Supported by Community Partner: SPAR UK

C3.6 DSW Anti Bullying Policy

Bulling is not easy to define, it can take many forms and is usually repeated over a period of time.  It is the use of aggression with the intention of hurting another person.

Column Keys:
DBS = Enhanced DBS Check Required
BL = Barred List Check Required

Bullying can be:

Emotional
  • Being deliberately unfriendly, tormenting (hiding belongings, threatening gestures, etc), humiliating someone, intimidating them, spreading rumours, or making someone feel inferior or unwanted

Physical
  • Pushing, kicking, slapping, pinching, hitting, or any other form of violence

Verbal
  • Name-calling, sarcasm, spreading rumours, and teasing

Nonverbal
  • Hand signs, gestures or text messages

Cyber
  • All areas of internet, such as emails, social media sites, and internet chat-room abuse
  • Mobile threats by texts or calls
  • Misuse of IT (i.e. camera and video)

Exclusion
  • Excluding individuals from groups, ignoring or isolating someone
These types of bullying are also hate crimes:

Sexual
  • Unwanted physical contact or sexually abusive comments

Racist
  • Racial taunts, graffiti, and gestures motivated by someone’s membership of an ethnically diverse community

Homophobic
  • Bullying behaviour or violence which is because of, or focuses on the issue of sexuality, and individual’s preferences

Transphobic
  • Bullying behaviour or violence which is because of, or focuses on changes in sex or gender

Disability
  • Bullying behaviour or violence which is because someone has an impairment


 

A bully will normally pick on someone who is weaker than themselves, and the outcome is always painful and distressing for the person being bullied.  Everyone has the right to be treated with respect.

 

Objectives of this policy

  • All players, coaches, club members, officials and parents should have an understanding of what bullying is
  • All coaches, club members, and officials should be familiar with the club, NGB, or organisation’s Policy regarding bullying, and should follow it if bullying is reported.
  • All parents and participants should be aware of the Anti Bulling Policy, and what to do should they be concerned about bullying
  • As an organisation DSW take the issue of bullying very seriously; participants and parents should be assured that they will be supported when bullying is reported

 

Signs and indicators of bullying

Whilst a child or adult at risk may tell you they are being bullied, they may also suggest through their behaviour that they are being bullied.  Such signs and symptoms might include:

  • Unwilling to go to sessions
  • Starts trying to avoid friends or groups who they would ordinarily have associated with
  • Demonstrates a reduced confidence or become anxious prior to going to sessions
  • Comes home from sessions without equipment, with clothing torn, or with equipment damaged
  • Asks for money, or starts ‘stealing’ money (to pay the bully)
  • Is frightened to say what is wrong
  • Regularly ‘feels ill’ prior to sessions so as to avoid going
  • Has unexplained cuts and bruises
  • Begins bullying siblings or other children
  • Loses interest in their mobile phone or using the internet
  • Avoids using social media – where they have been quite active in its use previously

Whilst the above may not necessarily indicate that the child or young person is being bullied, the possibility should be considered and investigated.

 

Procedure and possible outcomes

Suggestion that a child, young person or adult at risk is being bullied

Direct disclosure (child, young person or adult at risk tells you they are being bullied

Signs and symptoms suggest that the child, young person or adult at risk is being bullied

Make a record of the observations or disclosure

Inform a DSW Safeguarding Officer

Possible outcomes:

  • Bully(ies) asked to apologise, with supervision, to the person they are bullying
  • Parents and child, young person or adult at risk being bullied will be invited to come and discuss the bullying with the DSW Welfare Panel.  Same panel will meet with the alleged bully and his/her parents.  Minutes should be taken from both meetings.  If bullying has taken place then the following actions can be taken:
    • verbal warning to bully
    • verbal and written warning to bully
    • parent(s) of bully(ies) asked to attend sessions/club/activity in order to mediate behaviour
    • exclusion of bully from sessions/club/activity
  • If necessary, contact the police

 

Prevention

  • Use the DSW’s Codes of Conduct (Athlete; Coaches and Volunteers; Parents and Carers)
  • Create and uphold clear safeguarding and welfare policies
  • Include information on welfare (including bullying) in induction packs
  • Information provided on bullying and cyberbullying
  • Make it clear who to go to for help
     
back  C3.5 DSW List of Eligible Roles for DBS check
C4.1 Responding to concerns about individuals outside of DSW ​​​​​​  forward

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