Safeguarding

What to do if you have a safeguarding concern?

 IGA Safeguarding Reporting Form 

One of the key functions of the Safeguarding Team is to promote safe and fair gymnastics for all. The Safeguarding Team promotes and engages in a number of initiatives, including with partners such as the CPSU (the NSPCC’s Child Protection in Sport Unit). These initiatives include Anti-Bullying, Parents in Sport Week, and other opportunities. 

The IGA Safeguarding and Protecting Policy provides a framework for all those involved in gymnastics to meet their duty of care towards young people and are mandatory for all IGA members. 

When you are taking part in gymnastics, we want you to have fun, learn great skills, and be the best gymnast you can be. At the same time, we need to make sure you feel safe. Here’s some tips to help you understand how to be safe and who can help you... 

All clubs and gymnastics activity providers have a responsibility for the safety and welfare of gymnasts, coaches, volunteers, officials, visitors, and others. This responsibility applies to all IGA registered clubs, regardless of their size or structure. There is a legal responsibility to ensure that participants are protected from harm whilst taking part in gymnastics. This is legally termed as the ‘duty of care’ and is particularly significant when dealing with children. 

As part of our commitment to maintaining a safe and fair sport, the IGA works with our club, coaches to ensure the safe participation of all those enjoying the sport by ensuring that Health and Safety concerns are managed appropriately, and the appropriate rules and laws are followed within our gymnastics spaces. 

We believe our sport should be open and accessible to anyone who wants to be involved, whether as a gymnast, a coach, an official, a volunteer, or a fan. 

IGA regards the health, safety, and welfare of all members to be of paramount importance, which should not be compromised. To this end, it is IGA policy to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that procedures are in place to maintain a safe and healthy environment not only for its members but also for other people who may be affected by the activities of IGA and/or affiliated clubs and organisations. 

There are expectations of all members, which are included in the Membership Rules and Articles of the Association. As well as this, we have produced two specific Standards of Conduct documents which detail the expectations on clubs and those working within the sport in any capacity. Behaviours outside of these standards may cause disciplinary action to be taken against those responsible.

 IGA-Portal-Code-of-Conduct-V1.1-April-2021.pdf