Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy

Coxleigh Barton has considered its responsibilities to the children participating in riding activities at our premises very carefully, and therefore has produced the following child protection policy and accompanying procedures to set out the standards we wish to uphold in running activities for children and in safeguarding the welfare of young people in our care.

  1. Policy Statement

Coxleigh Barton acknowledges its duty of care to safeguard the welfare of all children (defined as those under 18) involved in activities at Coxleigh Barton.  All children have a right to protection, and have their particular needs taken into account.  Coxleigh Barton will therefore endeavor to ensure the safety and protection of all children on site involved with activities.  It is the responsibility of all adults within Coxleigh Barton to assist in achieving this aim. Coxleigh Barton fully adopts the BHS Safeguarding Children Policy and the BHS Safeguarding Adults policy attached.

  1. Policy Aims
  • To provide children with the appropriate safety and protection whilst in the care of Coxleigh Barton and also enjoy their experience of the sport.
  • To reassure parents that their children will receive the best care possible whilst participating in activities.
  • To provide support to staff and volunteers to make informed and confident responses to specific protection issues and to fulfil their role effectively.
  1. Principles
  • The welfare of the children is paramount
  • All children, whatever their age, culture, disability, gender, language, ethnic origin and religious beliefs have the right to protection from abuse.
  • All suspicions and allegations of abuse and poor practice will be taken seriously and responded to swiftly and appropriately
  • All staff and volunteers working in sport have the responsibility to report concerns to the lead child protection officer.
  • Adults – staff, volunteers, coaches will be supported to understand their role and responsibility with regards to the duty of care, and protection of children and young people.
  • Individuals will receive support through education and training, to be aware of and understand best practice and how to manage any welfare or child protection issues that may come to light.
  • Coxleigh Barton will work in partnership with parents to review and implement child protection and welfare procedures.

Coxleigh Barton’s policy and procedures are based on the above principles and UK and international legislation and government guidelines and take the following into consideration:

  • The Children Act 1989
  • The Protection of Children Act 1999
  • The Police Act 1997
  • The Criminal and court Services Act 2000
  • The Human Rights Act 1998
  • The Data Protection Act 1994 & 1998
  1. Responsibilities and Communication

The Coxleigh Barton Child Protection Policy will be available to all members, parents, staff, volunteers and participants.

  • The policy will be reviewed every three years by the management and amended as appropriate.
  • The management and staff at Coxleigh Barton have overall responsibility for ensuring that the policy and procedures are implemented, including taking any appropriate disciplinary action necessary.
  • Parents have a responsibility to work together with Coxleigh Barton in implementing procedures and providing their children with the necessary information to safeguard themselves.
  1. What to do if you have any concerns

If anyone has any concerns or worries about yourself or others, then please speak to someone about it straight away. Do not put this off. There are several ways in which you can do this. The Safeguarding Officer for Coxleigh Barton is Sara Gallagher. If however you feel unable to speak to Sara Gallagher, you could contact Jo Gay or Jon Gay.

Their contact numbers are:

  • Sara     07544 572844
  • Jo         07775 880398
  • Jon       07771850952

If you feel it is more appropriate or you wanted to speak to someone else there are several ways in which you can do this.

  • Devon County Council (M.A.S.H) – 0345 155 1071 – if you have urgent safeguarding concerns over a child.
  • NSPCC helpline 24/7 – 0808 800 5000 – if you are worried about a child/unsure but want to speak to a professional counsellor about the situation.
  • Childline – 0800 1111 – childline free and confidential advice and support whatever your worry, whenever you need help. 18 & under
  • Whistle Blowing Advice Line – 0800 028 0285 – Support for professionals who are worried about children in the work place.
  1. What we will do

We will listen and take seriously any concerns or worries shared.

We will reassure you that you are doing the right thing by telling someone about it and sharing it.

We will record the information you share and report as quickly as possible to the Safeguarding Officer who will decide what further action will need to be taken. Or if the Safeguarding Officer is unavailable, we will share this information to the appropriate external agency and will include a record of the time, date and persons present.

If we have urgent concerns about the safety of a child and are unable to contact the Safeguarding Officer, we will immediately contact the appropriate Children’s Services as listed above or the police. These external agencies will be able to determine an appropriate course of action.

We are committed to reviewing our policy and good practice every 3 years.

This policy was last reviewed on 23rd July 2025