Safeguarding Policy

February 2024

Policy statement

Glasgow Roller Derby acknowledges the duty of care to safeguard and promote the welfare of everyone involved in the league* which protects its members from an environment of bullying, harassment, abuse harm, poor practice and exploitation. GRD is committed to ensuring safeguarding practice reflects statutory responsibilities, government guidance and complies with best practice and all legal requirements.

This policy recognises that safety and welfare are paramount in all circumstances. It aims to ensure that all members have a positive and enjoyable experience of roller derby in a safe and welcoming environment whilst being protected from all forms of abuse. Glasgow Roller Derby is committed to a rights-based approach, implementing the basic principles of the UN Convention of Human Rights and the Equality Act (2010) that safeguards all persons based on the nine protected characteristics: age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, marriage and civil partnership, sex or sexual orientation. Our Code of Conduct policy and Bylaws also take this into consideration, where all members of Glasgow Roller Derby must uphold these values and collaborate in creating an inclusive and respectful space for all within our sport. 

Glasgow Roller Derby acknowledges that some people can be particularly vulnerable to abuse, and we accept the responsibility to take reasonable and appropriate steps to ensure their welfare.  As a member of Women’s Flat Track Roller Derby Association (WFTDA) our membership is open exclusively to those over 18 years old therefore, this policy is created with adults in mind. 

*N.B – Throughout this document there are references to Glasgow Roller Derby as a ‘league’ which refers only to the direct membership of Glasgow Roller Derby and not a wider group of sports organisations which play against each other in a wider championship. In the context of Glasgow Roller Derby, ‘league’ is used interchangeably with ‘club’, ‘organisation’ and ‘team’. 

Key principles

This policy is based on the key principles: 

  • The rights, wellbeing, and experiences of all adults will be respected 

  • All adults, whatever their age, culture, disability, gender, language, racial origin, socio-economic status, religious belief and/or sexual identity have the right to protection from all forms of harm, poor practice, exploitation, bullying and abuse 

  • All adults, and particularly adults at risk, have the right to express views on all matters which affect them, should they wish to do so

  • We recognise that ability and disability can be complex and change over time, such that some adults may be additionally vulnerable to abuse, especially those with additional support needs

  • Glasgow Roller Derby believe safeguarding is the priority and responsibility of all members and are expected to act appropriately and report where necessary

  • All allegations of abuse or misconduct will be taken seriously and responded to with urgency through a person-led approach

  • Collaboration with adults and their support network is vital to ensuring Glasgow Roller Derby is an authentically inclusive space for all to participate in our sport

Legislation

The practices and procedures within this policy are based on the principles contained within the UK legislation and Government Guidance and have been developed to complement the Safeguarding Adults Boards policy and procedures. They take the following into consideration: 

  • Care Act 2014 

  • Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 

  • Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims (Amendment) Act 2012

  • Equality Act 2010 

  • Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 

  • Human Rights Act 1998 

  • Data Protection Act 1998

Definitions

Adult is anyone aged 18 or over. 

Adult at Risk are individuals over 18 years of age who can’t safeguard themselves, their wellbeing, their property or their rights; is at risk of harm; and is experiencing: 

  • A disability 

  • A mental health condition

  • Illness 

The term “adult at risk” replaces the previously used terms of ‘protected adult’ and “vulnerable adult” now considered to not correctly encompass lived experience or carry an outdated, ableist tone. For example, a disabled/older person is not necessarily an adult at risk, and an adult at risk may not have an impairment. It is not an automatic assumption that by falling into any of these categories that an adult is intrinsically at risk, further encouraging a holistic, person-centred approach to the rights and dignity of all adults. 

Adult in need of care and support is determined by a range of factors including personal characteristics, factors associated with their situation or environment and social factors. Naturally, a person’s disability does not mean that they will inevitably experience harm or abuse. In the context of safeguarding adults, the likelihood of an adult in need of care and support experiencing harm or abuse should be determined by considering a range of social, environmental and clinical factors, not merely because they may be defined by one or more of the above descriptors. In recent years there has been a marked shift away from using the term ‘vulnerable’ to describe adults potentially at risk from harm or abuse. Abuse is a violation of an individual’s human and civil rights by another person or persons. 

Adult safeguarding is protecting a person’s right to live in safety, free from abuse and neglect. Some adults can be disproportionately vulnerable to abuse and neglect due to disability (including neurodiversity) and mental health conditions. This sentiment also extends to adults already in high-risk circumstances including domestic abuse, sexual exploitation, and financial abuse.

In roller derby - and sport more generally - safeguarding concerns for adults can look like:

  • A disabled participant being financially exploited by another club member.

  • Members being pushed beyond physical limits leading to injury, or coercion into returning to training or competition before rehabilitation is complete. This is often in relation to harmful gender stereotypes (e.g. ‘Manning up’ or ‘Being a coward/weak/girl’)

  • Coaches sexually exploiting players who want to make team selection.

  • Isolation and exclusion of members in teambuilding opportunities due to a protected characteristic.

  • Exposing new members to dangerous team initiations or hazing ceremonies which make the individual feel humiliated, exploited, or physically harmed. 

  • Overriding the autonomy of an autistic member by contacting relatives about availability for games or tournaments, even when the member is fully capable when making decisions for themselves.

  • Touching or using the mobility aids of club members without their consent, such as moving a wheelchair user without permission, or using a cane as a ‘prop’. 

Factors which place adults at heightened risk of harm are considered “Protected Characteristics” As identified by the Equality Act 2010, these are:  

  • Age 

  • Disability 

  • Gender reassignment 

  • Race 

  • Religion and belief 

  • Pregnancy and maternity

  • Marriage and civil partnership 

  • Sex

  • Sexual orientation

These can change over time and can co-exist and be intersectional in the impact on lived experience. For example, a Black transgender woman who is bisexual can be at risk of discrimination based on their gender, sexuality and race simultaneously. You are also legally protected from discrimination if you’re associated with someone who has a protected characteristic (e.g. relative, friend, partner, teammate, etc.) or you’ve complained about discrimination or supported someone else’s claim.

Types of abuse and neglect

There are different types and patterns of abuse and neglect and different circumstances in which they may take place. The Care Act 2014 identifies the following as an illustrative guide and is not intended to be exhaustive list as to the sort of behaviour which could give rise to a safeguarding concern. 

Self-neglect – this covers a wide range of behaviour: neglecting to care for one’s personal hygiene, health or surroundings and includes behaviour such as hoarding. 

Domestic Abuse and coercive control – including psychological, physical, sexual, financial and emotional abuse. It also includes so called 'honour' based violence. It can occur between any family members. 

Discriminatory Abuse – discrimination is abuse which centres on a difference or perceived difference particularly with respect to race, gender or disability or any of the protected characteristics of the Equality Act. This can be direct or indirect discrimination, as well as harassment, abuse and discrimination by association. 

Organisational or Institutional Abuse – including neglect and poor care practice within an institution or specific care setting such as a hospital or care home, for example, or in relation to care provided in one’s own home. This may range from one off incidents to on-going ill-treatment. It can be through neglect or poor professional practice as a result of the structure, policies, processes and practices within an organisation. 

Physical Abuse – including hitting, slapping, pushing, kicking, misuse of medication, restraint or inappropriate sanctions. 

Sexual Abuse – including rape, indecent exposure, sexual harassment, inappropriate looking or touching, sexual teasing or innuendo, sexual photography, subjection to pornography or witnessing sexual acts, indecent exposure and sexual assault or sexual acts to which the adult has not consented or was pressured into consenting. 

Neglect or Acts of Omission – including ignoring medical or physical care needs, failure to provide access to appropriate health social care or educational services, the withholding of the necessities of life, such as medication, adequate nutrition and heating. 

Emotional or Psychological Abuse – this includes threats of harm or abandonment, deprivation of contact, humiliation, blaming, controlling, intimidation, coercion, harassment, verbal abuse, isolation or withdrawal from services or supportive networks. 

Not included in the Care Act 2014 but also relevant: 

Cyber Bullying – cyber bullying occurs when someone repeatedly makes fun of another person online or repeatedly picks on another person through emails or text messages, or uses online forums with the intention of harming, damaging, humiliating or isolating another person. It can be used to carry out many different types of bullying (such as racist bullying, homophobic bullying, or bullying related to special educational needs and disabilities) but instead of the perpetrator carrying out the bullying face-to-face, they use technology – such as the Glasgow Roller Derby Discord server - as a means to do it. 

Mate Crime – a ‘mate crime’ as defined by the Safety Net Project as ‘when vulnerable people are befriended by members of the community who go on to exploit and take advantage of them. It may not be an illegal act but still has a negative effect on the individual.’ Mate Crime is carried out by someone the adult knows and often happens in private. 

Radicalisation – the aim of radicalisation is to attract people to their reasoning, inspire new recruits and embed their extreme views and persuade vulnerable individuals of the legitimacy of their cause. This may be direct through a relationship, or through social media.

It is important to note that these examples of abuse are not exhaustive, nor are they mutually exclusive, meaning multiple forms of abuse and discrimination can be experienced by an adult at the same time. This is why it is crucial that safeguarding concerns are considered as multidimensional and should be handled on a case-by-case basis to ensure that a person-centred approach is at the centre of reporting, investigation and outcomes. 

Signs and notifications of abuse

Abuse can take place in any context and by all manner of perpetrator. Abuse may be inflicted by anyone in the club who an athlete encounters or club members may suspect that an athlete is being abused or neglected outside of the club setting. There are many signs and indicators that may suggest someone is being abused or neglected, these include but are not limited to: 

  • Unexplained bruises or injuries – or lack of medical attention when an injury is present. 

  • Person has belongings or money going missing. 

  • Person is not attending / no longer enjoying their sessions. You may notice that a participant in a team has been missing from practice sessions and is not responding to reminders from team members or coaches. 

  • Someone suddenly losing or gaining weight / an unkempt appearance. This could be a player whose appearance becomes unkempt, does not wear suitable sports kit and deterioration in hygiene.

  • A change in the behaviour or confidence of a person. For example, a participant may be looking quiet and withdrawn when their brother comes to collect them from sessions, in contrast to their personal assistant whom they greet with a smile.

  • They may self-harm. 

  • They may have a fear of a particular group or individual. 

  • They may tell you / another person they are being abused – i.e. a disclosure.

  • Harassing of a club member because they are or are perceived to have protected characteristics. 

  • Not meeting the needs of the participant. E.g. this could be training without a necessary break. 

  • A coach intentionally striking an athlete.

  • This could be a fellow athlete who sends unwanted sexually explicit text messages to an adult they are training alongside. 

  • An athlete threatening another athlete with physical harm and persistently blaming them for poor performance.

Reporting & responding to safeguarding concerns

It is not your responsibility to decide whether or not an adult has been abused. It is however, everyone's responsibility to respond to and report concerns. 

  • It is our responsibility to contact the police on 999 straight away if there is a crime in progress at any GRD training session or event. Where you suspect that a crime is being committed, you must involve the police.

  • If you have concerns and or you are told about possible or alleged abuse, poor practice or wider welfare issues you must report this to the Glasgow Roller Derby Safeguarding and Welfare Officer, or, if this officer is implicated then report to the Glasgow Roller Derby Board of Directors.

  • When raising your concern remember to use a person-led approach. It is good practice to seek the adult’s views on what they would like to happen next and to inform the adult you will be passing on your concern.

  • It is important that you also keep the person informed about any decisions and action taken about them and always consider their needs and wishes. 

 How to respond to a concern 

  • Make a note of your concerns. 

  • Make a note of what the person has said using his or her own words as soon as practicable. Submit your complaint by contacting the Glasgow Roller Derby Welfare & Safeguarding Officer or Board of Directors. Please see “Additional Support & Resources” section for contact information. 

  • Remember to make safeguarding personal. Discuss your safeguarding concerns with the adult, obtain their view of what they would like to happen, but inform them it’s your duty to pass on your concerns to your lead safeguarding or welfare officer. 

  • Describe the circumstances in which the disclosure came about. 

  • Take care to distinguish between fact, observation, allegation and opinion. It is important that the information you have is objective and impartial. 

  • Be mindful of confidentiality, information relating to abuse or neglect concerns must only be shared with the Wellbeing & Safeguarding Officer and Board of Directors on a need-to-know basis. 

Roles & responsibilities in safeguarding

Glasgow Roller Derby is committed to having the following in place: 

  • A Welfare Officer to provide support directly to league members and signpost resources 

  • Clear accountability within the organisation for work on promoting the welfare of all adults. 

  • Procedures for dealing with allegations of abuse against members of the league.

  • A Disciplinary Panel will be formed as required for a given incident, if appropriate and should a threshold be met. 

  • An active approach to safeguarding through Glasgow Roller Derby’s Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Strategy. 

  • Accessible whistleblowing procedures and an open and inclusive culture that enables safeguarding and equality and diversity issues to be addressed, such as an anonymous suggestions/feedback form.

  • Clear codes of conduct are in place for coaches, participants, officials, spectators and other relevant individuals.

  • Any reports or concerns of abuse will be recorded by the relevant parties in Glasgow Roller Derby and will be stored appropriately in line with Data Protection legislation. It is not appropriate for confidential information to be shared with others (friends, committee members, or other members of the league who are not involved in the report and disciplinary procedure). 

Children & young people under 18

It should be reiterated that this policy is concerned with Adult Safeguarding and therefore is relevant to all members in our adult-only league. However, there events facilitated by Glasgow Roller Derby – namely public games - that are attended by children and young people (i.e. those under 18 years old.) Members of Glasgow Roller Derby should remember to uphold our league values with all visitors and supporters therefore general approaches to respect and protection still apply. 

Discord server & online safety 

The official business of Glasgow Roller Derby – including league member votes, committee meetings, and policy access – all take place on our Discord Server which is only made available to current league members. This includes Glasgow Roller Recruits, referees, and non-skating officials who are all integral to the club alongside League Skaters. 

This policy on safeguarding is applicable not only to training and in-person events but also to our online conduct which should be equally as respectful, inclusive, and supportive of our colleagues. If you witness or suspect any abuse, malpractice or bullying on our online spaces, please use the aforementioned guidance to report a concern.  

For more information on Discord, please contact the Discord moderators of the Safeguarding & Welfare Officer. More general guidance on internet safety can be found at StaySafe.org.

Good practice

We acknowledge that differentiation between abuse and poor practice can be challenging to determine. Members are not expected to be experts or professionals when it comes to safeguarding however, it is the responsibility of all members of Glasgow Roller Derby to not only make attempt to recognise safeguarding issues, abuse, or malpractice, but also to report it. 

As part of curating a safe and inclusive space for all, it is best practise for everyone to: 

  • Uphold and champion the rules set out in the Glasgow Roller Derby Code of Conduct. 

  • Aim to make the experience at Glasgow Roller Derby enjoyable and fun.

  • Treat all members with respect and dignity, ensuring all adults feel as equals in our league, be they skaters, referees, coaches, or non-skating officials (NSOs).

  • Uphold a zero-tolerance approach to harm, isolation and discrimination by challenging exclusionary language and behaviour.

  • Feel confident in reporting abuse, exclusion or safeguarding concerns to team captains, discord moderators, Board of Directors, Health, Safety & Safeguarding Officer, or Conflict Resolution Officers.

The policy and procedures will be widely promoted and are mandatory for everyone involved in Glasgow Roller Derby. Failure to comply with the policy and procedures will be addressed without delay and may ultimately result in dismissal/exclusion from the league.

Monitoring & review

The policy will be reviewed a year after development and then every three years, or in the following circumstances:

  • changes in legislation and/or government guidance

  • as required by any regulatory body if appropriate

  • as a result of any other significant change or event

This policy will be monitored by: 

  • Accurately recording any incidents, complaints or reports related to adult safeguarding.

  • Welcoming league member feedback on this policy and its effect on Glasgow Roller Derby.

  • Present any suggested changes to Glasgow Roller Derby members (including the Board of Directors) at our AGM in which all will have an equal opportunity to discuss and vote on potential amendments. Amendments will be considered and voted on outwith the AGM if necessary. 

Relevant policies

This Safeguarding Policy should be read in conjunction with the following Glasgow Roller Derby policies:

  • Code of Conduct

  • GRD Bylaws

  • Attendance Guidelines

These policies can be accessed via the Glasgow Roller Derby Discord server which all members can use. Please contact a server moderator or the Board of Directors for assistance. 

Additional support & resources

Please contact the Glasgow Roller Derby Welfare & Safeguarding Officer (Margaret Law, derby name ‘Maggles’) face-to-face or via Discord to further discuss safeguarding.

If you wish to raise a concern, query, or issue to Glasgow Roller Derby directly, you can also email glasgowrollerderbydirectors@gmail.com in confidence.

We urge you to save these contacts for further signposting.