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Whats the form for getting youngsters (12-14 year olds) involved in club shooting activities?

Is it essential to have a parent or guardian attend with them at all times?

What are other clubs doing about the child protection concerns?

Is there a standard practice/good practice out there in club committee land?

Any help much appreciated.

We have a number of young members / probationers our policy is that they must be accompanied at all times by their parent / guardian.

No under 14s at our club. Not sure why.

We are just about to consider appointing a Child Protection Officer as this ticks a box with the Local Authority. Draft Child Protection Policy document is 30 pages long!

Political correctness gone wrong IMHO.

We allow them with Parent/guardian must be supervised 100% of the time.

majordisorder wrote:We have a number of young members / probationers our policy is that they must be accompanied at all times by their parent / guardian.

Major D - thanks. I suspect that quite a few clubs go down ths route because it simplifies the situation.

I am hoping it is feasible that young people can attend without their parents, after all many other sports clubs manage it without problems ( err mostly ). I regularly drop my kids off at Karate/Ballet/Football/Street Dance/Swim Club and no one has ever said I have to stay too. Karate and Football are way more physically dangerous than shooting.

Do shooting clubs need to be different? Or are we just being over - sensitive do you think?

Mike357 wrote:No under 14s at our club. Not sure why.

We are just about to consider appointing a Child Protection Officer as this ticks a box with the Local Authority. Draft Child Protection Policy document is 30 pages long!

Political correctness gone wrong IMHO.

Suspect you are right about the 'political correctness'.

If you are affiliated to the NSRA your club will need a Child protection policy and a Child Protection Officer to make their insurance valid. The NSRA can give give guidance on this. Child protection also features in the NRA as well.
The Child Protection officer needs a CRB check for the range as well.

Andy632 wrote:We allow them with Parent/guardian must be supervised 100% of the time.

Can I ask if thats a policy intended to protect the club from an 'unfortunate incident'?
is it an insurance stipluation maybe ?

Guess it can be a good thing if it encourages the Mums & Dads to join in too. Just seems to me that its also stopping youngsters from trying our sport. I know I don't have time to accompany mine ( ages 6,10 and 12) to everything they want to do. I am guessing most busy parents are in the same boat.

Andy632 wrote:We allow them with Parent/guardian must be supervised 100% of the time.

Thats how one of the clubs i'm in do it,the other is considering a child protection officer so i've just seen.There'll be plenty hands up for that job.

dodgyrog wrote:If you are affiliated to the NSRA your club will need a Child protection policy and a Child Protection Officer to make their insurance valid. The NSRA can give give guidance on this. Child protection also features in the NRA as well.

Hmm thanks Dodgy Rog thats interesting and useful.

Club is definately affiliated to NRSA - so we must have one ( a Child Protection Officer) I guess.
I bet the CPO has to be present whenever juniors are unaccompanied by a parent.
Which would explain why clubs behave as they do - they can't be sure the CPO will turn out every time.

I'll visit the NRSA website see what I can find.