Safeguarding Children & Young People

Frequently Asked Questions

General

What should I do if I have a concern about the well-being of a child or young person?

Speak with the child or young person and their parents. Often concerns can be easily resolved at this level. If you do not have the skills or confidence, then please contact your Welfare Officer or the Safeguarding Team who will be able to support you.

What should I do if I am worried about the safety of a child or young person?

Contact the Local Authority Social Care services or the Police. Dial 999 in an emergency. If you contact Social Care or the police and the matter is relating to a tennis person, you must report this to the  LTA Safeguarding Team.

Please see our policy: Safeguarding Children and Young People for more information.

Travelling and Staying Away

How many adults do I need to supervise a group of children?

• 1:8 for children 10 and under
• 1:10 for children aged 11 and over

These ratios are provided as a guideline and you should always consider what you will do in an emergency along with the individual needs of each player.  You are advised to match the gender of the adults to the genders of the group of players. 

How many adults do I need to supervise a group of children overnight?

It is advised that you have two adults/supervisors on overnight trips. You should always consider what you would do in an emergency. As stated previously, you are advised to match the gender of the adults to the gender of the players. The number of staff and their differing responsibilities will be determined by the profile of the trip. Consideration should always be given to individual requirements of each player.

What else do I need to consider when planning a day trip or overnight trip?

Below is a list to get you thinking, however this is not exhaustive:

• Adult / supervisor ratios to number of children
• Whether you have travelled with these children before
• The needs of the players: are there any disabled children, is this the first time a player has been away from home, medical or dietary needs, religious needs, behavioural needs and strategies to support.
• Completion of the Emergency Contact Form

Please see our guidance: Unsupervised Children and Travelling, Supervising and Overnight Trips for more information.

What age can children be left unsupervised at a tennis venue?

This will vary for each child and each tennis venue. As a guide, the NSPCC recommend that within a home setting, children under the age of 13 should not be left alone as they may not be mature enough to deal with an emergency. It is important that parents feel confident that their child is mature enough to be left alone at a tennis venue and can deal with emergencies should they arise. Tennis venues may vary as to what age they allow children to attend unsupervised.

Please see our guidance: Unsupervised Children for more information.

Deaf and Disabled Children

Is there any additional support available to welcome deaf or disabled children to our tennis venue?

Yes – the Tennis Foundation has a number of specialist programmes for children who are deaf, disabled, or have down syndrome. It is always best to ask a parent what additional support their child may need within tennis.

Please refer to the guidance: Working with Disabled Children for more information.