Guildford Junior Ice Hockey Club

Changing Room Policy

Guidance for good practice and safeguarding linked to changing rooms.

This guidance is to support the EIHA changing room policy issue 2, 19.4.10

The following policy is to support all adults and children within the GJIHC under safeguarding good practice. It is not only there to protect the children/ players, but also the adults in contact with them, including parents.

Universal Principals

·              Parents in changing rooms:

o   For U12s and above - Parents are not allowed in the changing room unless invited by an official or manager.

o   For U10s - parents are allowed in the changing rooms to aid their children as required with dressing. Once their player has dressed they should leave.

·              All coaches, managers and game day officials are CRB checked. Where girls are in a team one of the CRB checked persons should be female.

·              One adult should never be left alone in the presence of players. If a person finds himself or herself alone with players then they should ask for support from a CRB checked person. If this is not possible then help should be sought from another adult until a CRB checked person is available.

·              Separate changing areas should be made available for male and female players both at home and away rinks. Where males and females dress together they must arrive and leave in a minimum of sweat suits.

·              Girls should have their own changing area and enter the boys changing room once invited and only when all players are dressed in a minimum of sweat suits.

·              No player should be asked / expected to change in a toilet.

·              Adult officials (e.g. coaches, physios, match officials, other volunteers) should not change or shower at the same time using the same facility as the players.

·              Parents do not have an automatic right to enter changing rooms.

·              In the event of a player having to return to the changing room through injury they should be accompanied by their parent or guardian.

·              The use of mobile phones and other recording equipment is banned in the changing rooms. This applies to all including: players and coaches (parents and siblings – U10s).

·              If you arrive early or late to a training session or game and another age group is using the changing area, then you must consult your coaches or managers about using an alternative changing area.

·              Changing room priority is given to teams coming onto the ice for a game. Therefore, players coming off the ice may have to wait for the changing areas to become available. This is to allow players to focus on the up coming game.

·              When kit bags are removed from the changing room they should not be left in the laundry room / office or block any fire exits.

Age Related Principles

 

Under 10s

Although it is good practice to have only Coaches and 2 CRB checked support persons in the changing room it is understood that young players may need support with dressing.

 

It is recommended that only 1 parent or adult guardian may help dress a player. Once dressing is completed then the parent / guardian must leave the dressing room, leaving players in the care of coaches and managers. They will call a parent back into room should further assistance be needed.

Tuesday evening training:

Nominated changing rooms should be used. Managers and CRB nominated people should check that children are behaving appropriately.

If U10s train up then their parents / guardians should move their kit bags to the nominated U12 changing room, therefore freeing up the original changing room at the end of the U10s session. These parents / guardians should then follow the guidelines for U12s players where possible.

Under 12s

It is good practice to have only Coaches and 2 CRB checked support persons in the changing room.

Under 12s should not need parental support with dressing and parents / guardians should not be needed in dressing rooms. (Parents should raise any issues with coaches or managers that may affect their child’s needs in the changing room; this may result in a parent being invited into a changing room to support their child).

Skate tying support can be completed outside the changing room by parents if required.

Tuesday evening training:

Nominated changing rooms should be used. Managers and CRB nominated people should check that children are behaving appropriately.

If U12s train up then their parents / guardians should move their kit bags to the nominated U14 changing room, therefore freeing up the original changing room at the end of the U12s session.

All age groups

If the changing areas are to be used by the other Skating Clubs after the GJIHC, they need to be cleared of players and possessions before the end of the ice hockey training session.

 

Guidance policy May 15th K. Butterfield (Safeguarding officer)