The following guidelines have been produced to support and protect all those involved in working with Junior Archers.

They will continue to be reviewed and amended as required.

Whilst these guidelines have been written with Junior Clubs in mind, they may be applied at any Club with a Junior membership.

Graham Potts

Chairman, National Junior Committee

May 2000

• Preferably no fewer than two (2) adults must form the General Management of the Club, one of which must be a GNAS member.

• If Junior Clubs accept children under the age of eight (8), the club should not accept responsibility for the ‘care’ of those children. A parent or guardian must remain with those children at all times. Where a parent brings children under the age of eight (8), other than their own children, they must be made aware that they have to remain to care for those children.

• The names and addresses of the Adults must be lodged with the County Association, and copies available to GNAS or valid authority on request. The Club officials must notify the County Association of any changes to the senior management of the club.

• The names, addresses and telephone contact numbers of all Junior members of the Club must be available at the club ground when the club are meeting.

• The normal shooting (meeting) times of the Junior Club must be made available to the County Association. This does not preclude the club from arranging extra sessions as required.

• At all times when the Juniors are shooting, they must be supervised by a minimum of TWO adults, (one of whom must be a GNAS member). If two (2) GNAS members are not available, then a parent/legal guardian must attend, and either they or the other adult must be a GNAS member. i.e. At no time should one adult take charge of a group of Juniors or a single Junior (except parent/legal guardian – child relationship, where GNAS rules of shooting apply).

• The senior members should make themselves aware of the arrangements that are in place for the arrival and departure of all Junior members. This would include ensuring that the adults responsible for a session are always present well ahead of the time a session is due to commence, so that the children are not left unattended. It also includes ensuring that adults are aware of who will be collecting children and ensuring that the adult members do not depart until the last child has been collected. There may not be specific arrangements for some older children, with them arriving and departing alone, but adults should still be aware of this fact.

• All information relating to the organisation, coaching and normal shooting times of the club should be made available to all parents/legal guardians as per the attached pro-forma. The parents/legal guardians should acknowledge receipt by signing and returning to the club administrator both parts of the pro-forma, and both parents/legal guardian and the club should retain a copy of both parts of the pro-forma.

• A parent or Legal Guardian may teach or coach their own child, on their own, as the GNAS Rule of Shooting permit.

• At all times when the Juniors are shooting, they must be supervised by a minimum of TWO adults, (one of whom must be a GNAS member). If two (2) GNAS members are not available, then a parent/legal guardian must attend, and either they or the other adult must be a GNAS member. i.e. At no time should one adult take charge of a group of Juniors or a single Junior (except parent/legal guardian – child relationship, where GNAS rules of shooting apply).

• Parents/Legal Guardians of Junior archers must be made aware that minor physical contact may be necessary as part of coaching. On each occasion when physical contact is required, the Junior must give their verbal consent.

• These guidelines are in addition to any guidance or instruction issued by the GNAS Coaching Committee.

Remember, the well being of children left in your charge is your responsibility.

• Tournament Organisers should not accept responsibility for the care of children. If a parent asks if they may leave their child, you should make it clear that you cannot accept that responsibility. If a parent goes off and leaves their child unaccompanied, without informing you, then that parent is still liable for the care of their child.

• Where older children arrive at a tournament unaccompanied by a parent or legal guardian, without previous agreement from the tournament organiser, the parent is still responsible for the care of that child.

• Neither of the above points will absolve a tournament organiser, or their club or association, from their general liabilities for the health and safety of all competitors, spectators, and workers irrespective of age.

There are two scenarios involved:

1. Where the coach is a GNAS qualified Coach and a member of the school staff.
2. Where the coach is a GNAS qualified Coach but is not a member of the school staff.

Scenario 1

In this situation the Coach is either a teacher or a member of the ancillary staff. In the first case then the usual rules apply as laid down within the school, in the second the ancillary staff becomes an "authorised person" and the same rules as for teachers apply.

Scenario 2

In this situation the Coach should ask that the school recognise him/her as an "authorised person" in which case they work under the same rules as a teacher.

In all cases working with single children is not advised unless you are a teacher simply to avoid difficult situations that can arise if a child decides to make a complaint against you.

This can happen to teachers as well!

Always ensure that the school has a record of when you are on the school site and that you are insured.

If in doubt as to your situation in a school SEEK ADVICE. Contact either Mark Davis (AAS Chairman) or GNAS.

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• Parents/Legal Guardians remain with their child until the session commences. In the event of insufficient supervisory personnel, the session will be cancelled.

• It is the Parents/Legal Guardians responsibility to collect their child at the time requested.

• It is the Parents/Legal Guardians responsibility to inform the club of any medical conditions which might affect their child during archery sessions.

• I/We acknowledge and understand that minor physical contact may be necessary as part of coaching.

• I/We acknowledge that if my child enters any Archery Tournament, that I/We remain responsible for their care.

I, the Parent/Legal Guardian of _____________________________ agree to the above conditions in which I leave my child for the duration of the archery sessions.

The normal plans for arrival / departure of my child will be

Signed: _______________________________________________(Parent/Legal Guardian)

I have read and understand the details of Part 1 of the agreement between the Archery Club and myself regarding my child.

Please provide an additional telephone contact number e.g. in the rare event of the session ending prematurely or if the child needs picking up early due to illness.