Lawford Junior FC

Child Protection Policy

Lawford Junior F.C has adopted the F.A Child Protection Policy and in conjunction with this policy, Managers/Coaches (from this point referred to as Managers) follow the guidelines of the FA Child Protection Procedures and Practices Handbook.

Both documents are freely available for download at: http://www.thefa.com/TheFA/GOALChildProtection/Downloads/

Background

The F.A Child Protection Procedures and Practices Handbook places a clear responsibility on Clubs to ensure that they safeguard and promote the welfare of all children.

Child Protection is a responsibly accepted by the Club and has appointed a Child Welfare Officer, Dawn Duchars (01206 397303), who is the designated person responsible for child protection matters.

The key responsibilities of this role are to:

Ensure that the F.A. child protection procedures are followed within the Club.
Ensure that all managers are aware of these procedures.
Ensure that appropriate training and support is provided.

Ensure that all Managers complete a Personal Disclosure form and are Police checked.
Decide whether to take further action about a particular concern, in conjunction with the appropriate manager. Report to the F.A/Social Services, where appropriate, any suspected cases of child abuse.

Club Procedures

If there is a concern about a child, the designated person must be informed, unless the designated person is the cause of that concern. In which case, the Chairman should be informed. The designated person (or Chairman) will then follow through the FA Child Protection Procedures.

The Club will not permit photographs, video or other images of young people to be taken or used without the prior consent of the parent/guardian and the young person. To that end, the Club will ensure that all the parents/guardians/young persons for a team have signed and returned the Parent/Guardian and Young Person Permission Form at the beginning of each season, before such permission is granted. 

Football activities of any nature, where Managers and young people are effectively unobserved, will be avoided at all times. This is good practice for the protection of both the Managers and young people. As an example, a training session will be cancelled if Managers are alone and no other parent/carer is in attendance.