Safeguarding Statement

South County Dublin Leisure Services (SCDLS) operates and manages Clondalkin (CLC) and Tallaght (TLC) Leisure Centres on behalf of South Dublin County Council (SDCC).

The company was established in 1997 as a not-for-profit organisation designed to provide the best value and best practice to the South County Dublin area. The company is committed to providing ongoing leisure and fitness programmes that allow us to offer a broad range of activities to suit the needs of the local and broader community of Clondalkin, Tallaght.

SCDLS is fully committed to safeguarding the wellbeing of children and vulnerable adults. Every individual in SCDLS centres should always, show respect and understanding for users’ rights, safety and welfare and conduct themselves in a way that reflects the principles of the organisation.

Risk Assessment

Under the Child First Act 2015 SCDLS have assessed any potential for harm to a child while availing of our services and have in place, a Child Safeguarding Statement, Child Protection Procedures, staff training, and the responsibility of owners, managers, and mandated people to report to Tulsa where reasonable grounds for concern exist.

Procedures

SCDLS Children Safeguarding Statement has been developed in line with requirements under the Child First Act 2015, The Children’s First National Guidelines and Tulsa’s Children Safeguarding a guide for Policy, Procedure and Practice. In addition to procedures listed in our risk assessment, the following procedures support our intention to safeguard children while they are availing of our services.

• Procedure for allegations by a child or vulnerable adult of abuse or misconduct by an employee of SCDLS.
• Procedure for allegations by a child or vulnerable adult of abuse or misconduct by any person other than an employee of SCDLS.
• Procedure for provision of and access to child safeguarding training and information, including identification of the occurrence of harm.
• Procedure for safe selection and recruitment of workers to work with children.
• Procedure for reporting of child protection or welfare concerns to Tulsa.
• List of mandated persons and the selection process.

At SCDLS centres, any person who knows or suspects that a child is being harmed, or is at risk of harm, has a duty to convey this information to SCDLS mandated person (s) (listed below) This information will be dealt with following the guidelines set out in the Children First Act 2015.

SCDLS Mandated Persons

CLC: Centre Manager, Annelie Kavanagh, Manager on duty, Enda McNulty.
TLC: Centre Manager, Stephen Cunningham, Manager on duty, Yvonne Kavanagh

Implementation

We recognise that implementation is an ongoing process. SCDLS is committed to the implementation of this Child Safeguarding Statement and the procedures that support our intentions to keep children safe from harm while availing of our services. This Safeguarding Statement will be reviewed as soon as practicable after there has been a material change in any matter to which this statement refers.