CheckMate Kids — Our Safeguarding Policy

1. Our Commitment to Child Safety

1.1 CheckMate Experiences Ltd is committed to the safety, wellbeing and protection of every child who takes part in our clubs, classes, camps, coaching and events. We take our safeguarding responsibilities seriously and have measures in place to make sure all children in our care are safe, respected and supported.

1.2 This policy applies to all directors, coaches, staff, assistants and volunteers working with CheckMate Kids, in person and online.

2. DBS Checked Coaches

2.1 All CheckMate coaches and staff who work directly with children hold a valid Enhanced DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) check and are registered on the DBS Update Service, which allows their certificate status to be checked at any time.

2.2 Self-employed coaches engaged by CheckMate Experiences are required to hold their own Enhanced DBS check and provide proof before delivering any sessions.

2.3 Copies of certificates are available on request.

3. Safeguarding Training

3.1 Every session is led by a head coach who holds Level 1 Safeguarding Children training. All other coaches, staff and assistants receive a safeguarding briefing from the Safeguarding Lead before their first session

3.2 Our Safeguarding Leads hold Level 1 Safeguarding Children training and will complete Level 3 Designated Safeguarding Lead training.

3.3 All coaches, staff and assistants who work with children must also read, understand and act in accordance with this policy before delivering sessions. By working with CheckMate Experiences, they confirm they have done so and agree to uphold its standards at all times.

4. Named Safeguarding Leads

4.1 Our named Safeguarding Lead is Gabriel Barr, Co-Founder of CheckMate Experiences Ltd. Gabriel is the first point of contact for any safeguarding concern raised by a parent, guardian, child or member of staff.

4.2 In Gabriel's absence, Sam Walker (Co-Director) acts as Deputy Safeguarding Lead and can be contacted on 07923 442106.

5. Supervision and Ratios

5.1 All children are supervised by our coaches throughout every session. We maintain appropriate adult-to-child ratios at all times and make sure no child is left unsupervised.

5.2 Children are only released to the parent or guardian named on the booking, or a pre-authorised adult.

5.3 Parents and guardians are welcome to stay during sessions.

6. Young Assistants

6.1 From time to time, young people under 18 may help at sessions as assistant coaches or helpers. They are always supervised by an adult coach, are never left alone in charge of children, and are never responsible for collection, first aid or one-to-one care.

6.2 Where a young assistant is 16 or over and works regularly with children, they will hold an Enhanced DBS check.

7. Sessions at Partner Venues and Schools

7.1 Some sessions take place at partner venues, including schools, libraries and community spaces. At these venues, we follow the venue's own safety and emergency procedures alongside this policy.

7.2 Where a session is held at a school and a concern involves one of that school's pupils, we may also inform the school's Designated Safeguarding Lead, where it is appropriate and in the child's best interests.

8. Online Sessions

8.1 Online coaching and sessions are arranged through the parent or guardian, and all links, scheduling and messages go through the parent's email or account.

8.2 An adult should be nearby during online sessions with children. Sessions are not recorded without prior consent from the parent or guardian.

8.3 Coaches must not contact children privately through chess platforms, messaging apps or social media.

9. Photography and Media

9.1 Photos and video may be taken during our sessions for promotional purposes, including on our website, social media and marketing materials. Consent is obtained from parents and guardians at the point of booking.

9.2 Children whose parents have not given consent will be excluded from photography. We will make reasonable efforts to ensure this, but cannot guarantee a child will not appear incidentally in the background of wider group images.

9.3 Images are stored securely and used responsibly. We do not publish children's full names alongside their photos without the parent's permission.

10. Staff Code of Conduct and Communication

10.1 All staff and self-employed coaches are required to agree to our Staff Code of Conduct before working with children.

10.2 Staff and coaches are not permitted to contact children via personal mobile phones or social media. All communication with families is conducted through official CheckMate Experiences channels only.

11. Recording and Handling Concerns

11.1 Any safeguarding concern, disclosure or incident is recorded promptly and factually by the person who witnessed or received it, and passed to the Safeguarding Lead the same day.

11.2 Records are stored securely and shared only with those who need to know, such as statutory agencies, in line with our Privacy Notice.

12. How to Raise a Concern

12.1 If you have a safeguarding concern before, during or after a session, please contact us immediately:
(a) Gabriel Barr (Safeguarding Lead): 07849 077058, coaching@checkmateexperiences.co.uk
(b) Sam Walker (Deputy Safeguarding Lead): 07923 442106

12.2 If you have a concern about the conduct of a CheckMate coach or staff member, please contact Gabriel Barr directly. If the concern involves Gabriel, please contact Sam Walker. Allegations against anyone working with children will be referred to the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) for the relevant borough.

12.3 Where appropriate, concerns will be referred to the children's services team for the borough where the child lives, including:
(a) Wandsworth Children's Services: 020 8871 6622
(b) Southwark Children's Services: 020 7525 1921 (Mon to Fri, 9am to 5pm), 020 7525 5000 (out of hours)
(c) Lambeth Children's Services: 020 7926 3100 (Mon to Fri, 9am to 5pm), 020 7926 5555 (out of hours)
(d) Islington Children's Services Contact Team: 020 7527 7400 (24 hours)

12.4 You can also contact the NSPCC Helpline on 0808 800 5000 for advice.

12.5 If you believe a child is in immediate danger, call the emergency services on 999.

13. Review

13.1 This policy is reviewed at least once a year, and whenever there are significant changes to our activities or to safeguarding guidance.

CheckMate Experiences Ltd | coaching@checkmateexperiences.co.uk | Last updated: September 2026