Summit Tennis — Safeguarding Policy

Last updated: 9 May 2026 · Version 1.0 · Next review: 9 May 2028

1. Document control

  • Document title: Summit Tennis — Safeguarding Policy

  • Organisation: Summit Tennis (trading name of Tennis Tots Ltd)

  • Version: 1.0

  • Issue date: 9 May 2026

  • Review date: 9 May 2028 (every two years, or sooner after any incident or material change)

  • Approved by: Joey de la Nougerede — Owner / Welfare Officer

  • Applies to: All Summit Tennis coaches, assistants, volunteers, contractors, and any third party engaged in the delivery of Summit Tennis sessions, camps, and events.

2. Statement of intent

Summit Tennis is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of every child, young person, and adult at risk who takes part in any of our coaching sessions, holiday camps, school-based activities, or events. Their welfare is and will always be our paramount concern.

We recognise that all children, regardless of age, disability, gender identity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation, have an equal right to protection from all forms of harm or abuse. Concerns about a child's welfare will be taken seriously, treated confidentially, and acted upon promptly in line with this policy and statutory guidance.

This policy aligns with the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) Safeguarding Standards, the Children Act 1989 and 2004, Working Together to Safeguard Children (HM Government), and the Sussex Safeguarding Children Partnership procedures.

3. Scope and definitions

3.1 Who this policy covers

This policy applies to every person engaged by Summit Tennis in any capacity — employed coach, freelance coach, assistant, volunteer, parent helper, contractor, work placement, and trustee. It also extends to anyone delivering tennis activity on behalf of Summit Tennis at a venue we hire (including but not limited to Places Leisure venues, school sites, and council-owned outdoor courts).

3.2 Definition of a child

A child is anyone who has not yet reached their 18th birthday. The fact that a child has reached 16 years of age, is living independently, is in further education, is a member of the armed forces, is in hospital, or is in custody, does not change his or her status or entitlement to services or protection.

3.3 Definition of an adult at risk

An adult at risk is any person aged 18 or over who has needs for care and support, is experiencing or at risk of abuse or neglect, and as a result of those needs is unable to protect themselves.

3.4 Types of abuse recognised

We recognise the following categories of abuse, in line with statutory definitions: physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, bullying (including cyber-bullying), poor practice, and online abuse. A full glossary of definitions appears in Appendix A.

4. Roles and responsibilities

4.1 Welfare Officer

Summit Tennis has appointed a Welfare Officer who is the first point of contact for any safeguarding concern, allegation, or disclosure. The Welfare Officer is responsible for: receiving reports, recording concerns, signposting to or referring matters to statutory agencies (LADO, police, children's social care), liaising with the LTA Safeguarding Team where required, and ensuring lessons learned are reflected in updated practice.

  • Name: Joey de la Nougerede

  • Email: admin@summit-tennis.com

  • Phone: 07944 105757

  • Address: 6 Park Close, Hurstpierpoint, Hassocks, West Sussex, BN6 9XA

4.2 Welfare Officer qualifications

The Welfare Officer holds the LTA "Safeguarding and Protection in Tennis" qualification, completed via Zoom Classroom on 22 January 2024. The next mandatory renewal of this qualification is due in January 2027, in line with the LTA's three-year refresh cycle. The certificate is held on file and available on request.

4.3 Coaches and assistants

Every coach and assistant working with Summit Tennis is required to: hold (or be working towards) an LTA-recognised coaching qualification, hold a current enhanced DBS certificate appropriate to working with children, complete a safeguarding training module accepted by the LTA at least every three years, and read, sign, and follow this policy and the accompanying Code of Conduct.

4.4 Parents and carers

Parents and carers are partners in safeguarding. We expect them to: provide accurate and current emergency contact and medical information, communicate any concerns directly to the Welfare Officer, and uphold the Code of Conduct as it applies to spectators.

5. Code of conduct

5.1 Coaches and assistants will

  • Treat every child with respect, listen to what they say, and value their contribution.

  • Plan and deliver sessions that are safe, age-appropriate, and inclusive.

  • Maintain coach-to-player ratios at or below the published programme limits (1:8 Tots, 1:10 Titans, 1:12 Troopers).

  • Take registers at the start and end of every session and only release children to a known and authorised adult.

  • Keep all communication with children visible, professional, and via parents wherever practical — never via private messages, personal social media, or in any setting that could compromise a child or the coach.

  • Avoid being alone with a single child where possible. Where a 1:1 situation is unavoidable (for example a private lesson), it must take place in a public setting with parental consent on file and another adult within sight or earshot.

  • Use only first names when addressing children publicly and never share a child's personal details, photographs, or whereabouts with third parties without explicit written parental consent.

  • Refrain from any form of physical contact beyond what is necessary to demonstrate technique safely. Where contact is needed, explain it first, keep it brief, and respect the child's comfort.

  • Refrain from drinking alcohol, smoking, vaping, or using any non-prescribed drugs immediately before or during any session.

  • Refrain from any form of discriminatory, sexual, threatening, or abusive language or behaviour at any time.

  • Report any concern, no matter how small, to the Welfare Officer the same day.

5.2 Children will be encouraged to

  • Treat coaches, opponents, team-mates, and venue staff with respect.

  • Listen to instructions and follow safety rules.

  • Speak up early if anything makes them uncomfortable, whether on or off court.

  • Respect equipment and facilities.

5.3 Parents, carers, and spectators will

  • Support their child positively without pressuring them on performance.

  • Show respect to coaches, opponents, and venue staff.

  • Refrain from filming or photographing children other than their own without prior coach approval.

  • Raise any concerns directly with the coach or Welfare Officer rather than addressing them with another child or another parent.

6. Safer recruitment and DBS

All Summit Tennis coaches and assistants are recruited under safer-recruitment principles. The minimum standards for any role involving regulated activity with children are:

  • A current enhanced DBS certificate, refreshed every three years and re-checked sooner if there is reason to do so. Certificates are sighted and the certificate number recorded; certificates themselves are not retained.

  • Two professional references, at least one of which must speak to working with children where possible.

  • Completion of the LTA-accepted safeguarding training module before working unsupervised.

  • A signed acknowledgement of this policy and the Code of Conduct.

  • A probationary period during which the coach is observed and supported by the Welfare Officer or a senior coach.

7. Recognising and reporting concerns

7.1 What to do if you have a concern

If you see, hear, or are told something that gives you cause for concern about a child's welfare, you must act. Do not wait. Follow the seven-step procedure in Appendix B ("What to do if a disclosure is made to you"). The headline steps are: listen, do not promise confidentiality, record what was said in the person's own words, pass the record to the Welfare Officer the same day, and call 999 if anyone is in immediate danger.

7.2 What the Welfare Officer will do

On receiving a concern, the Welfare Officer will:

  • Log the concern in the safeguarding incident record (held securely, access restricted).

  • Make an initial assessment of urgency and risk.

  • Where there is an immediate risk of significant harm, contact the police on 999 without delay.

  • For non-emergency concerns about a child, contact West Sussex MASH and the LADO within 24 hours, and notify the LTA Safeguarding Team.

  • For concerns involving an adult working in or for Summit Tennis (including any allegation against a coach, assistant, or volunteer), contact the LADO immediately and notify the LTA Safeguarding Team.

  • Cooperate fully with any subsequent statutory investigation, sharing information on a need-to-know basis only.

  • Review the case once concluded and update training, procedure, or this policy as needed.

7.3 Allegations against the Welfare Officer or Owner

Any allegation against Joey de la Nougerede in his role as Welfare Officer or Owner should be made directly to the LTA Safeguarding Team (safeguarding@lta.org.uk / 020 8487 7000) and to the West Sussex LADO (0330 222 6450). Summit Tennis will fully cooperate with any investigation and will not investigate the allegation internally.

8. Photography, video, and social media

Summit Tennis takes its responsibilities around imagery seriously. The following principles apply at every session, camp, and event:

  • Photographs or video featuring children may only be taken by Summit Tennis staff with prior written parental consent (recorded on the registration form). Consent can be withdrawn at any time.

  • Children whose parents have not consented will not appear in any Summit Tennis-published photograph, video, or social media post.

  • No image of a child will be published alongside their full name, school, or other identifying detail.

  • Spectators, including parents, may take photographs and video of their own child only. Wider filming of a session requires prior coach approval.

  • Coaches will not connect with parents or children on personal social media accounts. Communication runs via the Summit Tennis admin email or business phone only.

  • All Summit Tennis-controlled imagery is stored on access-restricted cloud storage and reviewed annually; outdated or inappropriate images are removed.

9. Communication and 1:1 contact

All routine communication with parents and players runs through the Summit Tennis admin email (admin@summit-tennis.com) or the business phone (07944 105757). Coaches will not initiate private messaging with children on any platform. Where a private lesson or 1:1 session is being delivered:

  • Written parental consent must be on file before the first session.

  • The session must take place in a public, visible setting (a public court, a school sports hall during operating hours, etc.) — never in a private home or a closed room.

  • Another adult must be within sight or earshot at all times where reasonably practicable.

  • Session times and locations are recorded in the Summit Tennis booking system; ad-hoc untracked sessions are not permitted.

10. Online safety

Where Summit Tennis delivers online or hybrid coaching content, additional protections apply: any video call is recorded only with explicit parental consent; meeting links are not shared publicly; a parent or carer must be in the room with any child under 13 for the duration of the call; chat functions are disabled where the platform allows; and recordings are retained only as long as needed for the stated purpose, then deleted.

11. Anti-bullying

Summit Tennis does not tolerate bullying of any kind, whether between children, from a child to a coach, from a coach to a child, between adults at our sessions, or via online platforms. Coaches will challenge bullying behaviour the moment it is observed and report it to the Welfare Officer the same day. Persistent bullying may result in a child or adult being excluded from Summit Tennis activities.

12. Whistleblowing

Anyone who has a concern about the conduct of a coach, assistant, volunteer, or anyone else operating in or around Summit Tennis is encouraged to raise it. Concerns can be raised in confidence with the Welfare Officer. Where the concern is about the Welfare Officer or the owner, it should be raised directly with the LTA Safeguarding Team and/or the LADO. Summit Tennis will not victimise or retaliate against anyone who raises a concern in good faith.

13. Equality, diversity, and inclusion

Every child has an equal right to safety and to take part in our sessions. Summit Tennis welcomes children of all backgrounds, abilities, and identities, and will make reasonable adjustments to support participation. Discrimination of any kind is incompatible with this policy and will be addressed under the same routes as any other safeguarding concern.

14. Records and confidentiality

Safeguarding records are held securely, retained for the period required by statutory guidance (typically 25 years for cases involving children, or longer where indicated), and accessed on a strict need-to-know basis. They are not shared outside Summit Tennis or the relevant statutory agencies. Personal data is processed in line with the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018.

15. Breaches of this policy and disciplinary action

Failure to comply with this policy and the responsibilities it sets out may result in any of the following, applied proportionately to the breach:

  • Informal warning and additional supervision.

  • Formal written warning recorded on the individual's file.

  • Suspension from coaching duties pending investigation.

  • Termination of any current and future role within Summit Tennis, and notification to the LTA, which may result in restrictions on future roles in tennis nationally.

  • Referral to the police, the LADO, the DBS, and/or any other competent authority where a criminal offence may have been committed or where an individual may pose a risk to children or adults at risk.

Actions by players, parents, carers, staff, contractors, volunteers, officials, and coaches inside or outside the Summit Tennis environment that contradict this policy may be considered a breach. Where an appeal is lodged in response to a safeguarding decision, the individual may write to the Welfare Officer within fourteen days; the appeal will be considered, and where appropriate, escalated to the LTA Safeguarding Team.

16. Insurance and accreditation

Summit Tennis maintains current public liability insurance to a limit of £60,000,000 with Hiscox via the LTA Coach Accreditation scheme (Policy: HU PI6 1838055). Coach accreditation, DBS status, and safeguarding training are reviewed annually; lapses result in the coach being stood down from regulated activity until reinstated.

17. Review and update

This policy is reviewed every two years by the Welfare Officer, with the next scheduled review on 9 May 2028, and sooner if any of the following occur: a safeguarding incident; a change in statutory guidance or LTA Safeguarding Standards; a change in venue, programme, or staffing; or feedback from a venue, parent, or coach that suggests an update is needed. The current version supersedes all earlier versions.

18. Key contacts

Role Name / organisation Contact Welfare Officer Joey de la Nougerede 07944 105757 / admin@summit-tennis.com LTA Safeguarding Team Lawn Tennis Association safeguarding@lta.org.uk / 020 8487 7000 Children's Services (West Sussex MASH) West Sussex County Council mash@westsussex.gcsx.gov.uk / 01403 229900 (Emergency 03302 226664) Adult Services (West Sussex) West Sussex County Council socialcare@westsussex.gov.uk / 01243 642121 (Emergency 01243 642425) LADO (West Sussex) Local Authority Designated Officer LADO@westsussex.gov.uk / 0330 222 6450 Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) DBS customerservices@dbs.gsi.gov.uk / 0300 0200190 NSPCC Helpline NSPCC 0808 800 5000 / help@nspcc.org.uk Childline NSPCC Childline 0800 1111 Police (emergency) — 999 Police (non-emergency) Sussex Police 101

19. Acknowledgement and sign-off

I have read, understood, and agree to follow the Summit Tennis Safeguarding Policy and the Code of Conduct contained within it.

  • Name (printed): ___________________________________________

  • Signed: __________________________________________________

  • Date: ____________________________________________________

  • Role: ____________________________________________________

Appendix A — Glossary of safeguarding terms

The definitions below are drawn from statutory guidance and LTA safeguarding materials. They are not exhaustive; where there is doubt, the Welfare Officer will consult the LTA Safeguarding Team.

Safeguarding — Protecting children and adults at risk from abuse and neglect; preventing the impairment of children's health or development; ensuring they grow up in circumstances consistent with safe and effective care; and taking action to enable all children to have the best life chances. For adults at risk, safeguarding additionally means protecting their right to live in safety, free from abuse and neglect, and empowering and supporting them to make choices.

Physical abuse — Hitting, shaking, throwing, poisoning, burning or scalding, drowning, suffocating, or otherwise causing physical harm. May also be caused when a parent or carer fabricates the symptoms of, or deliberately induces, illness.

Sexual abuse — Forcing or enticing a child or young person to take part in sexual activities, whether or not the child is aware of what is happening. Includes contact (penetrative and non-penetrative) and non-contact activities (involving children in looking at or producing sexual images, watching sexual activities, encouraging sexually inappropriate behaviour, or grooming a child for abuse, including online).

Emotional abuse — Persistent emotional maltreatment causing severe and persistent adverse effects on emotional development. May involve conveying that a person is worthless, unloved, inadequate, or valued only insofar as they meet another's needs; deliberate silencing; making fun of how they communicate; developmentally inappropriate expectations; over-protection; serious bullying including cyber-bullying; or seeing or hearing the ill-treatment of another.

Neglect — Persistent failure to meet basic physical and/or psychological needs, likely to result in serious impairment of health or development. May include failing to provide adequate food, clothing, shelter, supervision, or access to medical care, or being unresponsive to basic emotional needs.

Bullying (including cyber-bullying) — Repeated behaviour by an individual or group that intends to hurt another either physically or emotionally. Conducted in person, by phone, or online. Always treated as a safeguarding concern when it involves a child or adult at risk.

Poor practice — Behaviour that falls below the standards expected by the LTA or by Summit Tennis but does not in itself constitute abuse. Examples: inappropriate language, ratios exceeded, failure to take a register. Persistent poor practice will be addressed under Section 15 (Breaches) and may itself become a safeguarding matter.

Discriminatory abuse — Treating someone less favourably and causing harm because of age, gender, sexuality, gender identity, disability, socio-economic status, ethnic origin, religion, or any other visible or non-visible difference.

Financial abuse (adults at risk) — Money or property stolen, fraud, undue pressure in relation to money or property, or misuse of an adult at risk's money or property.

Domestic abuse — Physical, sexual, psychological, or financial abuse by someone who is, or has been, a partner or family member. Includes forced marriage, FGM, and honour-based violence.

Self-neglect (adults at risk) — Behaviour that threatens an adult's personal health or safety, including the decision not to provide themselves with adequate food, clothing, shelter, hygiene, medication, or appropriate safety precautions.

Modern slavery — Slavery, human trafficking, criminal and sexual exploitation, forced labour, and domestic servitude.

Appendix B — What to do if a disclosure is made to you

If a child or an adult at risk discloses abuse to you, or you observe something that gives rise to a safeguarding concern, follow these seven steps:

  1. Reassure the person that they are right to report the behaviour.

  2. Listen carefully and calmly. Do not interrupt or rush them.

  3. Keep your questions to a minimum. Use only open prompts ("Tell me more about that"). Never ask leading questions.

  4. Do not promise secrecy. Explain that you must report your conversation to the Welfare Officer (and the police in an emergency) because it is in their best interest.

  5. Report it. If anyone is in immediate danger, call 999. Otherwise, contact the Welfare Officer the same day. The Welfare Officer will then liaise with the LTA Safeguarding Team.

  6. Do not allow personal doubt to prevent you from reporting the concern.

  7. Make an immediate written record of the conversation. Use the person's own words where possible. Distinguish between what was said and any inferences you have made. Sign and date the record. The report should reach the Welfare Officer within 24 hours, and the LTA Safeguarding Team within 48 hours.

If the disclosure concerns the Welfare Officer or Owner, contact the LTA Safeguarding Team and the West Sussex LADO directly using the numbers in Section 18.

Appendix C — Concerns about a child outside the tennis environment

Where a coach or assistant becomes worried that a child is being abused outside the tennis environment (for example at home, school, or in the community) but the concern is identified through the child's involvement in tennis, the same reporting process applies. Pass the concern to the Welfare Officer the same day. The Welfare Officer will, in consultation with the LTA Safeguarding Team, refer the matter to West Sussex Children's Services (MASH) or the police as appropriate. We will not contact the alleged abuser or the family ourselves; that is the responsibility of statutory agencies.

Company Details

Trading name: Summit Tennis
Legal entity: Tennis Tots Ltd
Company Registration Number: 15381797
Contact email: admin@summit-tennis.com