Foyle Cycling Club believes everyone who participates in cycling in all its disciplines is entitled to participate in an enjoyable and safe environment and to be given the chance to experience the fun, challenge and sense of achievement that are inherent to cycling. To ensure this, Foyle is committed to implementing policies and procedures to ensure all those involved comply with the Cycling Ireland code of good practice.

 

In addition, all young people are entitled to a duty of care and to be protected from abuse. Foyle CC is committed to implementing policies and procedures to ensure everyone in the club accepts their responsibilities to safeguard children from harm and abuse. This means taking action to safeguard children and to report any concerns about their welfare.

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CHILD PROTECTION

 

Foyle CC is bound by Cycling Ireland procedures for good practice and child protection that clearly states what is required of the club:

• Everyone knows and accepts their responsibilities and works together: parents, cyclists, coaches, leaders, and club officials.
• All volunteers will be informed about their responsibilities and provided with guidance and/or training in good practice and child protection procedures.

The following terms are used in the club’s policy:
• Anyone under the age of 18 is considered to be a child/young person.
• The term parent is used as a generic term to represent parents, carers and guardians.

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CYCLING IRELAND – SAFEGUARDING

 

Cycling Ireland – Safeguarding Policy can be found here.

The main points of that policy have been summarised below.

Cycling Ireland requires:
• All affiliated clubs to appoint a Club Welfare Officer responsible for good practice and child protection; this officer must undergo an access NI check.
• All Club Welfare Officers, coaches and leaders to undertake relevant child protection awareness training, to ensure their practice is exemplary and to facilitate the development of a positive culture towards good practice and child protection in cycling.
• All personnel (parents, cyclists, coaches, leaders, club officials, senior and junior club members) to receive advisory information outlining good practice and informing them about what to do if they have concerns about the behaviour of an adult towards a young person.

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SAFEGUARDING OFFICER

 

Foyle CC has a Safeguarding Officer who is responsible for ensuring that our Child Protection Policy is implemented and making sure it is communicated to club members, coaches, parents, and children.

Our Safeguarding Officer will also advise Foyle CC event organisers how best to safeguard the welfare of children and young people who are participating in those events.

If you have any concerns about the welfare of children involved in the club activities contact the club safeguarding officer.

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INFORMATION FOR PARENTS

 

Young people will be welcome to take part in various Foyle CC’s activities and we will run specific events for children and young people. However, Foyle CC requires that parents or guardians of young people taking part in all our club activities complete our parental consent form.

 

Most of our activities will be open for young people to take part in however for activities without age restrictions e.g. weekend club runs, club sportives, under 16’s must be accompanied by an adult.

 

Some of Foyle CC activities can be challenging and anyone taking part, including young people, must have the minimum level of skills and a suitable bicycle to participate in that activity.

 

YOUNG PEOPLE TAKING PART IN CLUB RUNS

 

Foyle CC organises a range of club runs, from our Sunday Social, to our Saturday morning runs. Details including time and starting points can be found on club website.

 

A young cyclist is welcome to join one of Foyle CC club runs when his or her parents judge that he or she is mature enough to cope with traffic and strong enough to complete the ride.

 

Those under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult (parent or guardian) at all times.

 

Young people may find the experience of joining in a club ride less daunting if a parent or another trusted adult comes along at least to begin with. If, however, a young person (over the age of 16 and under 18) takes part unaccompanied, an adult club member needs to know that he or she is there with parental consent.

 

The rides are not coached sessions and there is not an organiser with legal responsibility for other riders. A club ride is simply a group of riders on a joint excursion on the open road which may include sections on busy roads.

It is the responsibility of parents/guardians to ensure that participants’ bikes are roadworthy, safe, and suitable for the activity they are taking part in.

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Ensure that they have identification details and emergency contact number(s) in case of an accident.

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Riders are expected to be self-sufficient and should bring their own drinks, snacks and spare inner tube(s) money, tyre levers, and a pump.

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All participants must wear a cycling helmet at all times during club rides.

It is necessary to obtain parental consent for young people under the age of 18 to take part in club rides, whether accompanied by a parent/guardian or not. If you wish your son / daughter to participate then please complete the parental consent form.

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YOUNG PEOPLE TAKING PART IN COACHING SESSIONS

 

The following information is for parents and guardians of young people taking part in Foyle coaching sessions

• It is part of the Cycling Ireland Code of Conduct that reasonable steps are taken to establish a safe environment where the young riders can enjoy developing their cycling skills.
• Parents / Carers are welcome to stay and watch the session, but this is not compulsory
• Children are expected to remain in the session from beginning to end unless they have to leave early. I f the child has to leave early or is being collected by someone other than the Parent / Carer, the Parent / Carer must advise the coach of the details of the arrangement including who will be collecting the rider.
• It is the young rider’s responsibility to participate in cycling competitions in a sporting manner.
• Any young riders who persistently misbehave or put others at risk will be asked to leave the session.
• It is the parent’s responsibility to ensure that their child’s bike is in a safe condition to ride.
• A correctly fitting, approved cycling helmet must be worn at all times during the coaching sessions.
• For all children under 12yrs, coaching sessions will take place in a traffic free facility. However, some children (over 12yrs only) may be involved in coaching sessions that take place on the public highway. Children are only invited to take part when coaches feel they are sufficiently responsible for their own actions and have developed the necessary bike handling skills and fitness levels in order to cope with riding on the public highways. If you do not wish your child to be involved in these sessions then please inform the coach.

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GUIDANCE FOR COACHES & EVENT ORGANISERS

 

All of our coaches and event organisers will adhere to the best practice guidance provided by Cycling Ireland. The following information covers the main points that coaches and event organisers need to adhere to.

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GOOD PRACTICE

 

The following principles should be adhered to by those involved in cycling:
• Conduct all coaching and meetings in an open environment; avoid one-to-one coaching in unobserved situations.
• Maintain a safe and appropriate relationship with young people.
• Avoid unnecessary physical contact with young people. Touching can be okay and appropriate as long as it is neither intrusive nor disturbing and the cyclist’s permission has been given.
• Carry a mobile phone.
• Carry emergency contact details of all young riders taking part.

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POOR PRACTICE

 

The following is deemed to constitute poor practice and should be avoided:
• Avoid spending excessive amounts of time alone with one child away from the others.
• Avoid taking children to your home where they will be alone with you.
• Never allow allegations made by a child to go unchallenged, unrecorded or not acted upon.
If cases arise where these situations are unavoidable, they should only occur with the full knowledge and consent of the person in charge, or the child’s parents. If any incidents should occur that gives you concern for a child’s welfare and safety, you should report them immediately to another colleague, make a written note of the event (to be sent to the Club Safeguarding Officer and Club Secretary), and inform parents of the incident:
• If you accidentally hurt a cyclist (or a cyclist has an accident or otherwise requires medical treatment).
• If a child seems distressed in any manner.
• If a child misunderstands or misinterprets something you have done.

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PHOTOGRAPHY

 

• Foyle will make every effort to limit shots taken, or published on its website, of riders in the under sixteen categories to images which involve racing or formal training or formal club on-the-bike activities.
• Off-the-bike shots of this age group will be limited to groups of riders unless provided by and with consent from a parent or guardian of the young person.

Foyle CC may also take and publish photos of under-sixteens receiving their awards at formal prize presentations.

Foyle will always remove images from its website upon request to the club secretary or Safeguarding Officer, where reasonable.

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