Safeguarding
Safeguarding & Welfare
Child Exploitation And Online Protection Centre
What is CEOP?
The Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) Centre is dedicated to eradicating the sexual abuse of children. The CEOP Centre is part of UK policing and very much about tracking and bringing offenders to account either directly or in partnership with local and international forces.
To report abuse to the CEOP Centre, click on the icon below:
Senior Welfare Officer Club Welfare Officer
Terry Donovan Amanda Hordon
t: 07956401449 t: 07507331281
The Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP) work with safeguarding and child protection partners across the UK and overseas.
It protects children from harm online and offline with a focus on child sexual exploitation and online protection issues.
If you work with children and young people or are a parent and want to know more about keeping children safe online, you can use CEOP’s Thinkuknow education resources.
If you are worried that someone has acted inappropriately towards your child or another child you may know or work with, you can report this. This may include things like sexualised chat, being asked to meet up, or being asked to do something that made the child feel uncomfortable.
Any member of the public – whether a child, parent or professional – can report a concern about child sexual abuse or online exploitation to our CEOP safety centre. All reports are assessed and responded to by CEOP’s specialist Child Protection Advisors. If a police response is necessary, it would be conducted in partnership with your local police force.
Please remember that if a child or young person is in immediate danger then always call 999.
Click Here to access the full FA Guidance in relation to safe guarding.
Kent FA Safeguarding Strategy
The Kent FA has also published its new safeguarding strategy, which sets out a joined-up ambition to build an ever-safer culture at every level of football in this country and details how this will be achieved over the next three years.
Click here to access the Kent FA Safeguarding Strategy.
National Safeguarding Weekend 1st/2nd October 2022
Play Safe is football’s national campaign to focus attention on the vital importance of safeguarding in our national game.
Thank you for all of your collective efforts regarding the planned Play Safe Weekend on Saturday and Sunday 1 and 2 October 2022, helping drive greater awareness of the safeguarding practice and culture in your club or organisation.
The campaign is officially supported by the NSPCC as well as the Premier League, EFL, Barclays Women’s Super League and Barclays Women’s Championship. It’s also being backed by every other level of the game across England.
This year’s focus remains on the key role of parents/carers in safeguarding, with two main messages being conveyed:
• Are you aware of the vital safeguarding role you play in football?
• Please take the new, short and free safeguarding course specifically developed for parents/carers, which can be accessed here.
Importantly, encouragement to take the new course has come from FASSSAG – The FA’s Survivor Support and Safeguarding Advisory Group:
“We have inputted into the course and helped frame its key messages from our collective experiences. It’s vitally important to us that every parent/carer understands the role they need to play in football. Taking this course can make a real difference – we are asking every parent/carer to commit to help ensure football is ever-safer.”
The support of FASSSAG has been welcomed by FA chief executive Mark Bullingham, himself a parent and youth football coach.
“The FASSSAG has been important in helping us create our new strategy moving forwards and we really appreciate their input into the new course. I have taken the new course and encourage all parents/carers across football to take it too.
“Ultimately, safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility. We all need to ensure that everyone involved in football – particularly children and young people – has a consistently safe and positive experience of our great game. Play Safe reminds everyone of that responsibility and keeps safeguarding front of mind, which is exactly where it should be.”
Michelle North, Service Head of the NSPCC’s Child Protection in Sport Unit (CPSU), said: “Children and young people have a right to enjoy all sports including football with the confidence they will be safe. Everyone involved in sport has a role to play in preventing abuse, and so we’re pleased The FA is putting a spotlight on safeguarding in football through the Play Safe weekend, which runs ahead of our own Keeping Your Child Safe in Sport Week 3-9 October.
“We know from our experience that parents and carers can play a crucial role – and we’d encourage anyone whose children play football to check out the new online course. If anyone who has concerns about the safety of a child they can call the NSPCC FA-designated helpline on 0808 800 5000.”
To help all parts of football support Play Safe 2022, various digital and print resources are being distributed as well as links to two short films, which you’ll see on this page from the Play Safe weekend onwards.
As FA head of safeguarding Sue Ravenlaw says: “Play Safe demonstrates that across the game we are all united in the intent to keep children and young people safe in football.
“As adults it’s essential that we all work together – including with parents/carers – to create positive football settings where children thrive and feel confident to speak up if they are not feeling ok.
“Backing the Play Safe campaign gives clubs and leagues a particular moment, early in the season, to talk with parents/carers, players, coaches, managers, first aiders and spectators and reinforce their safeguarding practice and what’s expected of everyone involved.
“There are robust reporting systems in place across the game and The FA has a professional Safeguarding Case Management team. The Premier League and EFL Safeguarding Standards, as well as the Safeguarding 365 Standard for County FAs, emphasise the everyday place safeguarding has in football. Premier League and EFL clubs and County FAs, are independently assessed to ensure safer working practice is continuously evolving across the country.
“Play Safe naturally aligns with and shows our support for the NSPCC’s Keeping Your Child Safe in Sport Week campaign.”
So whatever your role in football – whether an active participant or an administrator – please remember safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility.
For example:
If you’re a coach working with children:
• Is your DBS Check up to date?
• Are you up to date with The FA’s ‘Safeguarding Children’ course?
• Do you regularly check-in with your players and help them to feel safe to share their thoughts and speak up about any concerns?
• Are you following safe practice when communicating with under-18s for example via social media and in your coaching sessions?
If you’re a board or committee member at a club or league:
• Have you taken or refreshed The FA’s ‘Safeguarding for Committee’ members’ course?
• Does your club have a formal welcome process for new players and their parents/carers?
• Are all your club’s safeguarding policies and procedures up to date?
• Are your club welfare officers contact details widely available?
• Is safeguarding a constant item on your main meeting agendas and in your club’s day-to-day practices?
• Does your club encourage openness and ensure that members adhere to the codes of conduct and acceptable behaviours?
If you’re a parent/carer:
• Do you know your child’s club welfare officer?
• If so, do you have their telephone number in your phone, as well as that of the NSPCC?
• Are you up to speed with your child’s club’s safeguarding policies and procedures?
• Have you taken The FA’s free online ‘Safeguarding Awareness for Parents/Carers’ course?
• Do you regularly check-in with your child to see what they are enjoying/not enjoying and why?
If you’re a club or league welfare officer:
• Do you know who your County FA Designated Safeguarding Officer is?
• If so, do you have their telephone number in your phone?
• Have you reviewed your club’s or league’s safeguarding policies and procedures recently?
• Are you proactively encouraging parents/carers to do the free FA ‘Safeguarding Awareness for Parents/Carers’ course?
For more information on the safeguarding framework The FA has in place, together with numerous helpful guidance notes, please click here.
If you are worried about a child, it’s vital you report your concerns. Doing nothing is not an option. It’s also important you stay calm, and if any child is present, reassure them they are not to blame. But don’t make promises of confidentiality or outcome.
There are five ways to report a concern:
1. To your club or league designated safeguarding officer – please find out from your club who these people are;
2. To your County FA designated safeguarding officer. Click here for a list of County FA contacts;
3. By emailing The FA safeguarding team at [email protected];
4. If urgent and you cannot contact your club, league or County FA designated safeguarding officer, you can contact the NSPCC Helpline for expert advice and support on 0808 800 5000 or [email protected];
5. If it is an emergency because a child or children are at immediate risk, then call the Police or children’s social care in your area.
Fleetdown United FC Safeguarding Children Policy
Fleetdown United Football Club acknowledges its responsibility to safeguard the welfare of every child and young person who has been entrusted to its care and is committed to working to provide a safe environment for all members. A child or young person is anyone under the age of 18 engaged in any club football activity. We subscribe to The Football Association’s (The FA) Safeguarding Children – Policy and Procedures and endorse and adopt the Policy Statement contained in that document.
The key principles of The FA Safeguarding Children Policy are that:
- the child’s welfare is, and must always be, the paramount consideration
- all suspicions and allegations of abuse will be taken seriously and responded to swiftly and appropriately
- all children and young people have a right to be protected from abuse regardless of their age, gender, disability, race, sexual orientation, faith or belief
- working in partnership with other organisations, children and young people and their parents/carers is essential.
We acknowledge 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 poor practice and abuse. Fleetdown United Football Club recognises that this is the responsibility of every adult involved in our club.
Fleetdown United Football Club has a role to play in safeguarding the welfare of all children and young people by protecting them from physical, sexual or emotional harm and from neglect or bullying. It is noted and accepted that The Football Association’s Safeguarding Children Regulations (see The FA Handbook) applies to everyone in football whether in a paid or voluntary capacity. This means whether you are a volunteer, match official, helper on club tours, football coach, club official or medical staff.
We endorse and adopt The FA’s Responsible Recruitment guidelines for recruiting volunteers and we will:
- specify what the role is and what tasks it involves
- request identification documents
- as a minimum meet and chat with the applicant(s) and where possible interview people before appointing them
- ask for and follow up with 2 references before appointing someone
- where eligible require an FA accepted Enhanced Criminal Record Check (CRC) with Barring List Check in line with current FA policy and regulations
All current Fleetdown United Football Club members working in eligible roles, with children and young people – such as managers and coaches are required to hold an in-date FA accepted Enhanced CRC with Barring List check as part of responsible recruitment practice.
If there are concerns regarding the appropriateness of an individual who is already involved or who has approached us to become part of Fleetdown united Football Club guidance will be sought from The Football Association. It is noted and accepted that The FA will consider the relevance and significance of the information obtained via the CRC Process and that all suitability decisions will be made in accordance with legislation and in the best interests of children and young people.
It is accepted that The FA aims to prevent people with a history of relevant and significant offending from having contact with children or young people and the opportunity to influence policies or practice with children or young people. This is to prevent direct sexual or physical harm to children and to minimise the risk of ‘grooming’ within football.
Fleetdown United Football Club supports The FA’s Whistle Blowing Policy. Any adult or young person with concerns about an adult in a position of trust with football can ‘whistle blow’ by contacting The FA Safeguarding Team on 0800 169 1863, by writing to The FA Case Manager at The Football Association, Wembley Stadium, PO Box 1966, London SW1P 9EQ, by emailing [email protected] or alternatively by going direct to the Police, Children’s Social Care or the NSPCC.
Fleetdown United Football Club encourages everyone to know about The FA’s Whistle Blowing Policy and to utilise it if necessary.
Fleetdown United Football Club has appointed a Club Welfare Officer in line with The FA’s role profile and required completion of the Safeguarding Children and Welfare Officers Workshop. The post holder will be involved with Welfare Officer training provided by The FA and/or County FA. The Club Welfare Officer is the first point of contact for all club members regarding concerns about the welfare of any child or young person. The Club Welfare Officer will liaise directly with the County FA (CFA) Welfare Officer and will be familiar with the procedures for referring any concerns. They will also play a proactive role in increasing awareness of Respect, poor practice and abuse amongst club members.
We acknowledge and endorse The FA’s identification of bullying as a category of abuse. Bullying of any kind is not acceptable at our club. If bullying does occur, all players or parents/carers should be able to tell and know that incidents will be dealt with promptly. Incidents need to be reported to the Club Welfare Officer in cases of serious bullying the CFA Welfare Officer may be contacted.
Respect codes of conduct for Players, Parents/Spectators, Officials and Coaches have been implemented by Fleetdown United Football Club. In order to validate these Respect codes of conduct the club has clear actions it will take regarding repeated or serious misconduct at club level and acknowledges the possibility of potential sanctions which may be implemented by the County FA in more serious circumstances.
Reporting your concerns about the welfare of a child or young person. Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility if you are worried about a child it is important that you report your concerns – no action is not an option.
1.If you are worried about a child then you need to report your concerns to the Club Welfare Officer.
2.If the issue is one of poor practice the Club Welfare Officer will either:
- deal with the matter themselves or
- seek advice from the CFA Welfare Officer
3.If the concern is more serious – possible child abuse, where possible, contact the CFA Welfare Officer first, then immediately contact the Police or Children’s Social Care.
4.If the child needs immediate medical treatment take them to a hospital or call an ambulance and tell them this is a child protection concern. Let your Club Welfare Officer know what action you have taken, they in turn will inform the CFA Welfare Officer.
5.If at any time you are not able to contact your Club Welfare Officer or the matter is clearly serious then you can either:
- contact your CFA Welfare Officer directly
- contact The FA Safeguarding Team on 0800 169 1863 or [email protected]
- contact the Police or Children’s Social Care
- call the NSPCC 24 hour Helpline for advice on 0808 800 5000 or text 88858 or email [email protected]
The FA’s Safeguarding Children Policy and Procedures are available via – www.TheFA.com/football-rules-governance/safeguarding – click on ‘Raising Awareness – Best Practice Downloads’, the Policy and Procedures document is within the resources area. The policy outlines in detail what to do if you are concerned about the welfare of a child and includes flow diagrams which describe this process. How to make a referral is also covered in the Safeguarding Children workshop. Participants are given the opportunity to discuss how this feels and how best they can prepare themselves to deal with such a situation. For more information on this workshop contact your County Welfare Officer.
Further advice on Safeguarding Children matters can be obtained from:
Senior Welfare Officer Club Welfare Officer
Terry Donovan Amanda Hordon
t: 07956401449 t: 07507331281