What is the rationale for this guidance?
We know all our Triathlon community has the safety and wellbeing of children and young people at the heart of everything they do. But, following recent reports including the Whyte Review, it is time to step up our safeguarding measures to not only protect the Children and Young People in our sport but to safeguard our workforce too.
British Triathlon considers the safety and wellbeing of children, young people, coaches, leaders and activators as central to our strategy, vision and values. As the National Governing Body for triathlon, we are responsible for providing guidance and support for the swim, bike, run and triathlon community to ensure that the sport is enjoyable and safe for all involved.
The impact of the Whyte Review resonated widely in the sports sector, firmly recognising that the duty of care towards athletes, participants, coaches and leaders is the responsibility of the National Governing Bodies.
The Supervision Requirements for Children and Young People builds on findings of the Whyte Review, incorporating best practice guidelines from the NSPCC and recommendations from the British Triathlon independent Safeguarding review.
When will this guidance take effect?
The supervision requirements must be implemented and adhered to by 31st July 2024.
Does the new guidance replace the British Triathlon Coaching Guidelines?
No, this document should be regarded as a supplement to the following documents:
- British Triathlon Coaching Guidelines
- Guidelines for Leading Swims, Rides and Runs
- Relevant Home Nation Open Water Swimming Guidance
Who does this guidance apply to?
All affiliated clubs, coaches, leaders and activators who are sanctioned by British Triathlon to coach or lead must adhere to the requirements set out in this document.
All single discipline coaches who are coaching in a British Triathlon affiliated club must also adhere to the requirements set out in the document.
British Triathlon accepts no responsibility if an unsanctioned coach, leader or activator who doesn't hold a valid Home Nation membership or an unaffiliated club chooses to operate using this guidance.
What is the minimum level of qualification required for the additional supervising adult?
All additional adults supervising the activity must hold a minimum of an Activator or SBR/Triathlon Leader qualification. The qualification of the additional adult(s) can be considered to increase the ratios where necessary. An example of this is shown in the scenarios on page 6 of the guidance.
Can the additional supervising adult also be the parent of a child taking part in the session?
A parent/carer may also serve as the additional supervising adult, provided they possess the necessary qualifications and meet the requirements outlined in the guidance. They must hold a minimum of an Activator (pre-July 2023) or SBR/Triathlon Leader Award (post July 2023), DBS, Safeguarding and Protecting Children certificate and Home Nation membership.
Can pool lifeguards be the additional supervising adult?
The role of a lifeguard is to ensure the safety of individuals in aquatic environments. Lifeguards are trained to respond to emergencies, prevent accidents, and provide assistance to those in need and should not be used for any additional remit whilst on duty, therefore they cannot be the additional supervising adult.
I am the only coach in the club, what does this mean for me?
We appreciate this is a really difficult situation. This guidance has been put in place to ensure all children, coaches and leaders are safeguarded within our clubs, negating the risk of coaches and leaders being left in isolation with a group of children.
We have seen great success in clubs who have empowered parents and expanded the pool of potential coaches and leaders. Reach out to parents or other local sports organisations to find individuals interested in helping with supervision/coaching duties to ensure the club remains accessible to children.
We have a number of single discipline coaches at our club, how does this affect them?
Single discipline coaches operating in clubs affiliated to British Triathlon must comply with the same safeguarding standards as triathlon coaches therefore the supervision requirements must be adhered to.
If the single discipline coach holds a recognised NGB qualification (Swim England, British Cycling, England Athletics) which is deemed to be of a higher level than an Activator or SBR/Triathlon Leader Award, they can support as the additional supervising adult without having to complete the SBR/Triathlon Leader Award.
Coaches must only coach activities appropriate to their level of qualification as stipulated by their NGB and must comply with the supervision ratios outlined in the Supervision Requirements for Children and Young People.
A single parent has three children. Can they supervise all three of their children if they are in different groups at the club?
In the rare case that line of sight is required for all three children (i.e. they are all between six and seven years old taking part in a pool swim, bike or run session, or six to 12 years old taking part in an open water session), another parent present can assist in the supervision. The parent of the three children must remain at the facility and make every attempt to ensure supervision/line of sight is maintained.
What would be the course of action if more juniors showed up on the night than expected, that takes you over the adult to participant ratios by one or two children or if the additional supervising adult doesn’t turn up?
The course of action would depend on the context and the nature of the activity.
In these circumstances, use good judgment and carry out a dynamic risk assessment to ensure the session can still proceed safely. Try to arrange for more adult supervision to meet the increased participant-to-adult ratio. This might involve asking a couple of parents to stay at the session to ensure no coach is left alone with the children.
We encourage all clubs to plan for this likelihood by having additional supervising adults on standby to mitigate the risk of exceeding the supervision requirements.
Can the additional supervising adult participate in the session?
This depends on the activity.
For pool-based sessions, the additional supervising adult must focus solely on their supervisory role and cannot simultaneously engage in pool-related activities. The reason being, they are unable to take part and observe the coach, leaders and children taking part in the session.
Considering the nature of track sessions, additional coaches, leaders and activators are welcome to participate in the session as long as they stay with the group.
If parent/carer line of sight is required, can the parent/carer take part in the session with the child?
If parent/carer line of sight is required for their child, the parent can also be participating in the session providing they can maintain line of sight throughout the session.
When it says parent/carer line of sight is recommended, can we leave it up to the parent to decide whether they stay or not?
Where it states that parent/carer line of sight is recommended, this is best practice guidelines and it is up to the parents/club to make the decision as to whether to make it mandatory or not.
Our leisure trust doesn’t allow anyone other than coaches poolside but they do have a viewing gallery. Is it ok for parents to be up in the gallery?
Absolutely, we are not asking parents to be poolside where line of sight is required.
Our sessions are slightly longer than the recommended maximum length – is this an issue?
Table 1of the guidance shows the recommended maximum length of session and the overtraining section discusses key considerations for clubs and coaches.
Coaches and leaders adapting the sessions to suit the ages and abilities of the children is paramount here. If you are comfortable the children are not overtraining and are taking part in a fun, enjoyable and safe environment, please don't feel the need to significantly reduce the duration of your sessions.
I'm currently working in primary schools delivering breakfast and after school clubs. Does this guidance also apply to the school setting or is it possible to have a teaching assistant present to achieve the required standards?
When operating in a school setting, all relevant safeguarding practices put in place by the school should be adhered to.
If you are a BTF sanctioned coach, it is best practice to make the school aware of the Supervision Requirements for Children and Young People. However, it is at the school's discretion as to whether they adhere to their own policy or adapt to meet British Triathlon's. It is the responsibility of the school to decide this and the coach should follow guidance from the relevant person at the school.
My club now needs three more SBR/Triathlon Leaders. Is there any support on offer to ensure we can upskill our volunteers/parents?
England: If you currently coach or lead in an affiliated Triathlon England junior club or junior section, there is a bursary available until the end of March 2024 which provides an opportunity for financial support to upskill through additional qualifications including Swim Bike Run Leader, Foundation and Group Coach. Please contact your club committee for further information.
Wales: If you currently coach or lead in an affiliated Welsh Triathlon club, there is a bursary available which provides an opportunity for financial support to upskill through additional qualifications including Triathlon Leader, Foundation and Group Coach. Please contact your club committee for further information. For any additional enquiries, please contact admin@welshtriathlon.org
Scotland: If you currently coach or lead in an affiliated Triathlon Scotland club, there is a bursary available which provides an opportunity for financial support to upskill through additional qualifications including SBR Leader, Foundation and Group Coach. Please contact your club committee for further information. For any additional enquiries, please contact coaching@triathlonscotland.org
