A child flinches when a particular guest comes into the room. You have noticed it three times. You have no proof, you like your job, you are on a boat in the middle of the sea with the people involved, and there is a part of you that would very much like to have imagined it. This lesson exists for that moment.
The safeguarding duty
Anyone working with children has a duty to act on a concern about a child welfare. That duty does not pause because you are at sea, because the family is wealthy, because you signed an NDA, or because you are junior. A confidentiality agreement never overrides a safeguarding concern.
What you do - and what you do not
| Do | Do not |
|---|---|
| Record facts, in the childs own words where possible, with dates and times | Interpret, embellish, or write your opinions as findings |
| Report promptly to the captain, and to the yacht safeguarding or child-protection contact and the management company | Investigate. You are not an investigator. Do not question the child, do not gather evidence, do not confront anyone |
| Listen calmly if a child discloses something, and reassure them they did the right thing | Promise a child you will keep a secret. You cannot |
| Follow the yacht safeguarding policy and the reporting route | Discuss it with other crew, guests, or anyone outside the reporting chain |
| Keep the child safe and supervised in the meantime | Delay because you might be wrong. It is not your job to be sure |
The correct route is the captain and the yacht safeguarding/management chain. If the concern involves the captain, it goes to the management company or the designated safeguarding contact ashore. Know both routes before you need them.
Concerns are also about practice
Safeguarding is not only abuse. It includes a child being left unsupervised near water, a crew member behaving inappropriately, an unsafe sleeping arrangement, an untreated injury, or a parent overriding a safety rule. These are reportable too, and the mechanism is the same.
Your professional limits
- You do not diagnose, prescribe or medicate beyond a parents written instruction with medical advice.
- You do not perform first aid beyond your certification.
- You do not take responsibility for a number of children, an activity or an environment you cannot safely supervise. Saying "I cannot supervise three children in the water alone" is professionalism, not weakness.
- You do not photograph children, ever.
The closing word on this course
These xplor lessons are preparatory study only. They are not a childcare qualification and they are not paediatric first aid training. Before you take responsibility for a child at sea you must hold a recognised childcare qualification, a current practically assessed paediatric first aid certificate, and you must pass the background checks the family and the management company require. Learn the vessel own safety management system, medical guide and safeguarding policy on the boat you actually join.
Onboard Notes
If you are ever unsure whether something is a safeguarding concern, that uncertainty is your answer. Report it. The cost of raising a concern that turns out to be nothing is a difficult conversation. The cost of staying silent can be a child.