The Dorset County Football Association's Welfare Officer is Louise Butcher who can be contacted on 07903 574700 or email: louise.butcher@dorsetfa.com
RATIONALE
Every child, or young person, defined as any person under the age of 18, 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, thus every Club is required to endorse and adhere to the Associations Safeguarding Policy.
The Dorset Football Association recognizes its responsibility to safeguard the welfare of all children and young people by protecting them from physical, sexual or emotional harm and from neglect and bullying. The Dorset FA is committed to working to provide a safe environment for all children and young people to participate in the sport to the best of their abilities for as long as they choose to do so. The Safeguarding Children Policy is supported by The FA’s RESPECT programme to address verbal abuse and bullying of youngsters by parents and coaches on the sidelines.
It is determined to meet its obligation to ensure that those clubs and organizations providing football opportunities for children and young people do so to the highest possible standard of care.
Clear practices and procedures, in addition to a detailed training programme already under way, will ensure that everyone knows exactly what is expected of them in relation to the protection of children and young people within our sport.
POLICY STATEMENT
It is essential that those children attracted to and participating in football do so in a quality, safe and enjoyable environment.
In striving to attain this, The Dorset Football Association has the following objectives:
1. All bodies affiliated to The Football Association as Charter Standard Organisations, affiliated through the County Associations, which provide the opportunity to work with children up to the age of eighteen must include in their rules a policy statement on child protection.
2. Each and every Club with youth teams must ensure every volunteer who has unsupervised access to children must undertake a CRB disclosure via The FA CRB unit.
3. To provide ongoing development and training to all organisations as mentioned
above.
4. To work in conjunction with Discipline to ensure a joined up approach.
5. To provide ongoing development and training:
* for members of The Football Association Coaches Association
* as an integral part of all Football Association Coach and Medical Education Courses and Courses for Referees
* Club Welfare Officers
* through the County Football Association structure
* through the process of attaining and maintaining the Charter Standard Award.
AIMS
The aims of The Dorset F.A. Safeguarding Children Policy are:
* To develop a positive pro-active policy to protect all children and young people who play football, enabling them to participate in an enjoyable and safe environment.
* To deliver quality assured Safeguarding Children Training and build a network of tutors to facilitate this delivery, in conjunction with, and supported by, the NSPCC.
* To demonstrate best practice in the area of Safeguarding Children.
* To promote ethics and high standards in football.
PRINCIPLES
The key principles which underpin this Policy are that:
* The child's welfare is paramount
* All children 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 their parents/carers is essential for the
Protection of children. Children’s Services Departments have a statutory responsibility
to ensure the welfare of children. The Dorset Football Association and the F.A Coaches
Association are committed to working together with the Police, Children’s services Departments, and Local Safeguarding Children Boards (LSCB) in accordance with their
procedures. This is essential to enable these organisations to carry out their statutory duties to investigate concerns and protect all children and young people.
Safeguarding Children – Regulations as defined in The Football Association Handbook
1. Any act, statement, conduct or other matter which harms a child or children, or poses or may pose a risk of harm to a child or children, shall constitute behaviour which is improper and brings the game into disrepute.
2. In these Regulations the expression “Offence” shall mean any one or more of the offences contained in the Schedules of the Criminal Justice and Court Services Act 2000 and any other criminal offence which reasonably causes The Association to believe that the person accused of the offence poses or may pose a risk of harm to a child or children.
3. Upon receipt by The Association of:-
3.1 notification that an individual has been charged with an Offence; or
3.2 notification that an individual is the subject of an investigation by the Police, social services or any other authority relating to an Offence; or
3.3 any other information which causes The Association reasonably to believe that a person poses or may pose a risk of harm to a child or children then The Association shall have the power to order that the individual be suspended from all or any specific football activity for such period and on such terms and conditions as it thinks fit.
4. In reaching its determination as to whether an order under Regulation 2 should be made The Association shall give consideration, inter alia, to the following factors:-
4.1 whether a child is or children are or may be at risk of harm;
4.2 whether the matters are of a serious nature;
4.3 whether an order is necessary or desirable to allow the conduct of any investigation by The Association or any other authority or body to proceed unimpeded.
5. The period of an order referred to in 2 above shall not be capable of lasting beyond the date upon which any charge under the Rules of The Association or any Offence is decided or brought to an end.
6. Where an order is imposed on an individual under Regulation 2 above, The Association shall bring and conclude any proceedings under the Rules of The Association against the person relating to the matters as soon as reasonably practicable.
7. Where a person is convicted or is made the subject of a caution in respect of an Offence, that shall constitute a breach of the Rules of The Association and The Association shall have the power to order the suspension of the person from all or any specific football for such period (including indefinitely) and on such terms and conditions as it thinks fit.
8. For the purposes of these Regulations, The Association shall act through its Council or any committee or sub-committee thereof, including the Board.
9. Notification in writing of an order referred to above shall be given to the person concerned and/or any club with which he is associated as soon as reasonably practicable