Version 1.0
Date last amended: 11 August 2021
Live version

The Climbing Clan recognise anyone under the age of 18 years old as a child (The Children Act 1989), and therefore appropriate measures have been revised and put in place to accept under 18s to the club. 

The Climbing Clan recognise the importance of safety to vulnerable individuals and therefore protective measures have been put in place.

The following measures are in accordance with the British Mountaineering Council (BMC).

• Under 18s are to be supervised and accompanied by a parent, guardian, or person acting in loco parentis when taking part in any climbing activity and/or climbing weekend.

• Under 18s are not to be left unsupervised/unaccompanied by their parent, guardian, or person acting in loco parentis.

• All Climbing Clan members are not to be left alone with an unsupervised child. 

The Climbing Clan recognise that whilst the under 18 is accompanied by their parent, guardian, or person acting in loco parentis in any of the club’s climbing and weekend events, the selected Leaders of the trip do not have to be DBS checked. 

Furthermore, best practice will be maintained at all times and safeguarding and child protection measures will follow in place.

Policy Principles

1. To provide children and young people with appropriate safety and protection whilst being accompanied by their parent, guardian, or person acting in loco parentis during an activity with The Climbing Clan.

2. To allow all club members to make informed and confident responses to specific child safeguarding and child protection issues.

3. All suspicions of child abuse will be taken seriously and responded to swiftly and appropriately. 

4. To help and support all individuals involved in providing climbing trips for young people on behalf of The Climbing Clan.

5. That all children, regardless of their age, ethnicity, abilities, social background, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, or political persuasion, have the right to live in a safe environment.

The activity of climbing is dangerous, with many risks involved, however The Climbing Clan recognise the importance of making climbing accessible to under 18s. 

To promote and provide an opportunity to participate in climbing, mountaineering and hill walking activities and to actively give non-climbers the opportunity to try climbing are some of the main objectives of The Climbing Clan.

To make climbing trips accessible and fun for under 18s, the club have outlined the following.

Climbing Trips

1. Under 18s are only allowed to participate in climbing with the consent of their parent, guardian, or person acting in loco parentis.

2. Under 18s are only allowed on designated trips for under 18s when accompanied by a parent, guardian, or person acting in loco parentis. 

3. Under 18s are not allowed, accompanied or not, on trips that have not been designated for under 18s.

4. Under 18s and a parent, guardian, or person acting in loco parentis are not allowed on climbing trips until both have read and understood the risks involved and whereby the parent, guardian, or person acting in loco parentis signs respected consent forms.

5. Climbing Trips designated for under 18s should always have a Leader with suitable skills and awareness for the group.

6. Climbing Trips designated for under 18s are where a climbing group consists of a Leader and under 18s supervised by their parent, guardian, or person acting in loco parentis.

7. On all trips, at all times, the under 18 is the responsibility of their retrospective parent, guardian, or person acting in loco parentis, whether at the climbing venue or not.

The Leaders of a climbing trip may be selected independently according to the nature and dynamic of the group. Leaders may partake in supervising their own child in an under 18 specified trip. 

Not being welcome on an under 18 designated trip is and should not be seen as any suggestion of negative character traits.

Weekend Events

1. Weekend trips can be specially organised and designated as open to under 18s and run specifically with under 18s in mind. 

2. Accommodation should be appropriate and acceptable to under 18s and their parent, guardian, or person acting in loco parentis.

3. Weekend trips designated for under 18s should have a “weekend leader” responsible for safeguarding, compliance and organising of climbing activities.

Social Events

Under 18s may be invited to age appropriate social events with permission and consent of their parent, guardian, or person acting in loco parentis.

Under 18s must be accompanied and supervised during the social event by their parent, guardian, or person acting in loco parentis.

Complaint Procedures

The Climbing Clan understands that participants in any climbing activity, weekend event and/or social event organised by The Climbing Clan, should have the accessibility of marking a concern and/or complaint.

All complaints/concerns regarding the behaviour of Members should be presented and submitted in writing to the club’s Designated Safeguarding Officer (currently the Secretary). These could also be present to the President, Chair, or another member of the Exec Committee.

The complaint/concern will be dealt with following the club’s procedure for such matters. The Committee has the power by following the clubs procedures to take appropriate disciplinary action including the termination of membership.