What is this form for?
This form must only be used to report a safeguarding concern to the LTA. A safeguarding concern is one which relates to a young person under 18 or an adult at risk (as defined by the Care Act 2014). Everyone who is involved in tennis has a shared responsibility to promote the welfare of all children, young people and adults at risk. If you are worried about a safeguarding issue then please Say Something if you See Something.
If your concern relates to abuse of a child or adult at risk this would be investigated by the Safeguarding Team. If the report relates to a low-level concern, it may be that we use the report for recording/information purposes, or provide advice/support for the matter to be dealt with locally (i.e., county organisation or club).
If the concern is in relation to a misconduct matter or discrimination/D&I as opposed to safeguarding you should use the contact us form: https://helpcentre.lta.org.uk/help/s/contact-us
For other tennis enquiries, please visit our Help and FAQs or get in touch with our Customer Support Team.
What happens after the form is submitted?
Your concern will be sent directly to a secure system only accessible by the Safeguarding Team at the LTA. The Safeguarding Team are a team within the LTA dedicated to ensuring that all children, young people and adults at risk are kept safe in tennis and have an enjoyable tennis experience. Your concern will be treated in confidence and, whilst we have a duty to refer certain cases to the police or local authority, we will always try to do so with your consent. In some situations, you may be asked to complete a referral to the police or local authority, but if you are unable to do so, we will progress this. If you have any problems completing the form or are unsure of whether to report something, you can contact us at safeguarding@lta.org.uk.
Your concern will be managed by a trained safeguarding professional with experience in managing safeguarding cases in an empathetic and professional manner. We will always aim to get back to you within 24 hours of your concern being reported if reported within office hours (Monday – Friday 9-5). Outside of those hours we will usually respond on the next working day. If your concern is urgent or someone is at immediate risk of harm please call 999. If you are able to please provide your contact details so that we can obtain further information from you, if necessary.
After submitting your concern, you will receive a unique reference number - please keep a record of this. The LTA will use the personal information that you provide in accordance with the LTA’s privacy policy (as may be updated from time to time) and which is available here.
Support
Raising safeguarding concerns or those relating to abuse or neglect can be very difficult and distressing and deciding what the right thing to do is can be stressful. The LTA are here to support you and are keen to listen to any concerns you may have in relation to yourself or a child or adult at risk. If you would like some advice and support before contacting the LTA you can call the NSPCC on 0808 800 5000 or contact the police or your local authority. If you are a young person and you are worried about someone or indeed worried about reporting a concern you can also contact Childline on 0800 1111.
Emergencies
In an emergency and/or if you are concerned that someone is at immediate risk of harm, please call the police without delay on 999.