Wavepower: Swim England's safeguarding policy and procedures

Wavepower is Swim England’s safeguarding policy and procedures document.

Its aim is to ensure everyone is able to enjoy our sports and aquatic activity in a safe, positive and enjoyable environment in line with current legislation, regulations and guidance.

All Swim England affiliated clubs and organisations must adopt Wavepower and the current version can be downloaded below.

At the beginning of 2024, an updated version of Wavepower was published.

This is part of Swim England’s commitment to create a culture in our sports and activities which makes everyone feel protected, included and welcomed – and that the safety, welfare and wellbeing of all participants is ingrained throughout our affiliated clubs and organisations.

The video below discusses what Wavepower is, why it is such an important document and explains the key changes that have been introduced in 2024. Those key changes have also been summarised on this page.

Adult safeguarding

Currently, Wavepower is the Swim England safeguarding policy and procedures document for child safeguarding and did not cover the important, and developing, area of adult safeguarding. For the first time, Wavepower will include an adult safeguarding policy as well as directions on reporting concerns at adults at risk of harm.

Safeguarding changing rooms

Wavepower’s changing room policy prohibits taking photographs with a camera or mobile device in changing areas. This will change in the updated version of Wavepower to prohibit all use of a mobile phone or device in a changing area during Swim England regulated activity.

Approved training

From 2024, anyone who holds a role which Wavepower states requires safeguarding training will need to complete the Swim England Safeguarding course. This is a bespoke course which covers the important and unique aspects of safeguarding in an aquatic environment.

Safer recruitment

Wavepower’s update will clarify Swim England’s position on safer recruitment of paid roles in regulated activity, and it will be mandatory to follow the full safer recruitment actions contained in this policy.

The role of the welfare officer

It will no longer be ‘best practice’ but mandatory that the welfare officer of an organisation is not related to, or in a close relationship with, either the chair/owner/proprietor, or a coach/swimming teacher of the organisation they are the welfare officer for.

You can download the fully interactive Wavepower. It is in PDF format. Alternatively, you can read it online below. If it doesn’t load after a few seconds please refresh the page.

If you have any questions regarding Wavepower, or the upcoming changes to it, please email [email protected].

Further guidance on welfare

As well as Wavepower there are other welfare publications and resources clubs may find useful.