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Avon Athletic J.F.C, Child Protection Policy
It is essential that the CWO is perceived as being approachable, having a child-centred approach and the ability to maintain this perspective when carrying out their role.
Avon Athletics J.F.C acknowledges its responsibilities 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 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 that document.
The key principles of The F.A child protection policy are that :
• The childs 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. Avon Athletics J.F.C recognises that this is the responsibility of every adult involved in our club.
Avon Athletics J.F.C 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 and bullying.
It is noted and accepted that The Football Association’s child protection regulation (see The FA Handbook) 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 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 an FA CRB Unit Enhanced Disclosure where appropriate in line with FA guidelines.
All current Avon Athletics J.F.C members 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 Avon Athletics J.F.C 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 the 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.
Avon Athletics J.F.C 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. Avon Athletics J.F.C encourages everyone to know about it and utilise it if necessary.
Avon Athletics J.F.C has appointed a Club Welfare Officer (C.W.O) 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 Child Welfare Officer 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 County Football Association Child Protection Officer 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 or 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 Child Welfare Officer, a Member of the committee, or, in cases of serious bullying contact the County Football Association Child Protection Officer.
Codes of conduct for players, parents or spectators, officials and coaches, have been implemented by Avon Athletics J.F.C.
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 or the CFA in more serious circumstances. All prospective members will be informed of these codes.
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Policy for Safeguarding Children’s Welfare and Best Practice
Avon Athletics is a Junior Football Club that was founded in the Bristol area in 1975. The Club has been at the grassroots of football ever since.
Since this date the Club has seen thousands of young people play football for the club. Some of these young people have gone onto play at a higher standard of football and some becoming professional football players.
Avon Athletics J.F.C prides itself on its professional approach to the coaching of young people in football and setting very high standards in the care and welfare of those young people.
Avon Athletics J.F.C endorses and fully supports the FA. Guidelines on Child Protection and Best Practice. These guidelines are for all Club Officials, Parents, Guardians and most importantly the children and young people in the care of the Club.
Child abuse is a very emotive subject and we would all like to think that it doesn’t occur. Sadly it does and in all walks of life including the football arena, people’s perception of child abuse is that it’s only sexual, its NOT, it takes on many forms.
Below are the forms of child abuse, a Child is any person under the age of 18 years. Child abuse takes many forms and these guidelines will focus all these forms of abuse, in the football and social environment.
TYPES OF ABUSE
• Neglect.
• Emotional Abuse.
• Bullying.
• Physical Abuse.
• Sexual Abuse.
Neglect
This form of abuse occurs if adults fail to meet a child’s basic physical needs. In football, neglect can occur where children are left alone, inadequately supervised, exposed to danger or injury, playing in extreme weather conditions. Failing to check playing surfaces for dangerous items and players playing without shin guards or playing with an injury can also amount to neglect.
What To Look For :
• Poor personal hygiene
• Constantly hungry.
• Inappropriate clothing or dress.
• Constantly tired.
• No parental support or interest.
Emotional Abuse
This from of abuse includes racist, sexist, taunting, threatening or sarcastic behaviour. In football this abuse occurs where players are constantly criticised, humiliated or an abuse of power by managers or coaches who impose unrealistic pressure to perform to a high standard.
What To Look For :
• Extremes of emotions.
• Over reaction to mistakes.
• Introverted behaviour.
• Cowering & Flinching when spoken to.
Bullying
Bullying can be verbal and physical abuse. Bullying generally occurs between children when adults are not present. This can include name-calling, constant taunting, racist, sexist or homophobic remarks or gestures. In football this can occur where a parent pushes too hard and expects too much of their child or a coach or manager who has a win-at-all-cost policy.
What To Look For :
• Isolation from the group.
• Cowering & Flinching when spoken to.
• Failure to attend regular training sessions.
• General unhappiness.
• Attempts to hide injuries.
Physical Abuse
This form of abuse includes any physically assault (hitting) of a child or young person, no matter how minor. In football this type of abuse can occur with inappropriate training methods for the relevant age groups. The nature and intensity of training exceeds the capacity of a child’s body. Encouragement to consume alcohol or to take drugs.
What To Look For :
• Unexplained or untreated injuries.
• Injuries on unlikely or unusual parts of the body.
• Cigarette burns, bites, belt marks or scalds.
• Fear of parents being contacted, going home or receiving medical advice.
• Refusal to discuss injury.
• Covering of arms or legs.
Sexual Abuse
This form of abuse includes sexual intercourse, masturbation or fondling. Exposure to pornographic material, sexually explicit video text messages, language and jokes. Within football it can also include inappropriate touching of children and young people, i.e in the changing rooms after a match or training.
What To Look For :
• Pain, itching, bruising or bleeding to genital area.
• Stomach pains.
• Discomfort when walking.
• Unexplained sources of money.
• Inappropriate sexual drawings / language / behaviour.
• Aggressive, withdrawn or fear of one person.
You may not have seen any physical evidence of injuries or had any disclosure made to you. It is NOT your responsibility to decide if it is abuse. It is your responsibility to act on your concerns and do something about it.
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Code of Conduct
Avon Athletic J.F.C fully supports equal opportunities for all and respects the rights of all children, regardless of their age, culture, gender, disability, language, racial origin, religious beliefs or sexual identity. The expectations of the Club are to encourage all persons involved with it, managers, coaches, players, parents, guardians, and spectators to behave in a proper and professional manner.
Avon Athletics J.F.C volunteers will discharge their duties in a proper and professional manner, treating all children in their care with respect, dignity and complying with the Clubs guidelines for safeguarding children’s welfare and best practice.
The Club will not tolerate any Racist, Sexist or Homophobic language or abuse, either on or off the pitch.
Players on the pitch, at training or on the sidelines will always display fair play to team mates, the opposition, referees, officials, qualified or none qualified. Swearing, encouragement of foul or dirty play, bullying and any other form of abuse will not be tolerated and will be dealt with severely by the Club.
Any decision made by referees, officials, qualified or none qualified in any match is final and absolute.
Verbal barracking of referees, officials, qualified or none qualified, by players, managers, coaches, parents, guardians and spectators will not be tolerated.
Any bona fide complaint / appeal about poor decisions by referees, officials, qualified or none qualified will be conducted in a proper and professional manner. In the first instance by way of a written report supporting the complaint / appeal to the club secretary.
Any reported incident of any of the above can and will be subject of a management committee investigation and subsequently disciplinary action. If offenders are found guilty the Club punishment will be severe, this may result in not only suspension or dismissal from the Club, it may also result in a criminal allegation being made against you.
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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 7454649.
President : Mr Geoff Mead
Chairperson : Mr Steve Bryant
Vice Chairperson : Mr Trevor Hays
Secretary : Mr David Andrews
Club Welfare Officer : Mr Nick Husher