Child Protection Policy

The aims of the Child Protection Policy are:

1. To develop a positive and pro-active position in order to best protect all children and young people who play football, enabling them to participate in an enjoyable and safe environment.

2. To demonstrate best practice in the area of child protection.

3. To promote ethics and high standards in all club activities.

The key principles underpinning this policy are:

1. The child's welfare is, and must always be, the paramount consideration.

2. 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 identity.

3. All suspicions and allegations of abuse will be taken seriously and responded to swiftly and appropriately.

The Woking Primary Schools Football Association fully endorses the Football Association Policy on Child Protection (A copy of which is available on the F.A. website: www.thefa.com

Being Open. Any contact with children should happen in a public place and with the parent's permission. Avoid situations where you are alone with one child - if you have to meet or coach one child, make sure you do so in an open environment. If you are travelling with a child, get the parents permission, avoid having one child alone with you in the car and never share a room on your own with a child.

Challenging poor practice, bullying, foul or provocative language or any controlling behaviour that upsets children or reduces them to tears. Never ignore bullying by parents, coaches or children. Listen to and support the person being bullied. Explain to the bully that this is unacceptable, demand an apology be made and help the bully to change his or her behaviour.

Maintaining an appropriate relationship with children. This means treating young people fairly and avoiding favouritism. It means being friendly and open and recognising when a relationship is becoming too close.

Respecting all young players and helping them to take responsibility for their own development and decision - making. Avoid unnecessary physical contact. Touching can be okay and appropriate as long as it is not intrusive or disturbing to the player. If there is need for physical contact, e.g. in guiding players into position on the training field or comforting a young player who is upset, be thoughtful. You should first ask the player's permission and be sensitive to their reaction and respond appropriately.

Being qualified and staying up to date. Make sure that your practice is appropriate for the age and development stage of each player.

Using best practice not only means protecting the child's welfare, it also protects the adult from possible wrongful allegations. Children very rarely make false allegations. If they do, it is usually because they are confused or covering up for someone else's abusive behaviour and hoping their action might scare the real abuser into stopping.

Encouraging young people. In creating positive relationships with young players god coaches, officials and mentors should help them to develop self - responsibility. Encourage the young player to:
a. Take responsibility
b. Make decisions and learn from their mistakes
c. Develop their leadership skills
d. Learn respect for each other

Changing the behaviour of people in an organisation involves what they think, what they feel, and how they act.

Most people resist change and see it as a threat to their normal lives

Many are afraid of change or deny the need to change

Attitudes and cultures are particularly resistant to change

Challenging the personal prejudice that has traditionally been part of football - this includes all the 'isms' such as racism and sexism

Confronting the widespread denial that child abuse happens in football

Challenging the acceptance of poor practice because it has been accepted for so long

Changing parental attitudes and reducing pressure on young players to achieve

Reviewing the traditional authoritarian coaching style and the language of bullying and verbal abuse

Encourage the philosophy of respect and openness and the belief that all players can have power to make their own decisions and take greater responsibility for their own development

The role of the Club Welfare Officer is:

To know who the County Child Protection Officer is and how to contact them

To refer any club child protection or poor practice concerns to the County Child Protection Officer

To seek advice from the FA/NSPCC Helpline if the County C.P.O. is unavailable or in circumstances of child protection urgency

To seek advice from local Services or the Police in an emergency

To encourage the club to discuss The F.A.'s Child protection and best practice guidelines

To advocate that the CRB Disclosure to be used as part of the safeguarding initiatives and encourage the club to make use of The F.A.'s CRB Unit

To identify those within the club that require a CRB Disclosure

To promote, support and encourage the benefits of the child protection and best practice education and awareness programme.

To organise a regular review of the Clubs Child Protection policy on a regular basis.

The Child Welfare Officer for the club is: Mr. Geoff Richards who can be contacted on 01932 352423 or 07960103842

The Football Association / NSPCC Child protection helpline can be contacted on 0808 800500