Safeguarding and Welfare

Checklist of Information for Captains, Coaches and Volunteers

Safeguarding and Welfare Checklist of Information for Captains Coaches and Volunteers at BSHC

Codes of Conduct

BSHC adopts and uses the England Hockey Respect Code of Conduct.

All members, parents, young people, captains, coaches and officials are expected to be aware of these Codes of Conduct and abide by them.

Accident and Injury Reporting

Injury reporting plays a vital role in keeping hockey safe for everyone involved.
England Hockey requires all clubs to report injuries. Please report injuries as soon as
practicable.
To report an accident or injury Captains/Coaches or other delegated adults should
complete the following form which will be sent automatically to the Welfare Team on
submission;

Bishops Stortford Hockey Club Injury Reporting Form – Click link or use QR code to complete.

This form is to be completed to report all injuries (adults and juniors) sustained while
undertaking any hockey activities including injuries sustained in matches and training
for any person
– who is removed from the field of play as a result of injury;
– who reports an injury immediately after the session;
– who reports an injury, sustained in hockey, that prevents them taking part in
other activities (i.e. if a player contacts the coach or club captain to tell them a
niggle/ injury has now stopped them doing other sport or activity)
and that required one or more of the following:
– Treatment from a first aid specialist (e.g. first aider/ ambulance/ first
responder)
– Hospital treatment
– Subsequent visit(s) to a GP
If an adult player receives an injury and decides to self-treat, the general rule would
be that if one in ten players would elect to seek medical treatment even though this
player has not, the form should then be completed.

The BSHC Welfare team will then share the relevant information from the BSHC
Injury Reporting Form with England Hockey to comply with the England Hockey
Injury Reporting Policy. This additional reporting is anonymous and will be completed
by the Welfare Team.
For any potential or confirmed concussion please refer to the England Hockey
Concussion policy for Return to Playing Guidance

https://www.englandhockey.co.uk/governance/safe-hockey/concussion

A first aid kit should be available at every match (adult and junior) and each training
session. If you require a First Aid Kit or additional supplies, please contact the
relevant section lead.

Should a junior member (U18) require hospital treatment, in the absence of a parent:
– An adult member of the team or coaching staff must accompany the injured
child to the hospital
– Parents/carers must be notified as soon as possible and given the details of
the A&E unit their child has been taken to.

To help us protect your child from injury:

  • Please ensure your child is wearing a mouth guard and shin pads during all
  • coaching sessions and matches. Please ensure Goal Keepers have appropriate fitting, full goal keeper kit.
  • If your child is a defender, they must have their own face mask

Safeguarding and Protecting Young People at our club

Along with England Hockey, BSHC believes that all young people have the right to be safe and enjoy their involvement in hockey. We accept a responsibility to promote the welfare of young people and protect them from harm, in partnership with England Hockey and the rest of the Hockey Family. In this instance, a young person is defined as anyone under 18.

We will do this by adopting England Hockey’s Safeguarding and Protecting Young People in Hockey Policy, SafeGuard to ensure all those in the hockey family have a safe and positive experience.

This policy covers the commitments of those who adopt the policy, how to recognise poor practice and abuse, how to report safeguarding and welfare concerns, useful contacts and provides links to templates and further guidance.

Safeguarding

Safeguarding juniors transitioning into adult hockey

2026/27-Junior-to-Adult-Hockey-Transition-(RARE) Right-Athlete-Right-Environment-BSHCDownload

Safeguarding and Welfare Policy: Balancing Junior and Adult Team Commitments

2026/27 – Balancing-Junior-and-Adult-Hockey-Safeguarding and Welfare-PolicyDownload

Transportation of Junior Players to Senior Matches

– It is the responsibility of parents/carers to transport their children to and from a match or away fixture. However, lift-sharing is permitted where parents/carers are unable to transport their child.

– In accordance with England Hockey (EH) safeguarding guidance, Parents/carers must give written permission if their child/children are being transported in another adult car. This can be given via whatsapp when parents are requesting a lift for their child. BSHC follows the More-Than-One rule. Where lift sharing is arranged there should always be two adults and/or multiple juniors travelling together, drivers should not be alone with a young person in a car.

Collection of Junior Players from Adult Training and Matches

– A parent/carer should be pitch-side and ready to collect their U18 when a training session or match ends. If they are not pitch-side at the end of a session, it is assumed that permission has been given to leave the cage.

– A parent must provide written instructions to a team captain before a training session and have received a specific confirmation in response if their U18 is to remain inside the cage for collection.

Safeguarding Reporting Procedure

Adults who are working or volunteering for BSHC have a duty of care to remain vigilant and report any suspicious or poor practice or abuse of a child or vulnerable adult

It is not their responsibility to decide whether abuse has taken place, but it IS their responsibility to report any concerns they do have to the Welfare Officer.

This can be done verbally or by email and anyone can discuss concerns even if they are unsure as to whether it is worth reporting as the Welfare Officer may have further information or details about the child others are not aware of.

All captains, coaches and volunteers working alongside our junior players will have the appropriate safeguarding training and will be aware of the appropriate sections in SAFEGUARD.

England Hockey’s Safeguarding and Protecting Young People in Hockey Policy  

This provides them with all the information they require if they need to use the reporting procedure.

Further information on good practice and procedures can be found in the document for the Welfare Officer, Parents, Junior Organiser, Umpire and Official, Chair and Committee, Adults on Teams with Young Players and Young People.

Mental Health and Well-Being Support

Your mental health is as important as your physical health and the club fosters a positive culture of engagement and support for all its members. Make room to be well, give yourself space.  Mindfulness aims to help you:

  • become more self-aware
  • feel calmer and less stressed
  • feel more able to choose how to respond to your thoughts and feelings
  • cope with difficult or unhelpful thoughts
  • be kinder towards yourself

The following links provide members with further information on Well-Being

The following video’s may help with managing behaviour :

Bishop’s Stortford Child & Adolescent Mental Health Services is  Tel: 01279 464 800

Our Welfare Team

  • Welfare Officer | Zoe Barford [email protected] (07925286405)
  • Welfare Support | Catherine Brown
  • DBS Verifier | Catherine Brown, Zoe Barford

See also our Club Policies

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