Safeguarding in tennis

What should I do if I have a concern about a child, young person or adult at risk?

Any concerns about a child, young person or adult at risk should be raised with your club's welfare officer or the Safe and Inclusive Tennis team as soon as possible. If you are unable to contact either of them, the NSPCC have a 24/7 helpline - 0808 800 5000. 

It is best practice to gain consent before you share information, however you can still share information to help keep them safe.

You should, where possible, gain parental consent to share information unless it puts the child, yourself or another person at risk of harm.  If an adult at risk does not give consent, you can share the information if you reasonably believe they are at risk of harm to themselves or others, or someone has committed or is likely to commit a criminal offence.

Concerns about radicalisation

If you have a concern that someone is being drawn into or supporting terrorism, you should contact Mathew Lea by calling 0208 487 7000 or by emailing safeandinclusive@LTA.org.uk

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

Download our Coach/Player ratio recommendations guide for information on supervising children in a coaching session.

What happens if a child needs to go to the toilet during a coaching (or other club) session?

Venues and park sites should ensure that children are supervised during coaching and other club sessions.  Situations where a child has to leave a session, for example, to use the toilet, should also be supervised.  Venues should plan for such situations in their risk assessment and we recommend that you create guidance/policy on how to manage child supervision whilst responsible for them. This will ensure that all coaches, staff and volunteers are aware of their responsibilities, and do not allow children to go to the toilet or leave a session on their own.  Coaches, staff and volunteers should not go into the toilet with children. 

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

• 2:8 for children 10 and under
• 2:10 for children aged 11 and over

You may decide to have a greater adult-to-child ratio dependent on the needs of the children or identified risks. At least one of the supervising adults must be the same gender as the children.

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

You should have two adults/supervisors and at least one must be the same gender as the children. The exact number of staff and their differing responsibilities will be determined by the profile of the trip and number of children.         

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

We recommend that children under the age of 13 are supervised by their parent/carer whilst at a tennis venue and outside of any venue sessions, such as coaching lessons or tennis camps.

Tennis venues can, at their discretion, opt for a different age but should conduct a thorough risk assessment of the venue, including access to its facilities, the location and security measures to help inform the decision. 

Who is responsible for transporting children to and from a venue?

Coaches and other venue staff/volunteers are not responsible for transporting children to and from the venue, unless as part of a venue organised trip (see below).

It is reasonable for venues and coaches to place responsibility on parents for ensuring appropriate transport arrangements are made for their children. 

Parents may choose to make private arrangements with another adult (such as a family friend) to transport their child, however, should let the venue know.

What happens in situations when a venue needs to transport children?

In situations where a venue is arranging transport for children (for example, to an away match) the venue must ensure the following:

• Parents are informed of the destination, reason for the journey and who the driver will be
• Parents return to the venue a completed Consent and Emergency Contact Form and the driver should have a copy of this with them on the journey in case of emergencies
• There are two adults in the car
• Children are seated in the back of the vehicle at all times
• If the children are a mixture of female and male, where possible the two adults should also be male and female
• There is an established procedure in the event of a breakdown/emergency.
• The driver has a valid UK driving licence, satisfactory DBS check, correct insurance, MOT certificate and complies with laws on the use of seatbelts and restraints
• If transporting children in a mini-bus or bus, the driver must also have the correct type of licence (more info here)

The Child Protection in Sport Unit (CPSU) also has further guidance on this topic in their Safe Sports Events toolkit which you can access on the CPSU website.

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

Yes – we have 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.

Positive mental health is a state of well-being, when you are able to think, feel and react in the ways that enable you to engage in the work and activities that you enjoy, whilst being able to cope with the normal stresses of life.

All of us experience ups and downs in our mental health at some point in our lives, but if you experience a period of particularly poor mental health, you might find that the way you are thinking, feeling or reacting becomes inceasingly difficult to cope with. 

For further information and advice on mental health, please download our Mental health and well-being guide which covers tips on self-care techniques and how to seek support.

• British Tennis Safeguarding Policy (children and adults)
• British Tennis Diversity and Inclusion Policy
• Transgender Inclusion Policy
• Recruitment and Rehabilitation of Offenders Policy 

• Template Venue Safeguarding policy (children and adults)
• Template County Association Safeguarding Policy (children and adults)
• Template Diversity and Inclusion policy

• Consent and Emergency Contact form
• Lost Child form
• Reference Request form
• Risk Register form
• Self-declaration form
• Volunteer declaration form

These flowcharts set out the process to follow to report a concern

• Reporting a concern from within tennis
• Reporting a concern from outside tennis

• Event, Activities and Competition Guidance

• Welfare Officer poster - editable

• Team Tennis Guidance
• Disabled Access Guidelines

The Welfare Officer plays a key role in safeguarding in venues.  This role description sets out what the Welfare Officer is responsible for doing in their venue. 

Welfare Officer Role Description

LTA work closely with the Outdoor Kids Sun Safety Code to understand the potential harmful effects of the sun and how to protect children against these effects. 

There are five key rules which can help protect against sunburn:

1. Prepare - ensure that everyone arrives ready for a day in the sun 
2. Protect - wear clothing, hats/sunglasses and suncreeen (SPF 30+) 
3. Shade - avoid direct sunlight during lunch or whilst spectating others
4. Hydrate - ensure water is always available 
5. Lead by example - inspire children with actions from responsible adults

For further information including free resources, visit the Outdoor Kids Sun Safety Code website.