Safeguarding

Safeguarding at Formby Lawn Tennis Club

Formby Lawn Tennis Club is committed to providing a safe, enjoyable and welcoming environment for everyone who plays, coaches, volunteers or visits the club (tennis and padel).

What we mean by safeguarding

Safeguarding is about protecting children, young people and adults at risk from harm, and making sure our club environment is respectful, inclusive and well run.

Our safeguarding documents

Our key policies and procedures are available on our Documents page (under "Our Policies and Procedures"). These include our Safeguarding and Diversity document, Data Protection, Parental Consent and Whistle Blowing.

How we meet the LTA venue safeguarding standards

The LTA sets five minimum safeguarding standards for LTA registered venues. At FLTC, we use these standards as our framework for day-to-day safeguarding.

Policies in place
We keep clear safeguarding and inclusion policies in place and make them available to members and visitors via our Documents page.
Awareness
We make it clear how to raise a concern and where to find our safeguarding information.
Positive safeguarding culture
We have a Club Welfare Officer and support them to work with coaches and the committee to keep safeguarding visible and practical.
Coaches, staff and volunteers
We follow LTA requirements around safer recruitment, appropriate checks and coach accreditation. Our head tennis coach, John Fenton, is an LTA accredited Level 3 coach, and our junior programme is delivered by LTA qualified coaches.
Safe operations and events
Safeguarding is considered when we run activities and events. The Grounds and House lead carries out an annual risk assessment to help identify and manage venue risks.

Reporting a safeguarding concern

If someone is in immediate danger, call the police on 999.

Within the club: Contact our Club Welfare Officer (details are included in our Safeguarding and Diversity document on the Documents page).
Report to the LTA: Use the LTA's secure online form: safeguardingconcern.lta.org.uk (you can report anonymously if you wish).
Out of hours support: You can also contact the NSPCC helpline on 0808 800 5000.

Inclusion and accessibility

We want tennis and padel to be open to all. The clubhouse and courts are accessed via flat paths, and we are happy to help if you need any support when visiting.

Questions or support

If you are unsure whether something is a safeguarding issue, please get in touch. For general club enquiries, email admin@formbyltc.co.uk or call 01704 872906.