Is this a child protection issue

[Elisheva]

My dd is 7. During her swimming lesson today there was a man in swimming trunks sat on the side of the pool watching the swimming lessons. During swimming lesson times the pool is closed to other swimmers. I asked at reception and they said that the man was cooling off after using the sauna, which is in a room off the pool.
The children sit on a ledge during their lessons while waiting for their turn and the man was sat next to them.
Parents are not allowed poolside during lessons, and currently (because of covid) parents of children over 8 are not allowed to watch from the gallery.
The staff member said that there was nowhere else for the man to sit, that him being in trunks was irrelevant, and that it was no different to the parents watching from the gallery.
I am very uneasy about this situation. I know that the man was doing nothing wrong but it seems to be a situation that could be taken advantage of. I’m not sure whether to take it further and email the centre manager.
What do you think?

I think the fundamental problem may be that the lessons aren’t as private as the OP thinks. Many public pools have roped off sections and have lessons in certain sections whilst the pool remains open to the rest of the public.

What a very bizarre thing to say. I am aware that some pools have roped off areas, but I am quite, quite sure that at this swimming pool only lessons take place between 4 and 6pm. The man wasn’t trying to use the pool, and would never have been expecting to. The lessons would have been going on when he went in the sauna.
Other than the children, the teachers and the lifeguard there is no-one else in the swimming pool, or next to the swimming pool, during lesson times. Which is why the one man sat on a ledge with the children looked so out of place.

OP I believe you. And, as I have now said several times, I think you are right to question this.

That is not to accuse or assume anything about the man concerned. Just an observation that someone is where they shouldn't be. In this case, an unknown adult near a children's swim class.

Safeguarding means reporting things that don't seem quite right. it's OK to question this. Have you followed up with the leisure centre, and what did they say?

It wouldn’t bother me unless he was being overly familiar with the children.

A friendly salutation would be fine.

Safeguarding means reporting things that don't seem quite right. it's OK to question this. Have you followed up with the leisure centre, and what did they say?
Thank you. I’ve emailed them and asked if I can see their safeguarding assessment around adults using the sauna and changing rooms during swimming lessons.

I’ve also found out from their general guidelines that any safeguarding concerns should be passed on to the centre safeguarding team, which the duty manager didn’t mention, so I will raise that too.

That sounds like a good move OP.

It would be reasonable that sauna users be expected to go straight to the changing room after they've finished during swimming lessons, given that the pool is closed to other swimmers during this time.

@Elisheva

I’ve also found out from their general guidelines that any safeguarding concerns should be passed on to the centre safeguarding team, which the duty manager didn’t mention, so I will raise that too.

The manager should absolutely have said this, you were right to raise!

Again I don’t think this man poses any harm but the leisure centre sounds like an absolute shitshow.

It doesn’t happen to be a Better run centre is it?? I took my kids to one for swimming lessons very briefly and between the mushrooms growing in the changing rooms to the high staff turnover and too-large staff:pupil ratios, we lasted a month before leaving!

@Elisheva

I think the fundamental problem may be that the lessons aren’t as private as the OP thinks. Many public pools have roped off sections and have lessons in certain sections whilst the pool remains open to the rest of the public.

What a very bizarre thing to say. I am aware that some pools have roped off areas, but I am quite, quite sure that at this swimming pool only lessons take place between 4 and 6pm. The man wasn’t trying to use the pool, and would never have been expecting to. The lessons would have been going on when he went in the sauna.
Other than the children, the teachers and the lifeguard there is no-one else in the swimming pool, or next to the swimming pool, during lesson times. Which is why the one man sat on a ledge with the children looked so out of place.

I didn’t mean you’d got it wrong - I mean the centre clearly have a organisation and communication problem if one set of customers think one thing and another set think another!

Was he perhaps related to or a friend of the staff member you spoke to, OP? As they sound really defensive over him being there when no one else except the kids and swim teachers should have been at the poolside.

@Elisheva

Safeguarding means reporting things that don't seem quite right. it's OK to question this. Have you followed up with the leisure centre, and what did they say? Thank you. I’ve emailed them and asked if I can see their safeguarding assessment around adults using the sauna and changing rooms during swimming lessons.

Glad you've emailed them. I hope you get a considerate response. They should be grateful to you for raising it.

Follow your instincts you have them for a reason!

@OnlyFoolsnMothers

Tell ‘em why a member of the public can’t sit near children - how is that crossing a ku dart of any kind? because it was closed to the public for lessons. Ok it’s a women’s only swimming session can a man sit on the side post sauna? I mean you surely don’t think every man is a rapist do you?

No why do you think I think that?

My whole point is: for whatever reason, it obviously wasn’t a closed off lesson. That’s the issue here, not the man’s behaviour

As in it wasn’t a properly closed off lesson. Either the OP has been misled that it is or the man has been misled to believe it’s ‘his’ time in the facility

@OnlyFoolsnMothers

That doesn’t answer my question. In this context of safeguarding, how is a 7yo different to a 17yo? seriously question that you are being serious here. A 17yr old is shrewder and more aware of danger, a 17yr old has more legal freedoms for that reasons- oh and a 7yr old is more like to be preyed on by a paedo….how much more sickening detail do you require?

A 17yo can be just as vulnerable as a 7yo depending on a HUGE variety of factors. In some instances, more so. There’s definitely not a general rule that X child is more vulnerable. I resent that some stupid people think that vulnerability should be order by age alone. No sickening details required to state the obvious.

I wouldn't be happy with that as a parent. I would not have been happy with that as a youth leader when I took other people's children swimming. The pool is either closed to the public during swimming lessons or it isn't. This sort of ambiguity of having one random man sat near the children half dressed is not good.

So the door to the sauna leads to the poolside. The man has no option but to walk poolside when he's done.

When I use a sauna, I often come out for a few minutes and then go back in. I can't sit for the full time in one go, so I'd do what the man did. The only place for him to sit appears to be poolside. He wasn't "using the pool" he was simply sitting for a minute or two. He wasn't talking to the children, or paying them any attention at all.

I have absolutely no idea why anyone would think him a risk when the children are in the care of adults, and being watched by other adults from the viewing area.

Again, children are at FAR more risk from adults they don't know, in a normal public swimming session. The lack of logic from OP and many throughout this thread is quite gobsmacking.

one random man sat near the children half dressed is not good.

How about the many random men "half-dressed" when you take your kids swimming in public sessions?

But he wasn't walking poolside - he was sitting on a ledge with children during a time when the pool and poolside is closed to adults.

It's not about him, but the lack of safeguarding practice and awareness that the pool management have and are displaying.

It's not clear why he can't sit in the changing room while he cools off between sauna sessions.

A 17yo can be just as vulnerable as a 7yo truly ridiculous!

@AsYouWishButtercup

As in it wasn’t a properly closed off lesson. Either the OP has been misled that it is or the man has been misled to believe it’s ‘his’ time in the facility

Most people would realise they are out of place / too near young children and keep a distance/ leave altogether However I do recognise that the leisure centre is to blame for not gently explaining that it’s a closed session- hence why the OP should report