Codes of Conduct
One of the basic set of policies for all Portmarnock Swim Team members, parents, and carers are our Codes of Conduct.
Codes of conduct stipulate the standard of behaviour that is expected for all the individuals involved in any sport. Breaches of any of the Portmarnock Swim Team Codes of Conduct will be dealt with through our Complaints and Disciplinary process, with the emphasis on resolution through the informal route.
The relevant Codes of Conduct should be signed annually by our swimmers, their parents, all committee members, leaders, all coaches and teachers. Once returned to the Club Secretary, they will be kept on record. View the Portmarnock Swim Team Codes of Conduct here.
Drop Off and Collection
- Swimmers are required to be on poolside (5 – 10 minutes) prior to start of their session.
- Children under 18 will remain the responsibility of their parent/ guardian until the start of the pool session.
- Parents/ guardians should not drop off children without ensuring there is a parent on duty and coach on duty to conduct the session.
- Parents/ guardians should ensure their child can change themselves or remain with child if they require assistance.
- Parents/ guardians should arrive promptly at the end of each swim session to collect children as the club cannot be responsible for athletes once the session has finished and have left poolside.
Person on Duty (POD) Roster
Why is it needed?
- When children are in the pool, Swim Ireland requires an adult to be present at every session to be an extra set of eyes.
- The Club sends out a roster by email each term, and posts it to relevant WhatsApp groups. The POD Roster allocates swim sessions to parents.
- The Parent on Duty cover is mandatory for insurance purposes and compliance with child safeguarding policies. In the event of an accident, if there is no parent on duty our insurance would be invalid.
- The Coach is obliged to cancel a training session if no parent is present.
What do you need to do?
The duties of the Parent on Duty include:
- Assisting the coaches with ropes at start and end of shift; and
- Recording any accidents/disciplinary issues.
There are two books that you must sign at ever session:
- The log book for the Person on Duty; and
- The incident book for the Person on Duty.
See the sections below for further details.
What to do if you’re not available?
- If a parent cannot attend, then another family member or friend aged over 18 must attend in their place.
- Alternately, you can swap sessions with other parents, but you must ensure the session is covered.
- If the times allocated to your family do not suit and you need to swap, please make it known to others in your relevant WhatsApp group or contact the Club Secretary.
The Roster for the Person on Duty
- The roster is organised in advanced and communicated to all involved via email and WhatsApp.
Contact details for all individuals on the roster are made available to all coaching/teaching staff involved in swim sessions, so that the contact details can be available as needed – while ensuring that confidentiality is maintained. - The Person on Duty must be over eighteen, and may be an older member of the club, i.e., it does not need to be a parent. However, an athlete may not be the Person on Duty for their own session or squad.
- The coach/teacher must be able to rely on the Person on Duty being present, as some sessions take place at more vulnerable times, e.g., early in the morning.
- The Person on Duty should have a full view and hearing of the pool area, and should not be achieved by sitting up in a stand or behind protective screens or glass.
- The Person on Duty should not interfere with the safe coaching or teaching of the session. However, if a young person is in imminent danger the issue must be dealt with immediately.
- Concerns should be brought to the coach or teacher in charge of the session or the Club Children’s Officer following a session. See contact details here.
- The Person on Duty is required to remain until all the young people have been collected.
- Any parent persistently arriving late or being delayed picking up their child/children should be reported to the coach/leader or the committee. This is a breach of the Code of Conduct and should be dealt with accordingly.
Role of the Person on Duty
The person scheduled to be on duty must:
- Find an alternative in the event they are not able to attend. This is the responsibility of the person scheduled to be on duty.
- Turn up at a reasonable time before the session starts and remain with any teaching/coaching staff until all the young people are collected.
- Be in full view of the pool.
- Ensure an attendance record for the session is kept, and sign the record. The record of attendance will be kept with the coach and will also be signed by the coach.
- Be aware of children leaving and returning to pool, e.g., a child should return to the pool after visiting the toilet.
- Allow the coach/teacher freedom to get on with the session.
- Ensure that when coaches or teachers provide feedback to individuals on one to one basis, that this is done in open view.
- Take note of any problems that occur, referring any issues directly to the coach or teacher in charge of the session or, if not possible, to the Club Children’s Officer or Club Secretary. See contact details here.
- Know how or where to access young people’s contact details in cases of illness or emergency, or in the event the session is cancelled.
- In cases of emergency, help the coach/teacher by being an extra adult to supervise children or to assist with a response to the emergency.
No Person on Duty
It is a breach of Swim Ireland rules to not have a Person on Duty for Swim Ireland sessions, either pool or dry land activities.
If a Person on Duty does not turn up, the coach/teacher should take the best courses of action to ensure the safety of the young people and themselves. This may mean cancelling the session unless a replacement is found.
The Person on Duty who did not turn up may be subject to disciplinary action.
Clubs may consider a specific action for the Person on Duty who fails to turn up and this must be agreed by the Portmarnock Swim Team Committee before an issue arises.