INTRODUCTION

This policy brings together two really important themes for our children/young people; being fit and active and keeping safe.

Sport has a lot to offer to our children. Sports organisations reach a broad audience of children/young people. Sport can and does have a very powerful and positive influence on children/young people. It can provide valuable opportunities for success, enjoyment, achievement, personal and social development and the development of positive life skills. It can help develop their self-esteem, leadership and teamwork skills. It contributes to a healthy lifestyle by encouraging children’s/young people’s physical, mental and emotional wellbeing.

Sport can also provide children/young people with a role model, and a significant, trusted adult whom they can confide in. Having this trusted adult is very important to the welfare of many children. It helps promote their confidence, self-esteem, resilience and ability to manage difficult circumstances. It can promote positive outcomes for them. In all of these ways, sport protects and safeguards our children.

We also want to ensure, as much as possible, that our club is fun, friendly, safe and a positive place for the children who attend the club.

This policy aim is to ensure that all necessary steps are taken to protect the children/young people (all those under 18) who participate in grassroots football.

CHILD PROTECTION POLICY AND GUIDANCE

TYPES OF ABUSE AND NEGLECT AND THEIR RECOGNITION

The four main categories of abuse are physical, sexual, emotional abuse and neglect. Bullying can also be a category of abuse. The abuse, or possible abuse, of a child/young person may come to the attention in a variety of ways. There may be aspects of the child’s/young person’s behaviour or presentation that lead you to suspect that they may be at risk. These possible signs should be shared with your Named Child Protection Person. They may then decide to refer the child/young person to care agencies for further enquiries to be made.

The possible signs of abuse/neglect include:

Information given by the child/young person
Information reported by a concerned adult
Changes in the child’s/young person’s behaviour e.g. the child/young person suddenly becomes quiet, tearful, withdrawn or aggressive
Loss of weight
Eating problems, for instance, overeating or loss of appetite

Physical Abuse may involve hitting, shaking, throwing, poisoning, burning or scalding, drowning, suffocating, or otherwise causing physical harm to a child.
Physical harm may also be caused when a parent or carer fabricates the symptoms
of, or deliberately induces, illness in a child. In sport, this could mean forcing a child/young person to train beyond their capabilities.

Some possible signs of physical abuse are:

Unexplained injuries, for example, bruising, bite marks, burns and fractures, particularly if recurrent.
Improbable explanations are given for injuries.
Several different explanations are provided for an injury.
Refusal to discuss injuries.
Untreated injuries.
Withdrawal from physical

Sexual Abuse involves forcing or enticing a child or young person to take part in sexual activities, not necessarily involving a high level of violence, whether or not the child is aware of what is happening. The activities may involve physical contact, including assault by penetration (for example, rape or oral sex) or non-penetrative acts such as masturbation, kissing, rubbing and touching outside of clothing. They may also include non-contact activities, such as involving children in looking at, or in the production of, sexual images, watching sexual activities, encouraging children to behave in sexually inappropriate ways, or grooming a child in preparation for abuse (including via the Internet).

Sexual abuse is not solely perpetrated by adult males. Women can also commit acts of sexual abuse, as can other children.

In sports, this could involve inappropriate photography/videoing for the sexual gratification of the viewer.

Some possible signs of sexual abuse:

Acting in a sexually inappropriate for their age.
Continual or excessive masturbation.
Asking if you will keep a secret if they tell you.
Unexplained sources of money, sweets or presents.
Reluctance to changing for an activity.
Chronic ailments such as stomach aches or headaches.
Involving other children in sexual activity.
Self-harm

Emotional Abuse is the persistent emotional maltreatment of a child such as to cause severe and persistent adverse effects on the child’s emotional development. It may involve conveying to children that they are worthless or unloved, inadequate, or valued only insofar as they meet the needs of another person. It may include not giving the child opportunities to express their views, deliberately silencing them or ‘making fun’ of what they say or how they communicate. It may feature age or developmentally inappropriate expectations being imposed on children. These may include interactions that are beyond the child’s developmental capability, as well as overprotection and limitation of exploration and learning, or preventing the child from participating in normal social interaction. It may involve seeing or hearing the ill-treatment of another. It may involve serious bullying (including cyberbullying), causing children frequently to feel frightened or in danger, or the exploitation or corruption of children. Some level of emotional abuse is involved in all types of maltreatment of a child, though it may occur alone. In sports, this could involve constant criticism, name-calling, ridicule, sarcasm, bullying, or unrealistic expectations of parents/carers/coaches over what a child/young person can achieve.

Some possible signs of emotional abuse:

Withdrawal
Nervousness
Aggressive behaviour

Emotional abuse may be difficult to recognise as the signs are usually behavioural rather than physical. The manifestations of emotional abuse might also indicate the presence of other kinds of abuse.

Neglect is the persistent failure to meet a child’s basic physical and/or psychological needs, likely to result in the serious impairment of the child’s health or development. Neglect may occur during pregnancy as a result of maternal substance abuse. Once a child is born, neglect may involve a parent or carer failing to:

provide adequate food, clothing and shelter (including exclusion from home or abandonment);
protect a child from physical and emotional harm or danger;
ensure adequate supervision (including the use of inadequate caregivers); or
ensure access to appropriate medical care or treatment.

It may also include neglect of, or unresponsiveness to, a child’s basic emotional needs. In sports this could be when a child’s/young person’s personal or intimate requirements are ignored, not ensuring children/young people are safe, or exposed to cold, heat or unnecessary risk of injury.

Some possible signs of neglect:

Constant hunger
Poor personal hygiene
Constant tiredness
Poor state of clothing
Untreated medical problems
Compulsive eating
Scavenging

Bullying is the abuse and/or intimidation by a person, people or an organisation against another or others. It may be a specific act or it may be institutional. It is an abuse of a perceived power relationship. The bully in sports can also be the parent/carer who pushes too hard or the coach who adopts a win-at-all-costs philosophy. Children can also bully other children. Bullying may include verbal abuse and intimidation, acts of physical or sexual abuse and coercion, and e-bullying, through texting, filming on mobiles and posting on social networks. Whatever its form it is unacceptable within any club. It must be challenged and appropriately addressed.

Some possible signs of bullying:

Reluctance to attend activities previously enjoyed.
Tearfulness, depression, erratic emotions, loss of concentration.
Stomach aches, headaches, difficulty in sleeping, bed-wetting, bruising, cuts, scratches, damaged clothing, bingeing on food, alcohol or cigarettes.
Shortage of money, frequent loss of possessions.
Asks for money or starts stealing (to pay bully/ies).
Drop in performance.

These signs do not necessarily mean that a child has been abused. However, if you are concerned about the welfare of a child you must report it. Do not assume that someone else will help the child. They might not.

DISCLOSURES OF ABUSE – WHAT TO DO?

If a child makes a disclosure of abuse the following actions are to be taken:

React calmly so as not to frighten or deter the child / young person
Listen carefully to what the child / young person tells you without interrupting and take it seriously
Ask questions for clarification only. Avoid asking questions that suggest a particular answer
Do not stop a child / young person who is freely recalling significant events. Allow them to continue at their own pace.
Acknowledge how difficult it might have been for them to share this with you
Reassure them that they have done the right thing in telling
Tell the child / young person that they are not to blame
Never promise a child / young person that what they told you can be kept a secret. Explain to the child / young person that you have a responsibility for their safety and therefore have to tell somebody in authority. Let them know that there are others who can help them and that they are not alone
Tell them what you will do next and with whom the information will be shared
Ensure the safety of the child / young person
As soon as possible take care to record in writing what was said using the child’s own words. Record the date, time, setting, any names mentioned, to whom the information was given and other people present. Sign and date the record
Record any subsequent events and actions
It is not your responsibility to decide if a child has been abused. Any disclosure must be raised with the Welfare Officer and followed through appropriately

A child may recall former abuse once in a safe situation. Although they may be under no current threat to their safety, any disclosure must be raised with the Named Child Protection Person and followed through appropriately.

You may also have concerns about a child’s welfare where there has not been any disclosure or allegation. In the best interests of the child / young person, these concerns should be raised with the Welfare Officer and followed through appropriately.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

CLUB’s WELFARE OFFICER – THE NAMED CHILD PROTECTION PERSON

All organisations need to identify one person to be responsible for dealing with allegations or suspicions of abuse. If the club is small this person can be shared with other clubs or governing bodies. Having a Named Child Protection Person ensures that there is an informed point of contact in the club who can manage and advise on child protection issues. Everyone in the organisation should know who the Welfare Officer is and how to contact them.
It is not the role of the Welfare Officer to decide whether a child has been abused or not. This is the task of the COUNTY FA who have the legal responsibility. However, it is the responsibility of the Welfare Officer to ensure that concerns are shared and appropriate action taken.

VULNERABILITY OF SOME GROUPS OF CHILDREN - CARE OF DISABLED CHILDREN / YOUNG PEOPLE

Discuss and agree with the parent/carer and child/young person about the care they require and the physical contact that is necessary for them to participate in the activity
Communicate with the child / young person about what you are doing and give choices where possible, particularly if you are involved in dressing / undressing outer clothing or if lifting/assisting a disabled child / young person
Avoid taking on the responsibility of tasks for which you are not appropriately trained

BULLYING

Bullying is not always easy to define but includes deliberate hurtful behaviour, hostility and aggression towards a victim.

a victim who will often be weaker and less powerful than the bully or bullies - an outcome which is always painful and distressing for the victim
physical: pushing, kicking, hitting, pinching, poking or any other form of physical contact which is harmful to the victim, theft
verbal: name-calling, sarcasm, spreading rumours, persistent teasing, swearing
emotional: including, tormenting, ridicule, humiliation, isolation, sending hurtful text messages
emotional and verbal bullying can be more difficult to cope with or prove than physical bullying
racist: racial taunts, gestures, graffiti
sexual: unwanted physical contact, abusive sexual comments, sexual innuendos, graffiti
homophobic: taunts, teasing about the victim’s sexuality, gestures, spreading rumours, sexual innuendos, unwanted physical contact, graffiti
disability: taunts, gestures, graffiti, unwanted physical contact, teasing about the victim’s disability
e-bullying – texting, filming on mobiles, posting on social networks hurtful/humiliating content

Actions to prevent bullying:

take all signs of bullying very seriously
encourage children to speak and share their concerns
have a clear anti-bullying policy to which officers, volunteers, parents/carers, children/young people sign up to
improve supervision
hold Club discussions on bullying

If bullying occurs the club will:

take the problem seriously
investigate it
talk to the bullies and victims separately
decide on appropriate action

Responding to suspected bullying:

help the victim speak out
take action to ensure the victim is safe
inform parents/carers of the victim - hold a follow-up meeting with the victim and their families to report progress
talk to the bully to see if the allegation has any foundation, ideally not one-to-one
try to get the bully/ies to see the consequences of their behaviour
support/encourage bullies to change their behaviour and obtain an apology from the bully/ies to the victim
inform parents/carers of the bully/ies
insist on the return or replacement of any items ‘borrowed’, stolen or destroyed
impose appropriate sanctions against bully/ies in consultation with the parents/carers. These may result in the bully/ies being asked to leave the Club
hold a follow-up meeting with the bully/ies and their families to report progress
provide support to coaches of bullies and victim
inform relevant members of the Club about the incident and any action taken
keep a written record of incidents and actions taken
report any concerns to the Welfare Officer

RESPONDING TO ALLEGATIONS AGAINST A VOLUNTEER OR ANOTHER CHILD / YOUNG PERSON

As with any allegation of abuse, this information must be passed on to the Welfare Officer. If the allegation is against the Welfare Officer concerns should be reported to a senior club officer and County FA for advice on how to proceed
Fully support and protect any officer/volunteer who in good faith (without malicious intent) reports their concerns about a colleague’s practice or the possibility that a child/young person may be being abused. Officers/volunteers should be able to raise concerns confidentially if necessary
Ensure the safety of the child / young person

As a preventative measure, procedures should be in place for the safer recruitment of volunteers.

USE OF PHOTOGRAPHIC, VIDEO RECORDING, IMAGE RECORDING AND MOBILE PHONE CAMERA USE

It is not the intention to prevent parents/carers from taking pictures, but to ensure that photographic practices are monitored and to reduce the risks of inappropriate photography/filming.

No one is permitted to photograph or record images in the following areas

changing areas
toilet areas
First Aid room
locker rooms
Participants and parents/carers must be informed when a photographer is attending an event
Children’s / young people’s images will not be used for promotional or press releases unless parents/carers have consented
Unsupervised access to participants or one-to-one photo sessions is prohibited
Photo sessions outside club activities or at a participant’s home are not allowed. Personal details which might make a child / young person vulnerable, for example, address, email address, and phone number should never be revealed
Any concerns regarding inappropriate or intrusive photography/filming reported to, or observed by, club officers must be followed up by them with the person in question. If concerns persist this person can be requested to leave.
The use of video equipment is a legitimate coaching aid. Participants and parents/carers should be made aware that this is part of the coaching programme. Care must be taken in the storing of any coaching films.

TRIPS, TOURS AND HOLIDAY CLUBS

Travelling to away games and having trips away from home should be safe and fun for children. It should be a chance for them to grow in confidence, self-esteem and skills. Parents/carers will nearly always worry when their children are away but careful planning and preparation should help to ease their worries and demonstrate that you have taken into account the various needs of their children and the potential dangers of a trip away.

Adequate supervision must be provided if children / young people are taken on trips and tours. The children are over 7 years of age and thus there should always be 2 adults and a minimum of 1 adult to 10 children.
A lead officer must be nominated on transported trips
If parents and volunteers accompany any trip they will be under the direction of the lead officer
The use of parents shall not compromise staff/child ratios
Although parents/carers have a valuable and crucial role, they should not be left alone with children who are not their own
The lead officer must have registration forms, a full and up-to-date first aid kit, medical notes, medicines and a mobile phone
There should always be a qualified first-aider
Any hospital referrals must be relayed to parents/carers immediately
A complete list of all children and adults must be drawn up and heads counted on departure and arrival
All children should be seen to be picked up on return unless specifically told otherwise.
At no time should a child be handed over without full confirmation by the parent/carer
If a parent/carer fails to collect a child, two members of the club must be present and remain with the child / young person at all times. It is the duty of the lead officer to try and contact the parent/carer

Lost children

On suspicion of a lost child, the lead officer will conduct a roll call without alarming the
children
The lead officer and one other staff member will conduct a thorough search of the premises and immediate vicinity
Staff conducting the search and remaining staff must ensure a calm manner and normal routine will be conducted
If the child is not found, the Police and the child’s parent/carer will be contacted
The Welfare Officer will be informed
The relevant authorities will be informed
Volunteers will work closely with the Police and parents/carers to ensure all relevant information is made available to aid the safe recovery of the child.
The incident will be evaluated and fully discussed with all officers, Welfare Officer, Children’s Social Services and the Police
A full report will be produced
Procedures and policies will be reviewed and amended if necessary

GOOD PRACTICE

The following guidelines should be followed:
Treat all children / young people equally, with respect and dignity
Put the welfare of the child first, before winning or achieving goals
Make the Club safe, fun, enjoyable and promote fair play
Give enthusiastic and constructive feedback
Use positive discipline, not humiliation
All volunteers have access to training
Avoid situations where you may be alone with a child or group of children and are completely unobserved
Do not allow any physically rough or sexually provocative games or inappropriate talking or touching during any activity
All physical interactions between adults and children must be appropriate to the situation. If physical contact needs to be made, for example, supporting a child/young person during a particular training activity, the coach should always explain what they are going to do and why beforehand. Physical contact should be minimised and ceased as soon as it is safe to do so.

WHISTLEBLOWING POLICY

Gomersal & Cleckheaton FC takes whistleblowing seriously to promote a club culture of openness and accountability. We encourage all volunteers to raise concerns they may have about dangerous practices or serious risks as early as possible. We will respond appropriately to promote a safer club.

Raising a concern

We hope you will raise your concerns openly. However, we recognise that there may be circumstances when you would prefer to speak to someone in confidence first. You can access confidential advice from an independent body such as West Yorkshire Sport. If this is the case, please say so at the outset. If you ask us not to disclose your identity, we will not do so without your consent unless required by law. There may be times when we are unable to resolve a concern without revealing your identity, for example where your personal evidence is essential. In such cases, we will discuss with you whether and how the matter can best proceed.

How to raise a concern

If you are unsure about raising a concern at any stage you can get independent advice from West Yorkshire Sport, West Riding FA or The FA or the NSPCC Child Protection in Sport Unit. You do not need to have firm evidence before raising a concern. But we do ask that you explain as fully as you can the information or circumstances that gave rise to your concern.

Step one - If you have a concern about dangerous practice, serious risk or wrongdoing at work, raise it first with one of Gomersal & Cleckheaton FC’s Senior Officers, for example, Welfare Officer, Chair or Secretary. This may be done verbally or in writing.
Step two - If you feel unable to raise the matter with one of the officers named above for whatever reason, or if there is a problem with the Club, raise the matter with the West Riding County FA.
Step three - If these channels have been followed and you still have concerns, or if you feel that the matter is so serious that you cannot discuss it with any of the above, please contact:

Child Protection in Sport Unit (England) NSPCC 0116 234 7278 cpsu@nspcc.org.uk

How we will handle the matter

Once you have told us of your concern, we will assess it and consider what action may be appropriate. This may involve an informal review, an internal inquiry or a more formal investigation. We will tell you who will be handling the matter, how you can contact them, and what further assistance we may need from you. If requested, we will write to you summarising your concern setting out how we propose to handle it and provide a timeframe for feedback. If we have misunderstood the concern or there is any information missing let us know.

If you have any personal interest in the matter tell us at the outset. It is a disciplinary matter to victimise a bona fide whistle-blower and for someone to maliciously make a false allegation.

Whenever possible, we will give you feedback on the outcome of any investigation.

Gomersal & Cleckheaton F.C.

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