Purton Football Club

Child Protection Policy

Index

1. Introduction
2. Forms of Abuse
3. What to look for
4. What to do if a child discloses abuse
5. You should always
6. You should never
7. You should avoid

1. Introduction

Purton Football Club (the Club) is committed to creating and preserving the safest possible environment for children to play football.

The Club recognises 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 abuse.

To this end the Club have appointed a "Child Protection Officer" to ensure the Football Association's child protection policies are adhered to.

The Child Protection Officer will have a working knowledge of Child Protection or will undertake any training as necessary.

The Child Protection Officer will provide Club Officials, managers and volunteers with Child Protection literature as deemed necessary and will be available to discuss any concerns.

The child Protection Officer will maintain confidentiality on a strictly "need to know" basis and store any relevant documents in a secure location.

The Child Protection Officer will immediately contact the Police, Social Services, The N.S.P.C.C, and the F.A Child Protection administrator of any possible abuse occurring within the Club.

The Child Protection Officer will regularly attend club matches, training and managers meetings.

The Club will ensure to the best of its abilities that no person who has committed an offence under any one or more of the offences contained in Schedule 1 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933 and any other criminal offence which reasonably causes the club to believe that the person poses or may pose a risk of harm to a child or young person.

It is the duty of all Club Officials, Team Managers, Coaches and any other individuals directly or indirectly involved with the club or teams playing within the club to be aware of and help prevent the abuse which children can suffer; neglect, physical, sexual and emotional.

The Club accepts children's welfare is paramount and all children, whatever their age, culture, disability, gender or religious belief, have the right to protection from abuse. All suspicions and allegations of abuse will be taken seriously and responded to swiftly and appropriately. 

The Club acknowledges its roles and responsiblities towards every child and young person who has been entrusted to its care.

We subscribe to the Child Protection Procedures and practises conatined in the handbook published by the Football Association in November 2000, and endorse and adopt the Policy Statement contained in that document.

"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 proctected from abuse. This is the responsibility of every adult invloved in football".

The Football Association recognise, however, that child abuse is an emotive and very 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 Football Association recognises its responsibilities to safeguard the wlefare of all children and young people by protecting them from physical, sexual or emotional harm and from neglect or bullying. It is determined to meets it obligations to ensure that those club and organisations providing football opportunities children and young people do so, to the highest possible standards of care. (Appendix 1 - The Football Association Regulation).

These procedures apply to anyone in football whether in a paid or voluntary capacity. For example, volunteers in clubs, referees, club officials, helpers on club tours, football coaches and medical staff.

The Football Association will consider, having taken advice, whether anyone who has a previous criminal conviction or caution for offences related to the abuse of children or young people, violence or any sexual offences should be excluded from working with children or young people.This position is reinforced by U.K. legislation and guidance.

Further advice on child protection matters can be obtained from:-

• The Football Association / NSPCC Child Protection 24 hour helpline 0808 800 5000
• The Wiltshire County Football Association's Child Protection Officer, who details can be found in the County handbook.

2. Forms of Abuse

Sexual:

• Boys and girls can be sexually abused. Abuse can include;
  • full sexual intercourse, masturbation, oral sex, fondling.
  • showing children pornographic books or videos or taking pornographic photographs or videos.

Physical:

• Physical injuries to children by hitting, shaking, squeezing, biting or burning. In football situations, as with all sports, physical abuse may occur when the nature and intensity of training exceeds the capacity of the child's body.

Neglect:

• Where adults fail to meet a child's basic physical needs. e.g. food, warmth and clothing.
• Constantly leave children alone and unsupervised.
• Fail or refuse to give children love, affection, or attention.
• Neglect in a football situation might occur if a coach fails to ensure children are safe or exposes them to extreme weather conditions or extremes of injury.

Emotional:

• Persistent lack of love or affection.
• Children frequently being shouted at or being taunted.
• Over protection leading to poor social skills.
• Emotional abuse in football may include situations where parents or coaches subject children to constant criticism, bullying or unrealistic pressure to perform to high expectations.

3. What to look for

• Pain, itching, bruising or bleeding in genital area.
• Stomach pains.
• Discomfort when walking.
• Unexplained sources of money.
• Inappropriate sexual drawings/language/behaviour.
• Aggressive, withdrawn or fear of one person.
• Unexplained or untreated injuries.
• Injuries on unlikely or unusual parts of the body.
• Cigarette burns, bite or belt marks, scalds.
• Fear of parents being contacted, going home or receiving medical advice.
• Flinching when touched.
• Refusal to discuss injury.
• Covering arms or legs.
• Poor personal hygiene.
• Constantly hungry.
• Inappropriate clothing or dress.
• Constantly tired.
• Lonely, no friends.
• Underweight.
• No parental support or interest.
• Disheveled appearance.
• Over reaction to mistakes.
• Sudden speech disorders.
• Extremes of emotions.
• Self mutilation.

There may not be any signs; you may just feel that 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.

4. What to do if a child discloses abuse

• Understand that this may be the only time the child has built up courage to tell someone what has happened.
• Stop what you are doing and respect the child's privacy.
• Stay calm and reassuring.
• Listen to what they tell you, tell them whatever the circumstances they are not to blame.
• Do not react in a way, which may add to the child's distress. e.g. anger or shock.
• Explain that you cannot promise to keep what the child tells you a secret, you may have to tell someone else.
• Do not question the child in depth; do not ask leading questions. i.e. questions that need a "yes" or "no" answer.
• Only ask questions to establish exactly what was done and who did it.
• Tell the child that you are pleased they decided to tell someone and that they are absolutely right to do so.
• Let the child know that you understand how difficult it is to talk about such experiences.
• Inform the Team Manager (unless implicated).
• Do not contact parents until you have received advice.
• Make an accurate record of the time and date and exactly what was said.
• Contact your Local Authority Child Protection Officer without delay.

5. You should always:

• Treat all players and children with respect and dignity befitting of their age, watch your language, tone of voice and where you put your body.

6. You should never:

• Engage in rough, physical or sexually provocative games including horseplay.
• Allow or engage in appropriate or intrusive touching of any kind.
• Allow children to use inappropriate language unchallenged.
• Make sexually suggestive comments to a child even in fun.
• Let allegations a child make go unchallenged or unrecorded, always act.
• Invade the privacy of children when they are changing, showering or going to the toilet.

7. You should avoid:

• Doing things of a personal nature that children can do for themselves e.g. help with changing.
• Spending excessive amounts of time alone with children away from others.
• Taking children alone on car journeys, however short.
• Taking children to your home.

Where any of these situations are unavoidable, first seek parental consent where possible. If unable to speak to the parents, always inform them of the circumstances as soon as practicable.

Club agreement with Child Safety Policy

Copyright © 2003 Purton Football Club. All rights reserved.