Code of Behaviour

OPEN SPECTRUM CODE OF BEHAVIOUR FOR PARTICIPANTS

  • OPEN SPECTRUM CODE OF BEHAVIOUR FOR PARTICIPANTS

    Children and young people should:

    Take part in the activity to

     the best of their ability and

    respect others around them.

    Never subject another participant to verbal aggression, physical aggression or intimidation.

    Never use a mobile phone unless

     explicitly agreed with the coach and parent co-ordinator because it is being used as a sensory calming device.

    Under no circumstances should

     photographs or recordings be made by any participant.

    Behaviour

    If a participant breaks the Code of Behaviour the Parent Co-ordinator will inform the participant’s parent/guardian and will email the Open Spectrum board describing the incident.  If the participant engages in the previously specified behaviour a second time the Parent Co-ordinator will again inform the participant’s parent/guardian and will remind him/her that a third repetition may mean the participant’s withdrawal from the activity until the end of the term.  The Parent Co-ordinator will inform the Open Spectrum Board of the second infringement.  If the participant engages a third time in the said behaviour, an incident report may be filled in by the Parent Co-ordinator and a second Parent Co-ordinator or a Coach and will be sent to the Open Spectrum Board.  The Board may then contact the participant’s Parent/Guardian requesting that the participant withdraw from the activity until the end of the term.

    The reason for and the duration of such a suspension must be clear to the participant in question and his/her parent and a pro rata refund of fees paid will be made.

    If a participant presents with challenging behaviour which the Parent Co-ordinator considers unsafe the Parent Co-ordinator will file an incident report with the board of Open Spectrum which may ask the participant to withdraw from the activity until the end of the term. Fees will be refunded on a pro rata basis.

    The decision to suspend a participant from an Open Spectrum activity will only be taken in the interest of participants’ welfare and never as a sanction.

    OPEN SPECTRUM CODE OF BEHAVIOUR FOR PARENTS

  • Respect for others should be modelled at all times by parents of participants.
  • Parents should remain onsite during activities unless their absence is previously agreed with the coach and parent co-ordinator in which case they will share their phone numbers with the parent co-ordinator and keep their phones attended.
  • Lifts to and from activities will not be organised through Open Spectrum
  • Any concern about another participant’s behaviour should be addressed to the Parent Co-ordinator, not with any other parent in attendance.
  • Aggressive or intimidating behaviour by parents towards other parents will not be tolerated and may result in a suspension of that parent from the activity following a hearing by the Board of Directors.

CODE OF BEHAVIOUR FOR PARENT CO–ORDINATORS

Parent Co–ordinators of Open Spectrum activities are giving of their own time voluntarily for the good of our participants and should be respected at all times.

In turn, Parent Co–ordinators will treat all parents and participants with respect.

They will adhere to all Open Spectrum policies.

They will seek the permission of parents of participants to include their phone numbers on a Whatsapp group to co-ordinate each activity.  This will be used for Open Spectrum information only. The Whatsapp group will be deleted when the next term of the activity – if there is one – is available for booking but Whatsapp groups for activities held annually will be deleted each year.

They will ensure that a copy of Open Spectrum’s Child Safeguarding Statement and Adult Safeguarding Statement is at the Open Spectrum activity which they are co-ordinating.

OPEN SPECTRUM CODE OF BEHAVIOUR FOR COACHES/VOLUNTEERS

  • All volunteers must comply with Garda vetting regulations
  • Respect for all participants at all times is required. If a Parent Co-ordinator assesses that a coach or volunteer has not been respectful towards a participant he/she will bring it to the attention of the coach/volunteer and if a resolution cannot be reached, he/she will bring the breach of respect to the attention of the board of Open Spectrum who may decide to relieve the coach/volunteer of his or her duties.

ANY CONCERN OF A CHILD/TEEN OR OF A PARENT IN RESPECT OF A CHILD/TEEN CAN BE HEARD IN TOTAL CONFIDENCE BY THE CHILDREN’S OFFICERS:

Updated February 2023