Safeguarding

Welcome to the Safeguarding page. If you would like further information or advice, please contact the FAW Safeguarding Team on 02920 435 830 or alternatively email your query to safeguarding@faw.co.uk.

The FAW Safeguarding Team is made up of:

Sara Williams, Lead Safeguarding Officer
Amy Protheroe, Safeguarding Admin Assistant
Lewis Richards, Compliance Admin Assistant

If the matter is serious/urgent, please contact NSPCC on 0808 800 5000 or contact the Police/Children's Services.

Or remember you can call CHILDLINE at any time (free and confidential) 0800 11 11

FAW SAFEGUARDING NEWSLETTERS

NEWS UPDATE

25/09/2012 - Reporting Procedures - Updated!

Please note that Section 4 of the FAW Safeguarding Policy, Procedures and Practices, which relates to Responding to Concerns, Allegations, Suspicions and Disclosures has now been updated. You will now find a more user-friendly and clearer guidance to responding, recording and reporting safeguarding matters, which includes new flow-diagrams. The Policy extract can be found below as well as the SG1 Safeguarding Incident Referral Form referred to throughout.

Note to Club Safeguarding Officers : With regards to cases of Poor Practice, regardless of whether the club's decsion has been appealed or not, please forward a copy of the SG1 Safeguarding Referral Form to your Area Safeguarding Officer as soon as possible. Please note that any suspected cases of abuse should be directly forwarded to the FAW Safeguarding Officer in the first instance. If the FAW Safeguarding Officer is unavailable, please contact the Police or Social Services directly (full list of contact details can be found below).

17/09/2012 - Best Safeguarding Board Competition Launched! - Closing Date October 30th 2012

As featured in the latest edition of our Safeguarding Newsletter (see above), the FAW Safeguarding Team has launched a "Best-Dressed Safeguarding Board" Competition for all junior football clubs in Wales. The best entry will win lots of FAW goodies as well as an unqiue training session for the club.

What to display on your "Safeguarding Board"?

• Promotion of Club Safeguarding Officer, contact details and responsibilities of the role (see "Know your CSO" download below)
• Details on how to report a concern
• Promotion of Club Safeguarding Policy & Equality Statement
• Promotion of other campaigns such as Anti-Bullying / Dealing with Cyber-Bullying / Tacking Side-line behaviour
• Details on where to find the FAW Safeguarding Policy, Procedures and Practices
• Promotion of Codes of Conduct, Travel Away Tips/Information etc
• Other relevant information for players, parents and coaches, including training times, fixtures

Ideas

• Make sure the information stands out / grabs people's attention
• Make sure it is colourful, fun, information is clear / easy to understand
• It could contain drawings / posters from the young players, feedback from young players as to what they enjoy / would like to see improved at your club

Your entry could be via submission of photos, a video, or report. A judging panel will choose the winner!

If your club does not have the necessary facilities to display a noticeboard, please feel free to send in entries as to other ways you promote the safeguarding message at your club. Perhaps through information contained on your club website?

Please send in your entries to Sara Williams, Safeguarding Officer, Football Association of Wales, 11/12 Neptune Court, Vanguard Way, Cardiff, CF24 5PJ or email swilliams@faw.co.uk

GOOD LUCK!

12/09/2012 - Protection of Freedoms Act 2012

Following our previous announcement on May 23rd 2012 regarding the passing of the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012, the FAW has now sought further guidance surrounding the impact of the Act and as a result has amended its internal procedures accordingly. More comprehensive information can be found in the document below, however please feel free to contact the FAW Safeguarding Team for further advice.

The first significant date for amendment is 10th September 2012 where the following will come into force :

• New definition of Regulated Activity
• Repeal of Controlled Activity
• Repeal of registration and continuous monitoring
• Repeal of additional information
• Introduction of 16 years olds as the minimum age at which someone can apply for a CRB check
• More rigorous ‘relevancy’ test for when police release information held locally on an enhanced CRB check

Further guidance can also be found on the Department of Education website : http://www.education.gov.uk/childrenandyoungpeople/safeguardingchildren/a00209802/disclosure-barring

or Home Office website : http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/crime/vetting-barring-scheme/

28/08/2012 - NEW FAW Codes of Conduct

Please find new versions of the FAW Codes of Conduct below. Feel free to download and distribute amongst young players, Parents/Guardians, and Coaches/Volunteers at your club and/or display on your club noticeboard.

22/08/2012 - Enhanced Identification Checking Guidelines - effective now!

The CRB have introduced enhancements to identity checking guidelines, with the intention of improving public protection. It is therefore important that FAW CRB Verifiers take note of these new guidelines and ensure that they are applied to all applications for a CRB check.

Further detailed information is provided below, including FAQs and case scenarios provided by the CRB.

Guidance notes will also be sent out to each FAW CRB Verifier with every CRB application pack requested.

If you are unsure as to your obligations under the new Identity Checking Guidelines, please contact the Safeguarding Team.

10/07/2012 - We Need You!

The Safeguarding Team are working towards achieving Level 3 of the NSPCC Standards for Safeguarding in Sports and it is integral to this that children are consulted with along the way. We are therefore very interested to hear from children themselves about their feelings and opinions on how they would like to be safeguarded in sports, their understanding of current practices and what is most important to them whilst participating in sports. Below is a Questionnaire which has been designed to gain the feedback of children from all over Wales who participate or have participated in football. We would be grateful if these could be distributed at your club / organisation / event and returned to the FAW Safeguarding Team by September 30th 2012, either by email : safeguarding@faw.co.uk / fax : 02920 496 953 or post : Safeguarding Team, Football Association of Wales, 11/12 Neptune Court, Vanguard Way, Cardiff, CF24 5PJ.

By completing the Questionnaire there is also a chance to WIN a signed Wales football! To enter, please include your details on the back of the form.

22/06/2012 - Club Accreditation - Amendments

In April 2012, the FAW Council approved some amendments to the FAW Club Accreditation Scheme. The main amendment is that the Scheme has progressed from an annual process to that of every 3 seasons. This means that clubs which were accredited and awarded a Standard level or higher in the 2011/2012 season, and have completed all outstanding aspects of their Action Plans, will now hold that accredited status until the end of the 2013/2014 season. All clubs that failed to meet last year's Accreditation requirements will be required to go through the process again when the window re-opens on October 1st 2012. Please see your local Football Development Officer for further details regarding the next steps for your club.

*** Please note that all clubs are still required to update the Junior Football Portal. The Portal will re-open to clubs at MIDNIGHT on 2nd September 2012 ***

The mentioned Goalpost Safety Guidelines can be found here -

23/05/2012 - The Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 received Royal Assent on 1st May 2012. It contains all of the new safeguarding and vetting requirements that will affect individuals in sport and recreation organisations who have contact with children and vulnerable adults. The legislation is now fixed and the new legal requirements are due to come into force in mid to late 2013 with statutory guidance being released by the Government later this year.

The FAW is currently taking advice and seeking further clarification regarding its obligations under the the new Act, and will soon undertake a review of its procedures. Please note however that for the time being all parties should continue to comply with the FAW CRB programme as usual. Any changes will be well-communicated through various means and in sufficient time to allow for clubs, leagues, Areas and all organisations affected to adjust to the new requirements.

Behind The Line - Are You Onside?

Everyone who takes part in football has the right to have fun in a safe environment. This relates to during and after a game, tournament or training session.

You should never be made to feel unhappy or uneasy when participating in football - whether by the coaches, the referees, spectators or other players.

You Have The Right To

• Be respected and treated fairly
• Not to be bullied or feel threatened
• Say NO! if you any uncomfortable with anything
• Have fun and enjoy football!

What Does This Mean?

If you are concerned about the way a coach, team manager, referee, spectator, another player or anyone involved in football is treating you or another - remember there is ALWAYS someone there who you can talk to and trust.

• Talk to your parent/carer or your Club Safeguarding Officer, who is there to help
• If there is no Club Safeguarding Officer or you are unable to contact them, tell an adult you trust or ask a friend to do this for you
• If you are uncomfortable with talking about your worries to someone in person, then why not visit a website or email someone that can offer you advice?

Know your CSO

CSO stands for Club Safeguarding Officer. In accordance with the FAW Club Accreditation Scheme every club must have a CSO in place, however not everyone at the club will necessarily know who this individual is. It is therefore important to openly publicise who your CSO is so that children and parents / carers know who to contact should they have any concerns.

How about downloading this form and displaying it on your Club's Noticeboard or place it in your Club's Welcome Pack?

NEW! Updated FAW Safeguarding Policy, Procedures and Practices

Stay Safe Online

The FAW is currently reviewing its Social Media Policy and will issue guidance on safe use of the internet in time for the 2012/13 season. There is however a lot of useful information for both parents / carers and children / young people available on the CEOP website - Think U Know.

Please click on this link for further information : www.thinkuknow.co.uk

Useful Links

For Safeguarding Children: Working Together under the Children Act 2004 (Welsh Government 2006) www.wales.gov.uk.

For the All Wales Child Protection Procedures 2008 www.awcpp.org.uk.

Useful Websites

CEOP www.thinkuknow.co.uk
Childline www.childline.org.uk
Bullying Online www.bullying.co.uk
Kidszone www.npscc.org.uk/kidszone
NSPCC www.There4me.com and www.worriedneed2talk.org.uk
Stop it now! www.stopitnow.org.uk
Kidscape www.kidscape.org.uk

Social Services' Contact Details

Criminal Records Bureau Checks

At present, those who are working or volunteering directly with children and young people in football need to have an FAW Enhanced Disclosure (CRB). This includes those who are teaching, training, instructing, supervising, caring, giving advice or guidance or treating or caring for children or driving children for the Club. In order to have a check, an individual’s involvement needs to be frequent. This is usually described as once a week or more, four days or more in one month or overnight although occasionally people with lower levels of contact may still need one

To obtain a CRB application form, please contact your Club Safeguarding Officer.

Guidance for Club Safeguarding Officers (CSOs)

In order to apply for CRB application forms the CSO must register as a Club Verifier, either directly with the FAW Safeguarding Team or alternatively with the Wales Council for Voluntary Action (WCVA) who process some applications on behalf of the FAW.

To register with the FAW Safeguarding Team; please complete (inc sign) the FAW Club Verifier Registration Form. This form must also be countersigned by your Club Secretary, or alternatively a Committee Member who can verify your position.

Please note we do not issue confirmation of receipt, however we will contact you if there is an issue with your application.

On each occasion you wish to request CRB application forms from the FAW you must detail the names of individuals requiring a CRB check on a CRB Request Form and submit to the FAW Safeguarding Team. If requesting CRB application forms for the first time, this can be submitted along with the FAW Club Verifier Registration Form.

FAW Junior Football Portal

As part of the Club Accreditation Scheme, every junior football club in Wales must upload their club details to the FAW Junior Football Portal. Each club may apply for up to 2 x logins to the Portal. This can be achieved by completing a Junior Football Portal Registration Form and submitting it to the FAW Safeguarding Team.

Please note there are Terms & Conditions of Use applicable to the Junior Football Portal (specified at login stage).

To access the Junior Football Portal, please follow this link : http://faw.first-sports.com/JuniorFootball/Login.aspx

All forms may be returned either via email (& scanned in where necessary) to : safeguarding@faw.co.uk : via fax to : 02920 496953 or via post to : FAW Safeguarding Team, 11/12 Neptune Court, Vanguard Way, Cardiff, CF24 5PJ.