COURTER — SAFEGUARDING POLICY

Version 1.0 | May 2026

Courter is a squash coaching booking platform. We connect players — including juniors aged 5 to 17 — with vetted female coaches at partner venues across the UK. Working with juniors brings responsibility, and this policy sets out exactly how we take that responsibility seriously.

This policy is for parents, players, coaches, and venues. It's written in plain English because it matters that you understand it.

1. Our commitment

Courter believes every junior who plays squash through our platform has the right to be safe, respected, and free from harm.

We are committed to:

  • Vetting every coach before they appear on Courter
  • Setting clear standards for how coaches work with juniors
  • Making it easy for anyone — coach, parent, or player — to raise a concern
  • Acting promptly and properly on every concern we receive
  • Reviewing this policy regularly

This policy applies to every junior session booked through Courter, every coach listed on the platform, and every venue we partner with.

2. Designated Safeguarding Lead

The Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) for Courter is:

Sally Archibald
Founder, Courter
Email: [email protected]

Sally is responsible for:

  • Receiving safeguarding concerns from coaches, parents, players, or anyone else
  • Recording every concern in a confidential log
  • Escalating to external authorities where needed
  • Supporting coaches who report concerns
  • Reviewing and updating this policy

If a concern needs to be raised when Sally is not immediately available, the NSPCC helpline is available 24 hours a day on 0808 800 5000 for adults concerned about a child. Children themselves can contact Childline on 0800 1111.

3. Who this policy protects

This policy protects anyone aged 5 to 17 who plays squash through Courter. We refer to them as "juniors" throughout this document.

It also protects coaches, parents, and Courter itself by setting clear expectations and clear processes.

4. How we vet our coaches

Before a coach appears on Courter, we verify all of the following:

  • A current UK-recognised squash coaching qualification
  • Active Coaches Club membership with England Squash
  • An Enhanced DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) check, or a renewal in application
  • Valid public liability insurance covering their coaching work
  • A current first aid certificate (or commitment to obtain one within six months of joining)
  • Completion of recognised safeguarding training

These are verified through the England Squash database. Our coaches refresh their DBS every three years, their insurance annually, and their first aid certificate every three years — in line with England Squash standards.

If any of these lapse, the coach's profile is hidden from the public site immediately, and they cannot accept new bookings until everything is back in place. Coaches are required to tell us as soon as anything is due to expire.

We will continue to review and strengthen our vetting process as Courter grows.

5. Standards we hold our coaches to

Every coach on Courter follows the standards in this section when working with juniors. These standards are part of the Coach Terms that every coach signs up to before joining the platform.

Communication

Coach to junior:

  • Coaches do not text, message, or email juniors directly
  • Coaches do not have juniors' phone numbers, email addresses, or social media handles
  • Coaches do not follow, friend, or message juniors on social media

Coach to parent:

  • Parents are at the venue for the duration of every junior session, so any conversation between a coach and a parent happens in person at the start or end of the session
  • Routine matters — booking, rescheduling, refunds, follow-up sessions, feedback, technique videos, photos — go through Courter, not direct between coach and parent
  • The coach is given the parent's phone number in the booking details for emergency use only:
    • To reach the parent urgently during a session if the parent cannot be found at the venue
    • To reach the parent at the end of a session if pickup is delayed and the junior is waiting
  • Coaches do not use the parent's phone number for any other reason
  • Even if a coach and parent already know each other personally, for Courter sessions all routine communication still goes through Courter

This rule applies to every junior on Courter, regardless of age.

One-to-one situations

A coach should never be alone with a junior in a private or unobserved space.

  • The squash court is considered an open space
  • Coaches do not enter changing rooms, toilets, or any private area while a junior is using them
  • Coaches do not transport juniors in their car, except in a genuine emergency where the parent has given explicit consent and Courter is notified the same day
  • Coaches do not meet juniors outside booked Courter sessions for one-to-one coaching, even if the parent suggests it — additional sessions must be booked through the platform
  • If a parent is late to collect a junior at the end of a session, the coach waits with the junior in a public area of the venue and contacts the parent. Coaches do not wait in private spaces, and do not leave a junior alone
  • Coaches do not give juniors gifts, money, or special treatment outside of normal coaching

Physical contact

Physical contact during coaching sessions should be minimal, technique-focused, and always visible to the parent.

  • Coaches demonstrate without contact wherever possible
  • When light contact is needed for technique (for example, adjusting a grip or stance), the coach explains it first and checks the junior is comfortable
  • All contact happens in open view, on court, while the parent is at the venue
  • No contact occurs in changing rooms, in private spaces, or out of sight of the parent
  • Contact unrelated to coaching (prolonged contact, lifting) is not appropriate
  • Emergency contact (helping after a fall, first aid) is always allowed and expected

If a junior is uncomfortable with any contact, they can say "stop" at any time and the coach will stop immediately.

Photos and video

No photos or video of juniors are taken during Courter sessions without written parental consent.

  • Coaches do not post photos or video of juniors on social media or use them in marketing without specific, per-use written parental consent
  • Parents may film their own child but must not film other juniors at the venue
  • Group photos that include juniors require written consent from every parent
  • Phones and recording devices are not visible courtside during junior sessions unless actively in use with consent

Conduct

Coaches treat juniors with respect, patience, and professionalism at all times. Coaches do not:

  • Use language that is inappropriate, discriminatory, or demeaning
  • Single out a junior for criticism in front of others
  • Make a junior feel uncomfortable, scared, or unsafe
  • Behave in a way that could be misinterpreted by the junior, the parent, or another adult

6. What we ask of parents

For every junior session booked through Courter, the parent or guardian:

  • Makes the booking themselves — juniors cannot book sessions directly
  • Brings the junior to the coach at the start of the session and collects them at the end
  • Stays at the venue for the duration of the session
  • Provides accurate contact details at the time of booking
  • Tells the coach about any relevant medical conditions or injuries before the session
  • Ensures the junior wears protective eyewear during the session — this is a mandatory safety requirement
  • Raises any concerns directly with Courter at [email protected]

These responsibilities are also set out in the Player Terms.

7. First aid and medical incidents

Every Courter coach holds, or is working towards, a current basic first aid qualification, and holds their own public liability insurance.

If a junior is hurt or unwell during a session:

  • The coach stops the session immediately
  • The coach finds the junior's parent or guardian at the venue (the parent is at the venue throughout the session)
  • If the parent cannot be found at the venue, the coach contacts the parent on the phone number provided in the booking details
  • The coach administers first aid only if qualified and the situation calls for it
  • For anything beyond minor first aid, the parent takes over
  • In a serious medical emergency, the coach calls 999 immediately and contacts the parent

Every incident — minor or serious — is logged by the coach and reported to Courter the same day at [email protected]. We keep a confidential incident log.

Parents are entitled to a written summary of any incident involving their child.

8. Receiving a disclosure from a junior

A "disclosure" is when a junior tells someone — often a coach — that something concerning is happening to them. Disclosures may be direct ("X hurts me") or indirect ("I don't want to go home tonight").

If a junior makes a disclosure to a Courter coach, the coach follows the standard NSPCC framework: Receive, Reassure, React, Record and Report.

Receive

  • Listen carefully and take what the junior says seriously
  • Stay calm and do not react with shock or judgement
  • Let the junior speak in their own words, at their own pace

Reassure

  • Let the junior know they were right to tell you
  • Do not promise to keep what they have said secret
  • Tell the junior you will need to share what they have said with someone who can help

React appropriately

  • Do not ask leading questions ("did X do Y to you?")
  • Do not investigate the situation yourself
  • Do not confront anyone the junior mentions
  • Do not promise specific outcomes

Record and Report

  • Write down what the junior said, in their own words, as soon as possible
  • Report to Courter's DSL (Sally Archibald) the same day at [email protected]
  • If the junior is in immediate danger, call 999

After reporting, the coach does not discuss the disclosure with anyone other than Sally. Coaches who receive a disclosure are supported through the process — receiving a disclosure is hard, and Courter takes care of its coaches.

9. Raising a concern

Anyone — coach, parent, junior, or anyone else — can raise a safeguarding concern with Courter at any time.

How to raise a concern

Email: [email protected]

This inbox goes directly to Sally Archibald, the Designated Safeguarding Lead.

If a child is in immediate danger, call 999 first, then notify Courter as soon as possible.

If you would prefer to speak to someone independent of Courter, you can contact:

  • NSPCC helpline: 0808 800 5000 (24 hours, for adults)
  • Childline: 0800 1111 (24 hours, for under-19s)
  • England Squash safeguarding team: [email protected]
  • Police non-emergency: 101

What happens when you raise a concern

Every safeguarding concern raised with Courter is recorded, assessed, and acted on. Where the concern is urgent or involves a child at risk, Courter escalates immediately to the appropriate external authority — including the police, the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO), the NSPCC, or the England Squash safeguarding team. Where the concern is lower-tier, Courter investigates, takes any protective steps needed, and follows up.

Where appropriate, Courter communicates the outcome back to the person who raised the concern. Some details may need to remain confidential to protect the child or any ongoing investigation.

10. Confidentiality

We treat every safeguarding concern and disclosure as confidential.

  • Information is shared only with people who need to know to keep the junior safe — including, where necessary, the police, social services, England Squash, or the NSPCC
  • Personal details are stored securely and held for the period required by law
  • We do not share information with anyone who does not need to know, including other coaches, other parents, or other players

This is balanced against our legal duty to act on information that suggests a child is at risk.

11. Reviewing this policy

This policy is reviewed at least once a year, and after any significant safeguarding incident.

The version and date of this document are at the top of this page.

If you have feedback on this policy — coach, parent, or anyone else — please email [email protected].

12. Other policies

This Safeguarding Policy works alongside:

  • Player Terms — terms for booking sessions
  • Coach Terms — terms between Courter and our coaches
  • Privacy Policy — how we handle personal data
  • Club Terms — terms for clubs booking a Courter coach
  • Venue Terms — terms for our partner venues

All policies are available at courter.co.uk.

Safeguarding email: [email protected]

General contact: [email protected]

Location: Manchester, UK

Courter Safeguarding Policy v1.0 | May 2026