Swimming volunteers

[Isitreasonable]

If a primary is asking for parent volunteers to help with swimming lessons, would they require DBS checks or similar?

Not overly keen on random parents I don’t know helping my 4 year old get changed!

Parents at my children's school were always checked.

It may just be a police check, rather than a full dbs check. If you phone the school office, I’m sure they will tell you.

Depends what they're doing. I did it at my child's school and mostly helped shepherding them onto the coach and putting swimming hats on as they came out the changing room. Only the teachers and DBS checked volunteers went in the changing rooms, I wasn't allowed to as I don't have a DBS (well I do with another organisation but school don't recognise that).

They must either be DBS checked or always supervised by a member of school staff.

You are entitled to ask about this. I would actually think it more important to ask whether volunteers will always be supervised by school staff. It really is important that they are.

As an aside - they're brave to start swimming lessons at 4!!!

At my daughter's primary they needed extra parents to walk with the children to the swimming pool.
We didn't help with changing (except a few times I helped do up their ties).

Like others, we stayed out of the changing rooms and were there to accompany to/from on the walk only.

I did the swim run for a few years, I was fully DBS checked and school knew me through my children attending there and having volunteered there for a couple of years.

Swimming lessons are usually from year 3 so 7-8 year olds. Year 3 had communal changing rooms off to the side of the pool and I never looked in, if we needed to hurry them up we would open the door and shout in but it was positioned so you could open a door but not see into the changing room. A teacher might look but not me, I stood at the door. Year 4 they were 2 to a cubicle. Year 3 and 4 were swimming at the same time.

The boys and girls had separate communal changing and were at opposite ends of the changing area. The year 4s were only allowed in certain cubicle rows so as to keep them completely separated for safeguarding reasons. The pool area and changing rooms were only used by the schools on the morning.

You can ask to see the risk assessment for the swim run. Every activity has one We had to transport them by coach. Each swim run (large school with 90 in a year) had a male teacher for the boy's end, female teacher for the girl's end.

At my school only school staff went in changing rooms. Parents helped on bus and getting them into the pool building and out.

Very unlikely they will be helping them get changed. It will be more walking them to and from the pool or supervising on the transport etc.

I helped at DD school swim lessons. I had to have a DBS

I should add - we did help them get changed. This was nursery and reception

In our school we just helped getting there on and back. No DBS required. The staff supervised in the changing rooms. I think you need to check the role of the volunteers as if it's just escorting kids there and back (with supervision by school staff) a DBS is unlikely to be needed.

Thanks all

I feel a bit awkward asking the school, I’ve already raised a few queries and I don’t want to be that parent

Saying that, I do feel this is quite important and I feel strongly about it.

My daughter's primary had their own pool and kids swam from year 1. There had to be volunteer helpers or it couldn't go ahead, as otherwise it was just the swimming teacher.

Parents were all DBS checked. We didn't go into the changing room, but hovered outside. It was more about watching the children in the water.

Reception Teacher here. All our parent (and grandparent) volunteers have to be DBS checked by the school. We try to avoid putting volunteers into changing rooms and if we have to we ensure they are never alone in there. From a child safeguarding perspective but also to cover their backs in a child was to make an allegation. Even as teachers we try not to left alone with small, naked children but at the junior end of primary a lot need help getting dressed.

They will be dbs checked and never left alone with the children.
Just ask if you’re really that worried.

I have volunteered via work with secondary students. We were advised to watch out to be never accidentally left alone with the teens. It’s to protect us as volunteers.

I doubt any parents want to be left alone with naked primary kids given the risk of allegations.

Is your 4yo really doing swimming lessons at school?! That's brave of the school!

Yep. Just turned 5, but in reception!

I’d be surprised if they weren’t dbs checked. Could you ask by saying you might be interested and what is involved?