Anti Bullying Policy Approved 26 Aug 2019

This policy sets out how Tennis Scotland feels about bullying, how it will be tackled and how children and young people who experience or display bullying behaviour are supported. It also offers guidance in the section “Good Practice for Venues” (taken from LTA What’s the Score Toolkit) on how clubs and venues can approach this subject.

Bullying

Bullying is both behaviour and impact; what someone does and the impact it has on the other person’s capacity to feel in control of themselves. This is referred to as their sense of ‘agency’. Bullying takes place in the context of relationships. It is behaviour that can make people feel hurt, threatened, frightened and left out and it can happen face to face and online (respectme 2015). Bullying behaviour can harm people physically or emotionally and, although the actual behaviour might not be repeated, the threat that it might can be sustained over time, typically by actions: looks, messages, confrontations, physical interventions, or the fear of these.

This behaviour can include:

Being called names, teased, put down or threatened face to face and/or online 

Being hit, tripped, pushed or kicked 

Having belongings taken or damaged 

Being ignored, left out or having rumours spread about you (face to face and/or online) 

Sending abusive messages, pictures or images on social media, online gaming platforms or phone 

Behaviour which makes people feel like they are not in control of themselves or their lives 

Being targeted because of who you are or who you are perceived to be (face to face and/or online) It’s every child’s right not to be bullied. Children’s rights are unique in that many of them, although designed for the safety and protection of children, have to be provided for by adults and the government. Although children and young people are covered under the Human Rights Act 1998, their rights are more clearly specified under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC).

The full poiicy can be found here  

Useful leaflet for children at https://respectme.org.uk/ - also available in clubhouse during camps and coaching sessions