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SAFEGUARDING POLICY
MDRC Riding Club fully accepts its legal and moral obligation under the Children’s Act (1989) and (2004), to provide a duty of care to protect all children and safeguard their welfare, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, parental or marital status, pregnancy, religion or belief, creed, sexual orientation and gender reassignment.
A child/young person is defined as a person under the age of 18 (the Children’s Act 1989).
MDRC fully adopts the BEF Safeguarding Policy (Children and Young People), the full policy can be downloaded from the BEF website www.bef.co.uk
Aims
The aims of the Macclesfield and District Riding Club Safeguarding Policy are:
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To ensure robust safeguarding arrangements and procedures are in operation to provide children and young people with appropriate safety and protection whilst at MDRC events, while accompanying parents, guardians or with friends.
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To take all reasonable, practical steps to protect children from harm, discrimination and degrading treatment and respect their rights, wishes and feelings.
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To ensure everyone understands their roles and responsibilities in respect of safeguarding and are provided with appropriate learning opportunities to recognise, identify and respond to signs of abuse, neglect and other safeguarding concerns relating to children and young people.
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To ensure appropriate action is taken in the event of incidents/concerns of abuse and support provided to the individual/s who raise or disclose the concern. All concerns or allegations of poor practice or abuse are taken seriously and responded to swiftly and appropriately. It is the responsibility of child protection experts to determine whether or not abuse has taken place but it is everyone’s responsibility to report it.
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To ensure that confidential, details and accurate records of all safeguarding concerns are maintained and securely stored.
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To maintain high standards of behaviours and good practice through compliance with BRC Official Rules and the BEF Codes of Conduct produced for instructors, coaches, parents/guardians, junior members, BRC Officials and volunteers. The policy and procedures are mandatory for everyone involved with MDRC. Failure to comply with the policy and procedures will be addressed without delay and may ultimately result in dismissal/exclusion from the Club.
The policy will be reviewed every three years, or in the following circumstances:
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Changes in legislation and/or government guidance
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As required by the Local Safeguarding Children Board, BHS, BRC and the BEF
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As a result of any other significant change or event.
Centre Safeguarding Officer:
Macclesfield & District Riding Club will appoint a Club Safeguarding Officer (CSO)
The role of the CSO is:
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To ensure that the MDRC committee members and volunteers are aware of the Safeguarding Policy, procedures, guidelines and codes of conduct, and adopt them as appropriate
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Be the first point of contact at MDRC for Officials, volunteers, young people or parents/guardians for any issue concerning safeguarding, child protection or welfare, poor practice or potential/Alleged abuse
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To have access to contact details for Children’s Services, the Police and the BHS Lead Safeguarding Officer
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To follow the BEF Safeguarding Policy for procedures for recording and reporting information as required
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To advise the BHS Lead Safeguarding Officer of any allegations or complaints made in relation to child protection and safeguarding and to implement BHS’s Safeguarding procedure as appropriate
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To respond to any allegations or complaints made from within MDRC in accordance with the agreed protocols details in the BEF Safeguarding Equestrian Sport
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To ensure that Under 18s and their parents/guardians are aware of MDRC’s Safeguarding Policy and Procedures and how to access them
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To facilitate and promote education and training in safeguarding for staff and volunteers
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To ensure that procedures on recruitment of officials and volunteers are followed and for those roles which undertake regulated activity or regulated work, please see DBS and PVG guidance documents
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To ensure codes of conduct are in place for officials, volunteers, junior members and their parents/guardians https://www.bhs.org.uk/our-chariety/working-with-the-law/safeguarding-children
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To ensure confidentiality is maintained and information is only shared on a ‘need to know’ basis
It is not the role of the CSO to be a Child Protection expert or to determine whether or not a serious incident has taken place, rather to record the details and seek guidance if necessary.
Communication
MDRC will make available its Safeguarding Policy and Procedures to all officials, volunteers, parents/guardians and it will appear in full on the Macclesfield & District Riding Club website.
MDRC will display the names of the Clubs Safeguarding Officers on its website.
All individuals involved with MDRC, no matter what role they participate in, must adhere to the Safeguarding Code of Conduct.
Training
Instructors/coaches, officials and volunteers working with children may like to undertake the BEF Approved safeguarding training (or recognized equivalent) course with the last 3 years. Ideally refresher training should be completed every three years via either the BEF approved online training portal or a further face to face course. As a minimum the CSO must attend the required Safeguarding Training Course.
Criminal Record Checks
Instructors/coaches, officials and volunteers working with children at MDRC may be required to hold a current certificate through the Disclosure and Barring Service, Disclosure Scotland or Access NI as appropriate. Certificates must be renewed every three years.
Please see the guidance documents below.
Macclesfield & District Riding Club Safeguarding Officer details
Shelley Wootton and Richard Cairns
BHS Lead Safeguarding Officer 02476 840746
Confidential email: cpleadofficer@bhs.org.uk
Childline 0800 1111
NSPCC 0808 800 5000
Documents
Criminal record check information England and Wales
http://www.bhs.org.uk/our-charity/working-with-the-law/criminal-record-checks-england-and-wales
Scotland
Date of next Review: Oct 2026