December 2011

If any licensed technical officials would like to officiate at North West Region competitions in 2012 (where all expenses are paid) please contact Keith Chisholm for an application form - this should be returned to Mark Davies (NWR officials coordinator) at marko@worldonline.co.uk
The competitions are:

Sat February 25                      ASANWR Long Distance Masters Championships                       Blackpool
Sat May 5/Sun 6                     ASANWR Youth Championships                                                 Manchester or Liverpool
Sat June 2/Sun 3                     ASANWR Age Group Championships                                          Manchester
Sat June 9/Sun 10                   ASANWR Age Group Championships                                          Manchester
Sat June 30                            ASANWR Masters Championships                                               Blackpool
Sat October 20                       ASANWR Disability Development Meet                                       Liverpool
Sat December 1/Sun 2            ASANWR Regional (Winter) Championships                                Manchester


October 2010

Technical Officials and CRB checking

Question: Do officials require a CRB check for their role?

Answer: A list of roles within swimming and their risk category was provided in Wavepower 2009/11, section 2, page 41.  All the roles listed as risk grade 1 (high risk) require a mandatory CRB enhanced disclosure in accordance with the ASA Child Safeguarding Policy and Procedures. The roles listed as risk grade 2 (medium risk) include the Technical Official roles such as a timekeeper or referee.  Medium risk specifies that level 2 roles may give the possible opportunity for one to one contact with a child or groups of children capable of building a relationship of trust. 

In accordance with CRB guidance most officials will not require a CRB check.  This is because officials are generally not required in their role to talk to children and young people whilst they are officiating.  If a child approaches an official to ask a question or request assistance they should be directed to the appropriate coach, poolside helper or chaperone.  If a referee needs to speak to a child this should always be done through or with the child's coach.  Therefore the opportunity for the official to have one to one or group contact is not present.

Officials may in some cases have to use the same changing rooms as the children and young people to change into their "whites" and shoes.   An official does not require a CRB check due to the fact that they may have to use the same changing facilities as the children and young people.

 In many circumstances officials will have changed into their "whites" prior to arrival at the pool or the children and young people will have vacated the changing rooms for warm-up sessions prior to the arrival of officials and some venues may also be able to provide a separate room for officials if this is required.  The ASA does have a Changing Room Policy and clubs should adhere to this guidance when running events or general club sessions. 

In some cases officials may have a dual role within a club e.g. an official at a club timed training session/championship may not only be officiating they may also be communicating with the children on their performance overlapping into a poolside helper role.  If an official is acting beyond their role the Welfare Officer will need to assess whether the additional duties bring the official into a risk grade 1 requiring a mandatory CRB check.   If Welfare Officers are unsure whether a CRB is required they can contact the CRB Coordinator for clarification.

If clubs require further guidance on the above please contact the ASA CRB Coordinator with your enquiry at crb@swimming.org

September 2010

Licensed Officials

From 1st September 2010 all English Meets licensed at levels 1 and level 2 (including county and regional championships) requires that all Judges, that is Judge 1 and above, must be Licensed Officials.

From 1st September 2011 the minimum qualification is that all officials (including timekeepers) at levels 1 and level 2 (including county and regional championships) must be licensed at Judge 1.

Currently Cumbria has 27 licensed officials  - not all of whom are active for county championships; some of these officials will need to be re-licensed during 2011. 

It is possible to check that all your qualifications are recorded on the central database correctly. Use the link below and type in your membership number or surname to do the basic membership check:
http://www.swimmingresults.org/customerservices/membershipcheck/index.php

Use the member options to enable you to see additional information and choose if you wish others to be able to view any additional information. You should be able to see all your qualifications and what mandatory CPD courses such as the FINA Rules Update and Contemporary Issues module you have attended in order to maintain your official's licence.

The FINA Rules Update, Contemporary Issues must be recorded on the database to enable you to re-license. If for any reason these or any other qualifications are missing from your records please contact Jane Davies on jane.davies@swimming.org

If you experience any problems logging-in to view your qualifications this is most likely because the email address held on the central database does not match the address you are currently using. The email address used by the membership check is the one submitted via your club registration officer included with the the annual return. It may or may not be the same one you have chosen to receive swimming officials news or other swimming publications.  If you change your email address or move house please ensure that you advise your club registration officer so that your details can be updated.
 
Re-licensing

Officials are licensed for the highest qualification they have achieved. However, the role of the Starter is the exception to the rule. If you have qualified as a Starter/Judge 2S then you need to ensure that you have worked as a Starter on at least two occasions during the four year period of your licence if you wish to continue to be a licensed Starter. 

Approximately 2 months before your licence expires you will receive a reminder together with the renewal form.  This form will need to be completed and returned together with a new photograph.  You can submit your photograph online.  There is a renewal fee £5.00 however Cumbria has agreed to pay licensing fees via ASA North West Region. 

As mentioned above you will need to ensure that you have undertaken the 2009 FINA Rules Update and the Contemporary Issues module before you can renew your licence. Attendance at these modules is being recorded centrally and will be checked before renewal can take place.

Following the renewal process a new licence card will be issued. This will be valid for 4 years from the date at which your current licence expires.