Children under age 13 at the Club

Hello everyone,

This is an important message which we ask you to read carefully. As you know, your Committee takes its Safeguarding responsibilities, which are both moral and statutory, very seriously. We strive to ensure that the Club is a safe and welcoming environment for everyone to play tennis.

Recently concerns have been raised at Committee about children aged under 13 being left on their own in the Clubhouse, whilst parents play tennis outside.

The Club’s Regulations clearly state that “Juniors and Minis under 13 years must be supervised or continuously accompanied by an adult whilst on the premises.” We have reviewed the latest LTA guidance on Safeguarding and this Regulation is in accordance with the LTA’s policy. The LTA also defines supervision as “reasonable to ensure protection of children. It should be regular with direct line of sight”.

We wish to clarify what this means in practice. With immediate effect:

Children under age of 13 must not be left alone in Clubhouse.
If they are in Clubhouse, they must be accompanied by a parent or adult nominated by parent. A parent cannot ask just any club member to ‘supervise their child’ as most members are at the club to play tennis.
When the parent/adult is playing tennis, any child under 13 must be in direct line of sight of parent/nominated adult meaning the child will have to sit outside
Should the child be playing outside, and not in an organised coach led session, then they must always be in direct line of sight of parent/nominated adult meaning the adult cannot be sitting in Clubhouse whilst their child plays.
LTA Guidance is clear for children under age of 13 that when attending coaching sessions, the child must be delivered directly into the care of the coach by the parent, and picked up directly from the coach. It is not enough to drop off the child outside the club or at the pedestrian gate or allow the child to make their own way to a lesson. “Parents must ensure that their child has been delivered to the coach”

We suggest that parents with children in this age bracket try to mutually support one another.

As a Registered Club Venue, we are required to follow LTA Policies particularly as regards Safeguarding.

The Club’s Welfare Officer is Di Robertson-Bell (welfareofficer@waltontennis.org.uk). Full details of Club’s Safeguarding Policy, including Codes of Conduct, are available on Club’s website (www.waltontennis.org.uk). All Club members are required to adhere to these Policies.

Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility.

Regards

Gill & Committee

17th May 2023

17/05/2023