Our Commitment
Children and young people are at the heart of what Reading Rockets does — through our junior club, our academy programme, our community and schools work, and our camps and clinics. The welfare of every child and young person involved with the club is paramount, and every child has the right to enjoy basketball in a safe, positive and encouraging environment, free from abuse, bullying and discrimination.
Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility: all staff, coaches, volunteers, players, officials, parents and carers have a part to play in keeping young people safe.
Policies and Standards We Work To
Reading Rockets is affiliated to Basketball England, the national governing body for the sport, and operates under its safeguarding policies, procedures and codes of conduct. In line with Basketball England’s affiliation requirements:
- coaches and volunteers who carry out regulated activity with children are required to hold a current enhanced DBS check;
- those working with young people are required to complete approved safeguarding training;
- affiliated clubs operate a club welfare officer structure so that concerns about a young person’s wellbeing have a clear route to be heard and acted on.
Basketball England’s full safeguarding policies, guidance for parents and carers, and advice for children are published on its safeguarding hub.
Raising a Concern
If you are worried about the safety or welfare of a child or young person involved with Reading Rockets — whether about something you have seen or been told, or the behaviour of any adult or young person at the club — please speak up. You do not need to be certain; concerns will be listened to and taken seriously.
- If a child is in immediate danger, call 999.
- Contact the club in confidence at info@readingrockets.co.uk — safeguarding emails are treated confidentially and passed directly to the club’s welfare lead.
- You can also report a concern directly to Basketball England’s safeguarding team via its Report a Concern page.
- The NSPCC helpline is available for advice on 0808 800 5000.
- Young people who want to talk to someone can contact Childline on 0800 1111.
Anti-Bullying and Codes of Conduct
Bullying of any kind — physical, verbal or online — has no place at Reading Rockets. Players, coaches, parents and spectators at all levels of the club are expected to behave in line with Basketball England’s codes of conduct, and concerns about bullying should be raised through any of the routes above.