Role of the CSC Welfare Team
CSC is a Swim 21 club and the welfare team is essential in providing a first point of contact for children, parents and adults within the club who have a child safeguarding or welfare concern. We have a child-centred approach and ensure that CSC polices and procedures are effectively implemented.
Our Club Welfare Officers are:
email : [email protected]
Sarah Valovin (Lead Welfare Officer)
I am delighted to support CSC as part of the Welfare Team. My two teenage daughters both enjoyed swimming with the HP squad. My background is within Primary Education and I teach part time at a school in Tilgate, Crawley. I love the countryside, Zumba, cooking and being busy. As a Welfare Team our priority is to help make sure that all the CSC Club swimmers enjoy their sport in a safe, secure and supportive environment.
Emma Best
email : [email protected]
Emma joined the club in May 2022 when her son began swimming with the Academy Squad. Since then she has dusted off her goggles and joined the Masters in March 2023. When away from the pool, Emma enjoys reading, walking her Labrador, Crumble, on the Ashdown Forest and spending time with her friends and family.
Stuart Young
email: [email protected]
I am a serving police officer of over 26 years experience, currently working with the local community. As a youth I swam competitively and played league water polo in Northumberland. I have been an active parent in assisting at events for the last 5 years; with a daughter that has progressed through the squads. I am happy to be approached by parents and swimmers alike and will do my utmost to assist where I can.
Megan Underhill
email: [email protected]
My name is Megan and I am the parent of a child in the Regional Development Junior Squad. We joined Crawley Swimming Club last year after moving back to the UK from living in Singapore for several years. My background is in teaching, and I have been Head of Year in secondary schools in the UK and in Singapore with responsibility for pastoral care, safeguarding and pupil welfare. In my spare time I am a keen musician, singing in a choir, playing the piano at weddings and other events, and writing pieces for established choirs and instrumental groups. I am looking forward to joining Crawley's welfare team and supporting the club members and their families.
Click here for Welfare Team Infomation Sheet
Crawley Swimming Club is particularly keen to safeguard members who are vulnerable. With this in mind, our welfare team, teachers and coaches, team managers and support staff (working with children) have completed the course ‘Safeguarding and Protecting Children in Sport’.
In addition our Club's Welfare Officers have completed the 'Time to Listen' course run by Swim England in consultation with the NSPCC.However, we do not claim to be experts, we are very aware that many issues, especially those involving Child Protection, can be exceedingly intricate and potentially life threatening.
We fully acknowledge that we will not have the knowledge or skills to be able to deal with every eventuality, therefore, we are very pleased to be able to call on the professional support that Swim England has made available.
We will continue to make good use of such support as and when the need arises. CSC Welfare Team follow the Swim England Wavepower Child safeguarding policy and procedures for swimming clubs.
The aim of Wavepower is to safeguard all children in line with current legislaton, regulations and guidance. Wavepower is Swim England's comprehensive child safeguarding policy document and sets the standards for aquatic sports.
As a club we also follow the safeguarding, welfare and culture plan called The Heart of Aquatics. This plan will create a better future for everyone and focuses on three key pillars of work in 2023 - listen, support and resource.
As a club, we all have an important part to play in maintaining the health, safety and wellbeing of ourselves and fellow members and should report any concerns to the Welfare team.
With a view to making this process easier for everyone, we have created a CSC Welfare Referral Form. This document can be completed online or alternatively printed and scanned / photographed and emailed to us at [email protected] where upon receipt we will deal with any concerns swiftly and in the strictest confidence. The Welfare Team will seek help and advice from outside the club where necessary.
Please be vigilant and use the form if you have any concerns for the welfare of a child. It could make a real difference.
Thank you so much
Sarah, Emma, Stuart and Megan
