Stronger Affiliation

Dear Club

Please see important information below regarding minimum Swim England affiliation requirements coming into effect.

What is Stronger Affiliation?

Swim England is bringing in new guidelines for its affiliated clubs in a bid to show they have the highest standards of safe and effective practice in place.

The Stronger Affiliation process is being introduced so new and existing members know clubs are well run and their personnel have the necessary safeguarding checks in place to ensure members’ safety. For further information please visit – https://www.swimming.org/swimengland/stronger-affiliation-process/

What will it mean for my club?

If your club is already SwimMark accredited, you just need to maintain your accreditation.

Clubs who have not completed SwimMark will have to provide six pieces of evidence to stay affiliated to Swim England on an annual basis. The six pieces of evidence are:

1. Approved Club Constitution
2. Risk Assessments
3. Club Personnel Record (to include qualifications, valid DBS and approved Safeguarding training) – including information on the Coaching & Teaching Register
4. Safeguarding and Protecting Children and Time to Listen certificates for the Club Welfare Officer.
5. Welfare Officer compliance statement
6. Club Chair compliance statement

If a club provides all of the above information, then they will be compliant for Swim England changes in 2021. Further guidance is included in the attached ‘Stronger Affiliation Matrix’ document.

Failure to meet this new minimum standard of compliance will result in a club being suspended temporarily or permanently at the beginning of 2021. 

What are the next steps for my club?

All clubs that are currently SwimMark accredited will not have to provide the six pieces of evidence as they have already met this standard as part of their SwimMark process. However, this is under the proviso that their SwimMark accreditation is maintained.

Clubs who do not have the SwimMark accreditation will need to complete the Stronger Affiliation process. The next online live webinar to demonstrate how clubs can complete the Stronger Affiliation process will be held on:

• Monday 18^th May, 7pm-8.30pm

To book your space, please email clubdevelopment@swimming.org providing your name, club name and your position within the club. You will then be emailed a link to access the live webinar.

This is currently the last Stronger Affiliation webinar the South West region have scheduled however we will consider scheduling further webinars based on demand.

When is the deadline for completion?

All non SwimMark clubs will be able to submit evidence for Stronger Affiliation to an online from 1^st June 2020 and all evidence will need to be uploaded by 16^th November 2020 so this can be checked and approved by the region ahead of the national deadline 1^st  December 2020.