Safeguarding Personal Clearance 

The Safeguarding Personal Clearance ensures that all accredited individuals within SA Sailing are appropriately vetted, trained, and compliant with national and international safeguarding standards, promoting a safe and supportive environment for all participants.

The Safeguarding Personal Clearance (SPC) is a mandatory compliance requirement implemented by SA Sailing to ensure that all individuals working with, supporting, or interacting with participants—particularly children and vulnerable persons—meet minimum safeguarding and ethical standards.

This clearance confirms that an individual has been appropriately vetted, trained, and deemed suitable to operate within the SA Sailing environment in accordance with:

• SA Sailing Safeguarding Policy
• SASCOC safeguarding and governance requirements
• World Sailing safeguarding standards and codes of conduct

The objective is to prevent harm, mitigate risk, and ensure a safe, inclusive, and respectful sailing environment for all participants.

Where and When Safeguarding Personal Clearance Applies

The Safeguarding Personal Clearance is required prior to appointment, accreditation, or deployment and must remain valid throughout the period of involvement.

It applies to all individuals in roles that involve direct or indirect contact with athletes or participants, that involve regular contact with children, young 
people, persons with a mental and/or physical disability and other vulnerable adults  including but not limited to:

• Coaches and Assistant Coaches
• Instructors and Trainers
• Officials and Race Officers
• Safety Officers and Support Crew
• Team Managers and Administrators
• Staff and Volunteers working at events or within clubs, classes and training environments
• Examiners, Assessors, and Technical Personnel

Situations where SPC is mandatory:

• Appointment or renewal of SA Sailing appointments and/or accreditation
• Participation in training programmes or national/provincial teams
• Involvement in events, regattas, or development programmes
• Access to facilities where minors or vulnerable persons are present

Six (6) Requirements for Safeguarding Personal Clearance

To obtain clearance, the following six mandatory items must be submitted and approved:

1. Valid Police Clearance Certificate
   • Police Criminal Clearances
     • Confirms absence of criminal convictions related to violence, abuse, or safeguarding risks and taking into consideration crimes like Fraud, Theft. 
     • From a Child Protection perspective the criminal record check is required in order to submit the Child Protection register check.  (The afiswitch report is the preferred report for the Department of Justice to do the Sexual offences register check.) 
   • Sexual Offenders Register Check
     • Verifies that the individual is not listed on any national Sex offender register
     • Person being vetted needs to complete the DOJ Form J738, attach an original certified copy of the ID or passport not  older than 3 months 
     • Attach the Afiswitch Criminal Record Check result (where there is a criminal record include the SAPS 69 report).   

This legislation defines an employer as set out in the act as including any person, organisation, institution, club,  sports club, association or body who or which, as the case may be-

1. • • (i) employs employees who, in any manner and during the course of their employment/engagement, will be placed in a position of authority, supervision or care of a child or a person who is mentally disabled or working with or will gain access to a child or a person who is mentally disabled or places where children or persons who are mentally disabled are present or congregate; 
     • (ii) owns, manages, operates, has any business or economic interest in or is in any manner responsible for, or participates or assists in the management or operation of any entity or business concern or trade relating to the supervision over or care of a child or a person who is mentally disabled or working with or who gains access to a child or a person who is mentally disabled or places where children or persons who are mentally disabled are present or congregate. 
   • Child Protection Register Check 
     • Verifies that the individual is not listed on any national child protection or offender register
       • Inquiry by employer (Form 29): Any person managing an institution, or school, must establish whether the name of any person who works with or has access to children at the institution or school appears in Part B of the Register. 
         
       • Inquiry by Individual (Form 30): Any person who intent to provide services to children, e.g. a foster or adoptive parent, supervisor of a child-headed household must establish whether the name of any person who works with or has access to children at the institution or school appears in Part B of the Register 
2. Signed SA Sailing Code of Ethics/Conduct
   • Confirms understanding of expected behaviour and commitment to safeguarding principles
3. Completed Safeguarding Awareness Training Certification (see below)
   • Mandatory education requirement to ensure awareness and competency
   • DSO appointments also require DSO training certification 
4.   Signed SA Sailing Self Disclosure form
   • Affidavit to confirm information provided is correct and no misleading or omissions of details are relevant to this process.
5. Two Contactable References (including prior sport or work environment where possible)
   • To validate character, behaviour, and suitability for working with participants for SA Sailing appointments. (Clubs, Classes and Centers will manager thier own appointments in line with their HR processes accordingly)

Mandatory Safeguarding Training Requirement

All applicants for Safeguarding Personal Clearance must complete recognised safeguarding training as a condition of approval.

World Sailing Safeguarding Training (Recommended Standard)

Individuals are required to complete the World Sailing Safe & Inclusive Sport / Safeguarding Programme, available through the World Sailing Academy.

Programme Details:

• Platform: World Sailing Academy (online learning portal)
• Course: Safeguarding / Safe Sport / Protecting Participants in Sailing
• Delivery: Online, self-paced
• Content includes:
  • Recognising abuse and safeguarding risks
  • Responding to concerns and reporting procedures
  • Creating safe and inclusive environments
  • Roles and responsibilities in sport safeguarding

Access:

• Website: https://www.worldsailingacademy.org
• Users must create an account and enrol in the safeguarding course

Certification:

• A certificate of completion must be uploaded as part of the SPC requirements
• Training should be refreshed/renewed periodically (typically every 2–3 years or as required by World Sailing training and or SA Sailing requirements in place at that time)

Compliance and Validity

• Safeguarding Personal Clearance is only valid once all six requirements are approved
• Clearance status must be recorded and tracked within the SA Sailing system
• Renewal may be required:
  • At set intervals (e.g., 2–3 years)
  • Upon role change
  • If safeguarding concerns arise

Failure to obtain or maintain SPC will result in ineligibility to participate in any regulated SA Sailing activities involving participants.