AFC DUNSTABLE CHILD PROTECTION POLICY

1.      AFC Dunstable believes that every child and young person who plays football should be able to participate in a safe and enjoyable environment and should be protected from abuse.  AFC Dunstable recognises its responsibility to safeguard all children and young persons, regardless of age, gender, colour and background. All officials, coaches, volunteers and spectators have a responsibility to protect children and young persons from physical, emotional and sexual abuse and from neglect and bullying.

2.      The club will enact practices and procedures based on current Football Association guidelines to ensure that club staff clearly know and understand what is expected of them in relation to the protection of children and young persons within football.     

3.      This policy and associated procedures applies to children and young persons up to and including 16 years of age. 

4.      It is recognised that child abuse is an emotive and often difficult subject.  All efforts will therefore be made to deal with any child protection issue in a caring and sensitive matter. 

5.      AFC Dunstable is committed to the following objectives:

·         To appoint one or more appropriately trained Child Welfare Officers.

·         To provide a clear, consistent and transparent operational policy on child protection.

·         To provide clear procedures for club members

·          and volunteers working with children and young persons.

·         To provide clear guidelines for the recruitment and selection of all club members.

·         To provide appropriate training and awareness for members and volunteers on child protection issues.

·         Safeguard the welfare of all children and young persons from any type of abuse.

·         Create safe enjoyable environments for all children and young persons to participate in football regardless of age, gender, disability, culture, racial origin, religious belief, or sexual identity.

·         Ensure that members and volunteers are effectively checked.

·         Ensure that club members in contact with players are adequately trained and kept up to date on child protection issues.

·         Where necessary prompt co-operation with nationally recognised organisations (e.g. NSPCC, Social Services, Police Forces, NCF, Area Child Protection Committees) on specific child protection matters.

·         Aim to provide best practice in child protection.

·         Promote high ethical standards, including fair play amongst all AFC Dunstable members and players.

AFC Dunstable Rules on Child Protection:

1                    Any act, statement, behaviour or matter that harms a child or young person, or poses risk of harm to a child or young person is deemed improper behaviour.

2                    Within the context of these rules the term “offence” shall mean any of the offences contained in schedule 1 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933, and any behaviour that AFC Dunstable believes poses or may pose a risk of harm to a child or young person.

3.                  Should AFC Dunstable receive notification of a charge of an offence against an individual, an investigation of an individual relating to an offence by any other authority, or information from any other source which leads AFC Dunstable to believe that an individual is, or poses a risk to a child or young person, then AFC Dunstable will suspend the individual from all activities with AFC Dunstable, under any terms and conditions deemed appropriate.  Decisions on suspension will be taken by the Club Management Committee.

4.                  AFC Dunstable upon deciding the seriousness of the offence shall duly inform and work in consultation with leading authorities, including the Police and Social Services.

5.                  AFC Dunstable shall bring and conclude any proceedings, under these rules, against an individual as soon as is practically possible, and these shall be in writing.

6.                  Where an individual is either convicted or issued with a caution in any respect of an offence, AFC Dunstable will terminate the person’s involvement with the club and will inform any relevant bodies and authorities.

7.                  AFC Dunstable will deal with all issues relating to these rules, including appeals against suspension or dismissal from the club.  Any appeals must be put in writing, stating the grounds and any evidence for appeal, at the earliest opportunity, and not beyond 2 weeks of any proceedings.  Appeals will be considered by the AFC Dunstable Management Committee, whose decision is final.

8.                  All unofficial photography and videoing at the club’s ground is forbidden.

Continuous vigilance will be exercised in respect of child protection. 

No matter what the circumstances, the child/player should, and must, come first.