Child Protection Procedure

Child Protection Procedures
Child Protection Policy Stockport County Football Club 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 children and young people with whom they come into contact. 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 polciy statement contained in that 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 a right to be protected from abuse regardless of their age, gender, disability, culture, language, racial origin,religious beliefs or sexual orientation All suspicions and allegations of abuse 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 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. Stockport County Football Club recognises that this is the responsibility of every adult involved in our club. Stockport County Football Club has a role to play 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. We endorse and adopt The FA’s child protection and best practice guidelines for recruitment and will: Develop a role profile Request identification documents As a minimum meet and chat with the applicant (s) and conduct interviews before appointing Require and FA CRB Unit Enhanced Disclosure where appropriate in line with FA guidelines All current Stockport County Football Club staff and volunteers with direct access to children and young people will be required to complete a CRB Enhanced Disclosure via The FA CRB Unit. If there are concerns regarding the appropriateness of an individual who is already involved or who has approached us to become part of Stockport County Football Club 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 CRB 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. Stockport County Football Club 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 or at The Football Association, 25 Soho Square, London W1D 4FA or by going direct to the police, social services, or the NSPCC. Stockport County Football Club encourages everyone to know about it and utilise it if necessary. Stockport County Football Club has appointed a Club Welfare Officer (CWO) in line with The FA’s role profile and required completion of the child protection and best practice workshop. The post holderwill be involved with designated person’s training provided by The FA. The CWO 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 an awareness of poor practice and abuse amongst club members. We 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 Club Welfare Officer. Codes of conduct for players, parents or spectators, officials and coaches have been implemented by Stockport County Football Club. 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 implemened by leagues or the CFA in more serious circumstances. All prospective members will be informed of these codes. Further advice on child protection matters can be obtained from The County Football Association’s Child Protection Officer, whose details can be found in the County Handbook The Football Association/NSPCC Child Protection 24 hour helpline 0808 800 5000 · www.TheFA.com/GOAL · The FA child protection team 0207 745 4649 Child Protection Procedures Responsibility Stockport County Football Club will subscribe to The Football Association’s Child Protection and best practice policy and shall appoint a Club Welfare Officer who shall have responsibility for all aspects of the Club’s work relating to Child Protection Recruitment The Club will endorse and adopt a rigorous Recruitment Policy in line with The FA’s Safeguarding Children best practice guidelines for recruitment of staff and volunteers who will have direct contact with children and young people. These will include: Issuing a role profile Requesting identification documents Conducting interviews Requesting and following up two references Requiring an FA CRB Unit Enhanced Disclosure Accepting the decisions of the FA in respect of the relevance and significance of the information obtained via the Enhanced CRB disclosure All staff and volunteers who will have direct contact with children and young people will be required to attend the FA ‘Safeguarding Children’ Workshop. All staff and volunteers will be required to abide by the Codes of Conduct issued by the Club All issues or concerns relating to Child Protection must be referred to the Club Welfare Officer. All matters referred of a Child Protection nature will be taken seriously and dealt with promptly. For matters of a more serious nature the Club will liaise directly with the relevant Child Protection Agencies in respect of referring any concerns.

Child Protection Procedures

Child Protection Policy

Stockport County Football Club 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 children and young people with whom they come into contact. 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 polciy statement contained in that 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 a right to be protected from abuse regardless of their age, gender, disability, culture, language, racial origin,religious beliefs or sexual orientation
All suspicions and allegations of abuse 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

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. Stockport County Football Club recognises that this is the responsibility of every adult involved in our club.

Stockport County Football Club has a role to play 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.

We endorse and adopt The FA’s child protection and best practice guidelines for recruitment and will:

Develop a role profile
Request identification documents
As a minimum meet and chat with the applicant (s) and conduct interviews before appointing
Require and FA CRB Unit Enhanced Disclosure where appropriate in line with FA guidelines

All current Stockport County Football Club staff and volunteers with direct access to children and young people will be required to complete a CRB Enhanced Disclosure via The FA CRB Unit. If there are concerns regarding the appropriateness of an individual who is already involved or who has approached us to become part of Stockport County Football Club 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 CRB 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.

Stockport County Football Club 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 or at The Football Association, 25 Soho Square, London W1D 4FA or by going direct to the police, social services, or the NSPCC. Stockport County Football Club encourages everyone to know about it and utilise it if necessary.

Stockport County Football Club has appointed a Club Welfare Officer (CWO) in line with The FA’s role profile and required completion of the child protection and best practice workshop. The post holderwill be involved with designated person’s training provided by The FA. The CWO 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 an awareness of poor practice and abuse amongst club members.

We 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 Club Welfare Officer.

Codes of conduct for players, parents or spectators, officials and coaches have been implemented by Stockport County Football Club.

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 implemened by leagues or the CFA in more serious circumstances. All prospective members will be informed of these codes.

Further advice on child protection matters can be obtained from

The County Football Association’s Child Protection Officer, whose details can be found in the County Handbook
The Football Association/NSPCC Child Protection 24 hour helpline

0808 800 5000

· www.TheFA.com/GOAL

· The FA child protection team 0207 745 4649

Child Protection Procedures

Responsibility

Stockport County Football Club will subscribe to The Football Association’s Child Protection and best practice policy and shall appoint a Club Welfare Officer who shall have responsibility for all aspects of the Club’s work relating to Child Protection

Recruitment

The Club will endorse and adopt a rigorous Recruitment Policy in line with The FA’s Safeguarding Children best practice guidelines for recruitment of staff and volunteers who will have direct contact with children and young people. These will include:

Issuing a role profile
Requesting identification documents
Conducting interviews
Requesting and following up two references
Requiring an FA CRB Unit Enhanced Disclosure
Accepting the decisions of the FA in respect of the relevance and significance of the information obtained via the Enhanced CRB disclosure

All staff and volunteers who will have direct contact with children and young people will be required to attend the FA ‘Safeguarding Children’ Workshop.
All staff and volunteers will be required to abide by the Codes of Conduct issued by the Club
All issues or concerns relating to Child Protection must be referred to the Club Welfare Officer.
All matters referred of a Child Protection nature will be taken seriously and dealt with promptly.
For matters of a more serious nature the Club will liaise directly with the relevant Child Protection Agencies in respect of referring any concerns.