Safe, supportive coaching from qualified and experienced leaders
Creating a safe environment for young riders to learn and progress
Safety, welfare and your peace of mind
Sending your child off on trails with someone they’ve just met takes trust. We don’t take that lightly. Here’s everything you need to know about how we operate, what we ask of you, and what we put in place to keep every child safe.
BEFORE YOUR CHILD’S FIRST SESSION
- Complete the online registration and medical information form – filled out when you make your booking and sent with your booking confirmation
- Let us know about any medical conditions, allergies, or additional support needs
- Provide a current emergency contact number – someone who can be reached on the day – in more remote locations it is expected that the parent is near by, within 10-20 mins drive maximum please.
- Confirm consent for basic first aid to be administered if required
- Confirm your photo consent preference
We can’t take your child on a session without a completed registration form. If you failed to submit one when booking please get in touch. Please don’t leave it until the morning of session one, focus will be with the kids and not with paperwork.
COACH QUALIFICATIONS & CHECKS
All Dink Scotland coaches hold a current first aid certificate and are registered members of Disclosure Scotland’s PVG scheme. Our safeguarding lead is John McKenzie – if you have a concern, you can contact us directly at any time.
MEDICAL & MEDICATION
If your child has a condition that may affect their participation – asthma, epilepsy, diabetes, allergies, or anything else – please provide full details on the registration form. Any required medication must be clearly labelled with your child’s name, dosage, and instructions. Inhalers must be in your child’s bag at all times during the session.
We do not administer prescription medication. A responsible adult must be contactable and able to reach the venue quickly if urgent medication may be required.
Drop Off and Collection
Code of conduct
Our sessions are delivered in line with Scottish Cycling’s Code of Conduct for athletes, coaches, parents and supporters. By booking a session, you and your child agree to ride and behave in accordance with this code. You can read the full code at scottishcycling.org.uk.
We take the spirit of the code seriously. Aggressive, disrespectful, or unsafe behaviour from riders, parents, or supporters will be addressed directly. In serious cases this may result in a child being removed from a session.
Digital communications & Photo Policy
We communicate with parents and guardians – not directly with young riders – across all digital channels. Our WhatsApp Community is parent and guardian-facing. Coaches and volunteers do not message children privately on any platform.
We sometimes share photos and short clips from sessions on our social channels and website. You’ll be asked for explicit consent at registration – yes or no. If you say no, your child will not appear in any published content, this preference can be updated at any time by contacting us.
Weather & Cancellations
We ride in all weathers. Scotland’s conditions are part of what makes riding here worth it, and learning to handle them is part of what we teach. Sessions are only cancelled when weather poses a genuine safety risk – lightning, severe winds, or ice that makes trails dangerous regardless of ability. Rain, cold, and grey skies are not a cancellation.
If a session is cancelled, we will notify all booked participants via the WhatsApp Community by 8am on the morning of the session. If you haven’t heard from us, the session is going ahead. Dress for the conditions and we’ll see you there.