitable arrangements should be agreed in advance between the parent or guardian and the supervising adult.

11. DBS Checks

KLBC will ensure that any individual undertaking a role for which a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check is required under current safeguarding guidance has an appropriate DBS check in place.

In particular, the Club Welfare Officer, and any club official organising or running a session at which a junior may participate, are required to hold a current Enhanced DBS check.

Before agreeing to junior participation, the Directors or Club Welfare Officer will confirm that a club official holding a current Enhanced DBS check will be organising or running the relevant session. Parents, guardians or juniors wishing to attend should contact the Club Welfare Officer or a Director in advance of a session to confirm this.

The Club will comply with Badminton England safeguarding requirements relating to recruitment and safeguarding responsibilities.

12. Equality and Respect

Everyone attending KLBC has the right to participate in an environment that is welcoming, inclusive and free from discrimination, bullying, harassment or intimidation.

The Club expects all members and visitors to support these values and to behave in accordance with the Club Constitution and Member Code of Conduct.

13. Review

This Policy will be reviewed periodically by the Directors to ensure that it remains appropriate for the operation of the Club and continues to reflect Badminton England guidance and legal requirements.

The current version of this Policy will be published on the Club website.