Neath Community Tennis Courts Ltd. is fully committed to safeguarding the welfare of children, young people and adults at risk who engage in all tennis and pickleball activities at the courts.  We are a Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) registered venue, which means we meet the strict safeguarding standards of the LTA and are also registered as a Pickleball venue with Pickleball England (pbE) until an equivalent national governing body for pickleball becomes established in Wales. Both the LTA and pbE have their own safeguarding policies that can be accessed by clicking the relevant links.

Whether you/ your child are engaging in coaching, matches or other organised events, we will strive to keep children, young people and adults at risk safe and free from harm.

Margaret Wluka is our Welfare Officer (Tel. 07905 066976; email magswluka@hotmail.com) and Tina Bowd is our Deputy Welfare Officer (Tel. 07866841646; email tinab01@talktalk.net). Margaret, Tina or any member of the committee (email neathtennis@gmail.com) are available to discuss any concerns or worries you may have.

You can also report a concern directly to:

Neath Port Talbot Adults and Childrens services   –   Single Point of Contact (SPOC) Team   (Tel. 01639 686802; email spoc@npt.gov.uk; Text Relay / Type talk users please use 18001 first followed by 01639 686802)

• The service is currently operating a ‘call back system’ which asks people to leave a message and then a member of the team will get back to you.
• SPOC Team opening hours are 8:30am-5pm Monday to Thursday and 8:30am-4:30pm on a Friday. Outside of these hours (5:30pm-01:30am on weekdays and 09:00-01:30am on Saturdays, Sundays and bank Holidays), the Emergency Duty Team can be contacted on 01639 895455 but cannot help if

              - The situation can wait until the next working day, without risk or harm

              - It is a working day (you will need to contact your local Social Services)

              - It is a medical emergency (you must phone your GP or an ambulance)

• In the most serious emergencies, only a Social Worker is ‘on-call’ every day of the year from 1:30am to 08:30am. Contact can be made via the police who will then contact the social worker.

Mark Vaughan, Regional safeguarding officer for Tennis Wales (Tel 02920 468332; email Mark.Vaughan@tenniswales.org.uk) Their register a concern in tennis form can be found here

Stuart Traylor, Designated safeguarding officer for pickleball England (Tel 07736 150069; email safeguarding@pickleballengland.org) Their register a concern in pickleball form can be found here

A message from Margaret and Tina:

We can often be found on or around the courts enjoying social tennis or looking after our grandchildren and our contact details are displayed on-site and our Safe to play poster gives details of the safetoplaytennis.co.uk website which provides information and videos for coaches, players, parents and venues to help keep young people safe in sport. Anyone wishing to raise a matter of concern can be assured it will be dealt with sensitively, confidentially, discreetly and with honesty of purpose.

We have a number of policies and documents in place, including safeguarding related ones, all of which can be found below:

Our venue’s safeguarding related policies:

NCTC anti-bullying policy updated 18 Feb 2025

NCTC equity, diversity and inclusion policy updated 18 Feb 2025

NCTC online safety and communication policy updated 18 Feb 2025

NCTC park site Welfare Officer poster 18 Feb 2025

NCTC photography and filming policy updated 18 Feb 2025

NCTC safe recruitment policy updated 18 Feb 2025             

NCTC safeguarding policy updated 18 Feb 2025

NCTC safeguarding policy statement updated 18 Feb 2025

NCTC whistleblowing policy updated 18 Feb 2025

LTA safeguarding documents:

LTA coach accreditation poster

LTA Inclusion Strategy

LTA photography and filming policy

LTA reporting a concern flowcharts

LTA safeguarding awareness posters

LTA safeguarding guidance at events, activities and competitions

LTA safeguarding standards

LTA safeguarding children policy

LTA safeguarding adults at risk policy

LTA safe to play poster

LTA safe to play website (website with lots of information and guidance on safeguarding for coaches, parents, players and venues)

LTA staying safe online guidance (click here for printer friendly version)

LTA transgender inclusion policy

Pickleball England safeguarding documents:

Pickleball England Equality policy

Pickleball England Safeguarding adults policy and procedure

Pickleball England Safeguarding and protecting young people

Pickleball England Transgender and non-binary policy

Useful links relating to safeguarding:

Childline (ChildLine help anyone under 19 in the UK with any issue they are going through) Telephone 0800 1111. You can also speak to Childline in Welsh or use the 1-2-1 online chat.  

Information sharing advice for safeguarding practitioners - GOV.UK

Kidscape (a bullying prevention charity) Parent advice line 0300 102 4481; Whats app 07496 682785

National Crime Agency Child Exploitation and Online Protection Command (CEOP) (education team that aim to protect children and young people from online sexual abuse) email ceopeducation@nca.gov.uk Make a report here to one of CEOP’s child protection advisers if you are worried about online sexual abuse or the way someone has been communicating with you online.

Safecall (a confidential, anonymous support service) Tel. 0800 915 1571 or file a report online

The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty for Children (NSPCC) Helpline 0808 800 5000; email help@NSPCC.org.uk

The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty for Children (NSPCC) Keeping children safe online guidance

The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty for Children (NSPCC) Whistleblowing advice Tel 0800 028 0285; email help@NSPCC.org.uk

UK safer internet centre (support and services to children and young people, adults facing online harms and professionals working with children)