The Club has adopted a policy on the use of changing rooms.  This is an important aspect of our safeguarding procedures.

If under any circumstances, it proves difficult to adhere to some of the requirements within this document, it may be decided that it is more practical for players to come to the venue already changed, wearing suitably warm clothing e.g. tracksuits, and go home afterwards to change and shower.

The main requirements are:

• Groups of children will have sole use of changing rooms. This reduces any risks and potential vulnerability associated with mixing adults and children when changing.
• If adults and children need to share our changing rooms, they will do so at different times.
• Under no circumstances will adult coaches or volunteers change at the same time as children using the changing rooms.
• Mixed gender groups of children will have access to separate changing rooms, or use the same changing room but at different times.
• If we are made aware that a child or adult self-identifies as a gender that differs from the gender they were assigned at birth, we will work with them and their parents/carers (where it relates to a child) to make reasonable adjustments to changing arrangements to suit their needs.
• Mobile phones and other electronic devices must not be used in changing rooms.
• For younger groups of children, a volunteer with PVG membership will wait outside the changing rooms to allow children to call for assistance if required.
• Bullying behaviour will not be tolerated or condoned in the changing rooms as with any other part of the Club. The Club would encourage individuals to speak out about bullying behaviour and report incidents of bullying behaviour they see to the Welfare Officer.

For those situations when it is unavoidable that changing rooms are used by both adults and children at the same times, such as when coaching finishes at the same time league matches start, additional guidance is available:

• Between mid-April and the end of October, there is a likelihood of Junior coaching ending at 7pm with Home Senior league matches due to start at 7 pm.
• The Club Coach should use the Tennis West of Scotland website to determine when the above circumstances will arise.
• In such circumstances, from 6.30pm the coach(s) should instruct all those attending Junior coaching to use the Men’s changing rooms on Tuesdays/Thursdays and the Women’s changing rooms on Wednesdays/Fridays
• Should a match be arranged for a Monday during the season, then the Team Captain must make the Club Coach aware of this and agree which changing rooms the young players will use.
• The Club Coach is required to discuss any changes to the days/times of the coaching programme in advance with the Welfare Officer in order that it can be determined if the above procedure needs amendment.
• Outwith this time period, there should be no league matches scheduled but if due to unusual circumstances they are, it is the responsibility of the Team Captain to raise this with the Club Coach in advance.

The full policy from December 2024 can be downloaded here

Any questions please contact our Welfare Officer Julia Dickson safeguarding@busbytennisclub.com