Participant Code of Conduct

Participants, disruptive or unacceptable behaviour procedure information for parents/guardians

This procedure aligns with the Active Stirling’s Child and Vulnerable Adult Protection Policy. It concerns the behaviour of participants in our sports programmes and sets out our expectations for participant behaviours and how we will address disruptive or unacceptable behaviours.

Throughout our activities, we aim to provide a safe, challenging, and fun experience for each participant. Our staff, coaches and volunteers will treat all participants fairly and will abide by our code of conduct.

Staff, coaches and volunteers can reasonably expect good behaviour from all participants. When behaviours from participants become disruptive or unacceptable, staff will be firm, fair and clear with individuals exhibiting these behaviours. Behaviours considered to be disruptive are:

  • Ignoring or refusing to follow instruction and requests made by staff, coaches and volunteers delivering the activities and surrounding care.
  • Swearing or foul language.
  • Shouting at others in an aggressive or uncontrollable way.
  • Interrupting another participants engagement in or enjoyment of activity, verbally or physically.
  • Mistreating facilities or equipment

If staff or coaches need to address disruptive behaviour they will speak to the individual(s) concerned, explain how their behaviour is disrupting the session and ask them to correct their behaviour. If the disruptive behaviour continues during the session the individual(s) will be given a time out from the activity, determined by the activity lead.

If the disruptive behaviour repeats after a time out in the session, or, in the opinion of the coach, has become unacceptable, the behaviour will be treated as unacceptable behaviour as below. At this point staff will record the action in an Active Stirling incident report form for managing health and safety.

Behaviours considered to be unacceptable are:

  • Repeated disruptive behaviour.
  • Verbal - including swearing, homophobic, transphobic, sectarian, racist, sexist remarks or name calling directed at staff, coaches, volunteers or other participants.
  • Physical - including spitting, biting, hitting, punching, pinching, scratching, kicking and pushing directed at staff, coaches, volunteers or other participants.
  • Bullying defined as “The repetitive, intentional hurting of one person or group by another person or group, where the relationship involves an imbalance of power. Bullying can be physical, verbal or psychological. It can happen face-to-face or online” and detailed in the Anti-Bullying Alliance website, anti-bullyingalliance.org.uk/tools-information/all-about-bullying/understanding-bullying/definition

In the event that staff or coaches need to address unacceptable behaviour the participants will be removed from the remainder of the session and the parents/guardians contacted to attend and collect their child.

Unless there are exceptional circumstances, the participant(s) will be excluded from any of our sports programmes. If, on returning to any of our sports programmes, the participant engages in any further disruptive or unacceptable behaviour they will be removed from the remainder of the session and the parents/guardians contacted to attend and collect their child.

The situation will be explained to the parents/guardians and recorded in Active Stirling incident report. The participant(s) will be excluded from all further activity sessions in our Sports Programmes. In exceptional circumstances, the activity leader in consultation with the Active Stirling Management Team, may agree to the exclusion of an individual or a group of individuals from future Active Stirling Sports Programmes. Such instances may include persistent unacceptable behaviours, physical assault, vandalism or safeguarding related matters. In these cases, the Active Stirling Management team will write to the parents/guardians of the individual(s) concerned to inform them of the decision.

As per the Child and Vulnerable Adult Protection Policy, if at any time staff coaches or volunteers have a safeguarding concern, the safeguarding protocols will supersede this policy, and processes described above, and the relevant Designated Safeguarding Officer contacted.

Active Stirling Sports Programmes Code of Conduct

This is our code of conduct for young people taking part in Active Stirling Sports Programme activity provision.

Code Of Conduct

We want every child to have fun, feel safe, and enjoy playing sports with us. Follow these simple rules to help everyone have a great time!

Be Kind and Respectful

  • Be nice to everyone – participants, coaches, and staff.
  • Cheer on your teammates and help each other.
  • Treat everyone fairly, no matter their abilities or differences.

Good Behaviour

  • Listen to your coaches and follow instructions.
  • Use kind words – no swearing or name-calling.
  • Keep your hands and feet to yourself – no pushing, hitting, or rough play.
  • Stay where you are supposed to be – don’t wander off.
  • Look after the equipment and the place you are playing in.

Stay Safe

  • Follow the rules to keep yourself and others safe.
  • Tell a coach if you feel upset or see someone else who needs help.

What Happens If You Break the Rules?

If a child does not follow the rules:

  1. They will get a reminder to follow the rules.
  2. If they keep breaking the rules, they may have a time-out.
  3. If the behaviour doesn’t stop, we will call their parents or carers to come and pick them up.
  4. If the behaviour is very bad or keeps happening, they might not be allowed to come back.

By following these rules, we can all have fun, stay safe, and enjoy playing sports together!

The essentials

  • Keep yourself safe by listening to staff, your coach or leader, behaving responsibly and speak out when something isn't right.
  • When you're with us, stay in the places where you're supposed to, don't wander off or leave without being signed out by your parent or guardian.
  • Take care of our equipment and premises as if they were your own.
  • Do not swear or use foul or abusive language.
  • Help make our activity sessions a welcoming and friendly place to be.
  • Respect our staff, coaches and volunteers.
  • Treat other young people with respect. Support and encourage them and appreciate that everyone has different levels of skill and talent.
  • Respect and celebrate the differences in our club or activity and not discriminate against anyone else on the grounds of gender, race, sexual orientation or ability.
  • Report any incidents of bullying, including homophobia and transphobia to a member of staff, even if you're just a witness.