Child Safeguarding

Purpose​​
Our club is committed to ensuring the safety, wellbeing, and protection of all children participating in soccer activities.
 

Scope
Applies to:
- All children under 18 in our club
- All coaches, managers, committee members and volunteers
- All training sessions, matches, and events
 

Principles
- Child’s welfare comes first 
- Provide a safe, welcoming, and inclusive environment 
- Treat all children fairly, equally, and with respect 
- Adults are accountable for safeguarding 
 

Code of Conduct
All adults must:
- Respect children’s dignity and privacy 
- Avoid any form of abuse or bullying 
- Maintain professional boundaries 
- Report concerns immediately to the President
 

Recruitment
- New coaching/manager staff must have a child in the team, or a committee member can vouch for them.
- If the person is not known they will be interviewed
- A list of coach and who their child is will be kept by the committee.
 

Safe Environment
- Maintain safe facilities and equipment 
- Avoid isolated situations with children 
- “No unsupervised one-on-one” practices are implemented where possible
- Adjustments are made to ensure safe participation for all
 

Reporting Concerns
- Report any concerns to the President immediately 
- Keep confidential written records 
- Do not investigate allegations yourself 
- Incidents and near misses are recorded and reviewed
- Feedback from players, families, and staff is considered
 

Photography & Media
- Avoid using children’s full names with images publicly 
- Only approved platforms are used to communicate with children
- Parents/guardians are included in communications where appropriate
- Online interactions are monitored where possible
 

Health & Safety
- Children must be medically fit to participate 
- First aid kits to be available in every coach’s kit bag 
- Follow emergency procedures at all times
 

Working with Children Check
All coaches and managers must register in Play Football. When registering, coaches and managers can apply for a parent exemption (if they have a child under the age of 18 in the team) or an age exemption (if they themselves are under the age of 18). If they are not eligible for an exemption, they must upload a valid Working with Children Check.