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Please note: A PDF copy of this policy, including the relevant templates and forms, can be obtained by clicking here. Also available is the FA Child Protection Procedures and Practices Handbook which cab be obtained by clicking here, and, the FA Child Protection Policy which can be obtained by clicking here.
1.Introduction
This document provides details of the Child Protection Policy for The Worthys YFC. It is considered the cornerstone of the club’s commitment to developing a culture in which children and young people can participate in football in a safe and enjoyable environment.
The foundation for this document is the Football Associations Child Protection Policy document (Annex A) and the Football Associations Child Protection Procedures and Practices Handbook (Annex B)
2.Why a Child Protection Policy?
The Worthys YFC recognise that every child and young person who plays football should be able to participate in an enjoyable and safe environment and be protected from abuse. This is the responsibility of every adult involved in football.
The Worthys YFC also recognise, however, that child abuse is also a very emotive and difficult subject. It is important to understand the feelings involved but not to allow them to interfere with our judgement about any action to be taken.
The Worthys YFC recognises its’ responsibility to safeguard the welfare of all children and young people involved in the club by protecting them from physical, sexual or emotional harm and from neglect or bullying.
The Worthys YFC recognise the importance of having clear practices and procedures, in addition to a detailed training programme, to ensure that all members of the club knows exactly what is expected of them in relation to the protection of children and young people within the clubs activities.
The Worthys YFC is committed to meet its obligation to ensure that it provides football opportunities for children and young people do so, to the highest possible standard of care.
3.The Objectives of the Worthys YFC Child Protection Policy
The objectives of the Worthys Child Protection Policy are to:
- Develop a positive and pro-active position in order to best protect all children and young people who play football, enabling them to participate in an enjoyable and safe environment.
- Demonstrate best practice in the area of child protection
- Promote ethics and high standards throughout football
3.1 The key principles underpinning the Worthys YFC Child Protection Policy
The key principles underpinning The Worthys YFC’s Child Protection Policy are that:
- The child’s welfare is, and must always be, the paramount consideration
- All children and young people have a right to be protected from abuse regardless of their age, gender, disability, culture, language, racial origin, religious beliefs or sexual identity
- All suspicions and allegations of abuse will be taken seriously and responded to swiftly and appropriately
- Working in partnership with children and young people and their parents/carers is essential
3.2 What the Worthys Child Protection Policy covers
The Worthys YFC Child Protection Policy provides a simple code of practice and supporting procedures governing how the club runs. This covers:
- Recruitment of staff or volunteers who will be in contact with children
- The prevention of abuse of children whilst at in the clubs control
- What to do if abuse is alleged/suspected to have occurred, either at matches or during training session.
4.The Worthys YFC Child Protection Policy Statement
The Worthys YFC’s Policy Statement on Child Protection is as follows .
The Worthys YFC acknowledges its responsibility to safeguard the welfare of every child and young person who has been entrusted to its care and is committed to working to provide a safe environment for all its members. A child or young person is anyone under the age of 18 engaged in any club football activity. We subscribe to the Football Association’s child protection and best practice policy and procedures and endorse and adopt the policy statement contained in those documents (Annexes A and B of this document).
The key principles of The FA Child protection Policy are that:
- The child’s welfare is, and must always be, the paramount consideration.
- All children and young people have the right to be protected from abuse regardless of their age, culture, disability, gender, language, racial origin, religious belief and/or sexual identity.
- All suspicions and allegations of inappropriate behaviour will be taken seriously and responded to swiftly and appropriately.
- Working in partnership with other organisations, children and young people and their parents or carers is essential.
- As defined in the Children Act 1989, anyone under the age of 18 years should be considered as a child for the purposes of this document.
We acknowledge that every child or young person who plays or participates in football should be able to take part in an enjoyable and safe environment and be protected from poor practice and abuse.
The Worthys YFC recognises that this is the responsibility of adult involved in our club.
The Worthys YFC has a role to in safeguarding the welfare of all children and young people by protecting them from physical, sexual or emotional harm and from neglect or bullying. It is noted and accepted that the Football Association’s child protection regulation applies to everyone in football whether in a paid or voluntary capacity. This includes those who are a volunteer, match official, helper on club tours, football coach, club official or medical staff.
5. The Worthys YFC Child Protection Code of Practice and Procedures
The Worthys YFC Child Protection Policy provides the requirements for the:
- Recruitment (members, coaching staff and volunteers)
- Prevention of abuse
- What to do if abuse is suspected / alleged to have occurred
5.1 Recruitment (Members, coaching staff and volunteers
The Worthys YFC endorse and adopt the Football Associations Child protection and best practice guidelines for recruiting volunteers and will:
- Develop a role profile
- Request identification documents
- As a minimum meet and chat with the applicant(s) and where possible conduct interviews before appointing
- Request and follow-up with two references before appointing
- Require and FA CRB Unit Enhanced Disclosure where appropriate in line with FA guidelines.
All applications for work within the Worthys YFC will be subject to some form of scrutiny.
In the first instance an applicant will be required to complete a basic application form which has been designed to elicit information about the applicant’s suitability for the post applied for (See Templates A, B and C of this document, and The Worthys Recruitment Policy Document).
All current Worthys Football Club members with direct access to children and young people will be required to complete a CRB Enhanced Disclosure via The FA CRB Unit. The Worthys YFC will absorb the administration costs of providing completing this process.
If there are concerns regarding the appropriateness of an individual who is already involved or has approached us to become part of The Worthys YFC, guidance will be sought from The Football Association.
It is noted and accepted that The FA will consider the relevance and significance of the information obtained via the FA CRB Unit Enhanced Disclosure and that all decisions will be made in the best interests of children and young people.
It is accepted that The FA aims to prevent people with a history of relevant and significant offending from having contact with children or young people and the opportunity to influence policies or practice with children or young people. This is to prevent direct sexual or physical harm to children and to minimise the risk of ‘grooming’ within football.
5.2 Whistle blowing
The Worthys YFC supports The FA’s whistle blowing policy. Any adult or young person with concerns about a colleague can ‘whistle blow’ by contacting The FA child protection manager on 0207-745-4771, by writing to The FA case manager at The Football Association, 25 Soho Square, London, W1D 4FA or by going direct to the police, social services or the NSPCC.
The Worthys YFC encourage everyone to know about it and to utilise it if necessary.
5.3 Child Protection Officer
The Worthys YFC has appointed a Child Protection Officer (CPO) in line with The FA’s role profile and required completion of the child protection and best practice workshop. The post holder will be involved with designated person’s training provided by The FA. The CPO is the first point of contact for all club members and parents or guardians regarding concerns for the welfare of any child or young person. They will liaise directly with the CFA CPO and will be familiar with the procedures for referring any concerns. They will also play a proactive role in increasing the awareness of poor practice and abuse amongst club members.
The CPO will ensure that the Club has an up to date policy with procedures to support it; and that relevant club officials, coaches, members and volunteers understand the procedures and put them into practice; to receive reports of any concerns or allegations; in conjunction with the club Chairman, to decide on the appropriate action to be taken; to keep The FA informed as necessary.
5.4 Bullying
The Worthys YFC acknowledge and endorse The FA’s identification of bullying as a category of abuse. Bullying of any kind is not acceptable at our club. If bullying does occur, all players, parents or guardians should be able to tell and know that incidents will be dealt with promptly. Incidents need to be reported to the CPO, a member of the committee or, in cases of serious bullying contact the CFA CPO.
5.5 Codes of conduct
Codes of conduct for players, parents or spectators, officials and coaches have been implemented by The Worthys YFC.
In order to validate these codes of conduct the club has clear sanctions to deal with any misconduct at club level and acknowledges the possibility of potential sanctions which may be implemented by leagues of the CFA in more serious circumstances. All prospective members will be informed of these codes.
6.Prevention of abuse
Child abuse is a very difficult situation for club officials, coaches and volunteers. Having the right systems in place can help all concerned. Abusers have great difficulty operating in a well run organisation with good quality management and training.
Therefore, The Worthys YFC will ensure that:
- The work of the organisation minimises situations where the abuse of children can occur
- Appointing a member to fulfil the role of Child Protection Officer
- Train club officials, coaches and volunteers in the prevention of child abuse (See Template D for example training handout for staff and volunteers)
- Give all club officials, coaches, and volunteers clear roles
- Issue guidelines on how to deal with the discovery of abuse
7.Good Practice Guide for Club Officials, Coaches, Members and Volunteers
In order to reduce situations for abuse of children and help to club officials, coaches, members and volunteers from false allegations being made The Worthys YFC promote some common sense guidelines for everyone:
- Do not spend excessive amounts of time alone with children away from others
- Do not take children alone in a car on journeys, however short
- Do not take children to your home
Where any of these are unavoidable, club officials, coaches, members and volunteers are to ensure they only occur with the full knowledge and consent of someone in charge in the organisation or the child’s parents.
You should never:
- Engage in rough, physical or sexually provocative games, including horseplay
- allow or engage in inappropriate touching of any form
- allow children to use inappropriate language unchallenged
- make sexually suggestive comments to a child, even in fun
- let allegations a child makes go unchallenged or unrecorded; always act
- do things of a personal nature that children can do for themselves.
However, it may be sometimes necessary to do things of a personal nature for children, particularly if they are very young. These tasks should only be carried out with the full understanding and consent of parents. In an emergency situation, which requires this type of help, parents should be fully informed. In such situations, it is important to ensure all club officials, coaches, members and volunteers are sensitive to the child and undertake personal care tasks with the utmost discretion.
In addition, medical consent should be obtained in the event where medication or treatment is required to be administered in the absence of the parent/guardian; this includes hospitalisation. Such procedures would cover the organisation from accusations of neglect (See Template E).
7.1 What to do if abuse is suspected/alleged to have occurred
Club Officials and coaches
What should I do if there are allegations of abuse against a member of staff? (See Template F).
Although it is a sensitive and difficult issue, child abuse can occur and does occur outside the family setting. Child abuse has occurred within institutions and may occur in other settings. If a child has been abused in a public setting, other children will be involved.
Where there is an allegation of abuse against a member of staff, there may be three types of investigation:
- a criminal investigation
- a child protection investigation
- a disciplinary or misconduct investigation
The results of the police and social services investigation may well influence the disciplinary investigation, but not necessarily.
It is important that your organisation has a means to address misconduct. Disciplinary procedures should be in place.
It is important to understand that a member of staff reporting a case of child abuse, particularly by a colleague, may undergo a very high degree of stress, including feelings of guilt for having reported the matter. It is therefore important to ensure that appropriate counselling and support is available for staff in such a situation.
Coaches and Volunteers
What should I do if a child tells me s/he is being abused? (See Template G).
Always:
- stay calm - ensure the child is safe and feels safe
- show and tell the child that you are taking what s/he says seriously
- reassure the child and stress that s/he is not to blame
- be honest, explain you will have to tell someone else to help stop the alleged abuse
- make a note of what the child has said as soon as possible after the event
- maintain confidentiality - only tell others if it will help protect the child.
Never:
- rush into actions that may be inappropriate
- make promises you cannot keep
- ask inappropriate questions, which may jeopardise any impending police investigation
- take sole responsibility - consult someone else (the person in charge or someone you can trust) so you can begin to protect the child and gain support for yourself (See Template H).
Taking appropriate action if you are worried about abuse is never easy - it takes courage but it protects a young life.
You may be upset about what the child has said or you may worry about the consequences of your actions. Sometimes people worry about children being removed from their families as a result of abuse but in reality this rarely happens. However, one thing is certain - you cannot ignore it. The effects of abuse on children can be devastating, especially if children are left unprotected or do not receive help to cope with the abuse. The most serious effect is that children can and do die as a result of abuse. They can develop behavioural difficulties, problems at school, their development can be delayed and they can become depressed and withdrawn. Some of these problems, if left untreated, can persist into adulthood.
7.2 Recording information
When recording information, it is important that you do not carry the process beyond gathering information about the allegation, into beginning an investigation. Unnecessary interviews with child complainants could prejudice the integrity of evidence that may eventually have to be presented in court.
There are particular problems with regard to gaining information from children with limited communication skills. Care should be taken that appropriate means are used to find out what the allegation is about without “leading” the child.
The environment for recording information needs to be considered carefully. Try and ensure that you are in sight of another adult, but that your conversation won’t be overheard. You also need to be careful about physical contact during an interview because it may not be what the child wants. The rule is to let the child initiate any actions and to remain positive and supportive throughout (See Template H).
7.3 Recognising abuse
This section explains what child abuse is, how to recognise it and what to do if you have concerns.
What is child abuse?
Child abuse is a term used to describe ways in which children are harmed, usually by adults and often by people they know and trust. It refers to the damage done to a child’s physical or mental health. Children can be abused within or outside their family, at school and in a sports or community environment. Child abuse can take many forms:
θPhysical abuse where adults or other children:
- physically hurt or injure children (e.g. by hitting, shaking, squeezing, biting or burning)
- give children alcohol, inappropriate drugs or poison
- attempt to suffocate or drown children
- in sport situations, physical abuse might also occur when the nature and intensity of training exceeds the capacity of the child’s immature and growing body
θNeglect includes situations in which adults:
- fail to meet a child’s basic physical needs (e.g. for food, warm clothing, essential medication)
- consistently leave children alone and unsupervised
- fail or refuse to give children love, affection or attention
- neglect in a sports situation might also occur if a teacher or coach fails to ensure children are safe or exposes them to undue cold or risk of injury
θSexual abuse. Boys and girls are sexually abused when adults (male or female) or other young people use them to meet their own sexual needs. This could include:
- full sexual intercourse, masturbation, oral sex, fondling
- showing children pornographic books, photographs or videos, or taking pictures for pornographic purposes
- sport situations which involve physical contact (e.g. supporting or guiding children) could potentially create situations where sexual abuse may go unnoticed. Abusive situations may also occur if adults misuse their power over young people
θEmotional abuse can occur in a number of ways. For example, where:
- there is persistent lack of love or affection
- there is constant overprotection which prevents children from socialising
- children are frequently being shouted at or taunted
- there is neglect, physical or sexual abuse
- emotional abuse in sport might also include situations where parents or coaches subject children to constant criticism, bullying or unrealistic pressure to perform to high expectations.
θBullying
- Bullying may be seen as deliberately hurtful behaviour, usually repeated over a period of time, where it is difficult for those bullied to defend themselves. The bully may often be another young person.
- Although anyone can be a target of bullying, victims are typically shy, sensitive and perhaps anxious or insecure. Sometimes they are singled out for physical reasons - being overweight, physically small, having a disability or belonging to a different race, faith or culture.
7.4 How would you recognise if a child is being abused?
It is not always easy to spot when children have been abused even for the most experienced carers. However, some of the more typical symptoms, which should trigger your suspicions would include:
- Unexplained or suspicious injuries such as bruising, cuts or burns, particularly if situated on a part of the body not normally prone to such injuries
- sexually explicit language or actions
- a sudden change in behaviour (e.g. becoming very quiet, withdrawn or displaying sudden outbursts of temper)
- The child describes what appears to be an abusive act involving him/her
- a change observed over a long period of time (e.g. the child losing weight or becoming increasingly dirty or unkempt)
- a general distrust and avoidance of adults, especially with whom a close relationship would be expected
- an unreasonable reaction to normal physical contact
- difficulty in making friends or abnormal restrictions on socialising with others.
However, it is important to note that a child could be displaying some of all of these signs, or behaving in a way which is worrying - this does not necessarily mean the child is being abused. Similarly, there may not be any signs, you may just feel something is wrong.
If you are worried, it is NOT your responsibility to decide if it is abuse BUT it is your responsibility to act on your concerns and do something about it.
7.5 What should I do if I have concerns?
If you have noticed a change in the child’s behaviour, first talk to the parents or carers. It may be that something has happened, like a bereavement, which has caused the child to be unhappy. However, if your concerns are about sexual abuse or violence, talking to the parents or carers might put the child at greater risk.
If your concerns remain or you cannot talk to the parents/carers, consult your organisation’s designated Child Protection Coordinator, if appointed, or person in charge. It is the responsibility of this person to make the decision to contact the police (See Templates G and H).
8.Where to get further help
If you want to talk things through to gain some advice, you can phone the following 24 hour free telephone numbers. You do not have to give your name but it is helpful if you can.
The FA/NSPCC Child Protection 24-hour Helpline:
Tel: 0808 800 5000
Email: help@nspcc.org.uk
www.nspcc.org.uk
The FA Child Protection Team:
Tel: 0207-745-4909
Tel: 0207-745-4649
Email: goal@TheFA.com
Web: www.TheFA.com/Goal
The Hampshire FA
William Pickford House
8 Ashwood Gardens
Off Winchester Road
Southampton
So16 7PN
Tel: 023-8079-1110
General Information
General information is also available on the Child Protection in Sport Unit website:
www.sportprotects.org.uk.
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