Support for Children and Young People involved in the discipline process

Introduction

We understand that being involved in a disciplinary process can be very overwhelming for our junior members. Maybe you are the victim, a witness or maybe you are being charged or under investigation. We want to make you  understand the process so that it is less daunting and worrying for you. 

If you find that you are worried about the process or just want to speak to someone about it, please talk to a trusted adult or let Basketball England know as soon as possible.

Steps in the discipline process

1. Basketball England are made aware of a report, or an allegation and they feel this would be best managed by the discipline team.
2. The Discipline team look into what has been reported and they may need to ask you some questions. They may also ask other people questions to try and understand what has happened. They won’t contact you directly, they will contact an appropriate adult (a parent/carer, or someone at your club), who will then speak to you and help you answer any questions
3. Once the discipline team have enough information, they will make a decision about what should happen next. Sometimes this is a letter about what can be learned, or a letter explaining the standard of behaviour expected in basketball. Sometimes, they may issue a charge – this means they think it might be more appropriate for the person to miss some games or to pay a fine. Fines are only issued to adults, not U18s.   
4. If the team think a charge is most appropriate and you are the person being charged, they will share the reason for the charge and explain why this is the most appropriate. It will usually be sent to your club and explained to you; in a way you understand.
5. If you have been charged, we understand that is worrying and we will always give you the opportunity respond to us. You can accept the charge, deny the charge and choose either a correspondence (written) or personal hearing. You will have the option to give us more evidence and information when you respond to us about your charge. This could explain what happened in more detail, or why you behaved in the way you did. If you learned anything from the incident, or feel sorry for what happened, it is useful to tell us. An adult will be helping with this step and explaining things to you. If you have any questions please ask, we are here to help everyone throughout the process.   
6. After you have told us any extra information, the charge is heard by a group called the Discipline Commission. The Commission is a group of usually three people, who have the right skills to look at all the information and evidence to work out what has happened. They have an important job in deciding if the charge is proven or not proven; a proven charge means that based on all of the information available, it is more likely than not that the unacceptable behaviour did happen. If it is proven, they will decide if there should be any suspension or other consequences (eg. doing a training session about behaviour).
7. There will be an opportunity to appeal. 

Adaptations available for those finding the process difficult

Basketball England recognise this process can be a worrying time for you and we do offer extra support and adaptations if you are finding this particularly difficult. We try to be as fair as possible, but it does mean there are limits to how flexible we can be. Please see how we can support:

• If you let us know the impact the case is having, we may be able to prioritise it and minimise any delays, so a resolution is reached more quickly. 
• We could offer updates, so you know what is happening and we encourage you to ask for updates if you’re worried or haven’t heard from us in a while.
• If you are the victim or a witness, you may stop your involvement in the process. This might limit any action that we can take, but we won’t pressure you to continue if it is impacting you. If any safeguarding concerns have been highlighted, we will still need to address those.

Emotional health and well-being support

Basketball England understand how tricky this process can be, and we want to ensure you are taking care of your emotional health and wellbeing. If you are struggling it is important to reach out for help, here are some options for you:

Parent or Carer - If you are feeling sad, worried or something just doesn’t feel right we encourage you to speak to your Mum, Dad or the grown ups that take care of you. They can listen to what is bothering you, support you through this process and ask other adults for extra help for you. You do not have to go through hard times alone, sharing how you feel is a brave thing to do.

GP – Your GP (that’s a doctor who helps people feel better again) can be a great person to talk to. You can tell them all about what is going on, and they will listen carefully, and they may give you some advice and help you manage your emotions better. We’d recommend you speaking to your parent or carer about how to make an appointment with your GP, they may be able to go with you, so you feel supported.

Mind – Mind is a charity that support people when they may be having a challenging time, feeling sad, overwhelmed or have nobody to speak to about how they are feeling. Mind support lots of people, including children and young adults by offering advice, sharing helpful information and resources and sign posting you to more support. Mind is a great service, they have support and resources specifically aimed at 11 – 18 year olds: www.mind.org.uk/for-young-people/

Child Line – Child Line is a place you can call if you feel sad or overwhelmed. It is run by lots of very kind adults who are there to listen and help you try and feel better. You can call them on 0800 1111 or you can chat to them online. You can remain anonymous and talk about anything big or small. 

Samaritans – Samaritans are helpful adults that will be able to listen to you if you’re experiencing lots of big emotions that you’re not sure how to manage. They will listen to you, without judging you or telling you what to do. You can call them on 116 123 or write to them using [email protected] - Contact Us | Samaritans

Club Welfare Officer – Your club will have a club welfare officer that you can talk to. Their role is to ensure that within basketball you are safe, happy and thriving. They are adults who are kind, calm and understanding who can signpost you to the correct place.

Basketball England – Basketball England are here to help you to. We are a team of understanding and kind adults who are willing to help, support and signpost you to other services to ensure you are supported. If you’d like to talk to us, please ask a grown-up to send us an email: [email protected]