The following has been extracted from the ASA website. The full text can be found at the ASA website:

http://www.britishswimming.org

Child Abuse in Swimming

Swimming plays a major part in the lives of many children and families and for most the experience is a positive one that provides them with many opportunities to have fun, keep fit and even participate at national and international competitions.

However, sadly we know from experience that a small minority of individuals who wish to harm children will access them through our sport. In 2002, the ASA and NSPCC jointly published the report “In at the Deep End”, which analysed child welfare cases that had been referred to the ASA between 1997 and 2001.

The study identified that having a policy and procedure was an essential part of child protection in our sport. All clubs were supplied with a copy of the report and any club member can access it from their club welfare officer. Many types of abuse and poor practice have been observed and reported in the swimming environment. It is often committed by a person well known and trusted to the child in the swimming club. It can also be committed by another young person. Sibling and peer abuse has been recognised as an ongoing aspect of child protection in swimming and should be recognised and addressed. Other concerns have involved the use of racist language and racist taunts which should not be tolerated in clubs, nor should bullying by children or adults.

The ASA will be publishing an anti bullying policy, which all clubs should adopt if they do not already have an acceptable policy on bullying. All adults involved in swimming have a responsibility to report concerns of a child abuse nature appropriately and to act in a manner at all times that keeps children safe from harm.