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Child Protection Policy (Part 2)
Responding to suspicions or allegations
It is not the resposibility of anyone working in Temple Association Football Club, in a paid
or unpaid capacity to take responsibilty or to decide whether or not child abuse has taken
place. However there is a responsibilty to act on any concerns through contact with the
appropriate authorities.
Temple Association Football Club will assure all staff/volunteers that it will fully support and
protect anyone, who in good faith reports his or her concern that a colleague is, or may be,
abusing a child.
Where there is a complaint against a member of staff there may be three types of
investigation
• A criminal investigation
• A child protection investigation
• A disciplinary or misconduct investigation
The results of the police and child protection investigation may well influence the
disciplinary investigation, but not necessarily.
Poor Practice
• If, following consideration, the allegation is clearly about poor practice the Club
Child Protection Officer will deal with it as a misconduct issue.
• If the allegation is about poor practice by the Club Child Protection Officer, or if the
matter has been handled inadequately and concerns remain, it should be reported
to the relevant Temple Association Football Club officer who will decide how to deal
with the allegation and whether or not to initiate disciplinary proceedings.
Suspected Abuse
• Any suspicion that a child has been abused by either a member of staff or a
volunteer should be reported to the Club Child Protection Officer, who will take such
steps as considered necessary to ensure the safety of the child in question and any
other child who may be at risk.
• The Club Child Protection Officer will refer the allegation to the social services
department who may involve the police, or go directly to the police if out-of-hours.
• The parents or carers of the child will be contacted as soon as possible following
advice from the social services department.
• The Club Child Protection Officer should also notify the relevant Temple Association
Football Club officer who in turn will inform the WRC Football Association Child
Protection Officer who will deal with any media enquiries.
• If the Club Child Protection Officer is the subject of the suspicion/allegation, the
report must be made to the appropriate Manager or in his/her absence the WRC
Football Association Child Protection Officer who will refer the allegation to
Social Services.
Confidentiality
Every effort should be made to ensure that confidentiality is maintained for all concerned.
Information should be handled and disseminated on a need to know basis only. This
includes the following people:
• The Club Child Protection Officer;
• The parents of the person who is alleged to have been abused;
• The person making the allegation;
• Social services/police;
• The WRC Football Association Regional Development Manager and WRC Football
Association Child Protection Officer;
• The alleged abuser (and parents if the alleged abuser is a child). *
* Seek social services advice on who should approach the alleged abuser.
Information should be stored in a secure place with limited access to designated people, in line
with data protection laws (e.g. that information is accurate, regularly updated, relevant and
secure).
Internal Enquiries and Suspension
• The Temple Association Football Club Child Protection Officer will make an immediate
decision about whether any individual accused of abuse should be temporarily
suspended pending further police and social services enquiries.
• Irrespective of the findings of the social services or police inquiries the Temple
Association Football Club Committee will assess all individual cases to decide whether
a member of staff or volunteer should be reinstated and how this can be sensitively
handled. This may be a difficult decision; particularly where there is insufficient
evidence to uphold any action by the police. In such cases, the Temple Association
Football Club Committee must reach a decision based upon the available information
which could suggest that on a balance of probability; it is more likely than not that
the allegation is true. The welfare of children should always remain paramount.
• If the person accused of abuse is under normal circumstances a member of the
Temple Associiation Football Club Committee, for the purposes of any enquiry,
he/she should be suspended from any Committee discussion.
Support to Deal with the Aftermath
• Consideration should be given about what support may be appropriate to children,
parents and members of staff. Use of help Lines, support groups and open meetings
will maintain an open culture and help the healing process. The British Association
for Counselling Directory available from The British Association for Counselling,
1 Regent Place, Rugby CV21 2PJ, Tel: 01788 550899, Fax: 01788 562189,
E-mail: bac@bac.co.uk, Internet: www.bac.co.uk may be a useful resource.
• Consideration should be given about what support may be appropriate to the alleged
perpetrator of the abuse.
Allegations of Previous Abuse
Allegations of abuse may be made some time after the event (e.g. by an adult who was
abused as a child or by a member of staff who is still currently working with children).
Where such an allegation is made, the club should follow the procedures as detailed above
and report the matter to the social services or police. This is because other children, either
within or outside sport, may be at risk from this person.
Anyone who has previous criminal conviction for offences related to abuse is automatically
excluded from working with children.
this is reinforced by the details of the Protection of Children Act 1999.
Action if Bullying is Suspected
The same procedure should be followed as set out in the Section relating to responding to
suspicions or allegations, if bullying is suspected. All settings in which children are
provided with services or are living away from home should have rigorously enforced
anti-bullying strategies in place.
Action to Help the Victim and Prevent Bullying in Sport
• Take all signs of bullying very seriously.
• Encourage all children to speak and share their concerns (It is believed that up to 12
children per year commit suicide as a result of bullying, so if anyone talks about or
threatens suicide, seek professional help immediately). Help the victim to speak out
and tell the person in charge or someone in authority. Create an open environment.
• Investigate all allegations and take action to ensure the victim is safe. Speak with
the victim and the bully(ies) seperately.
• Reassure the victim that you can be trusted and will help them, although you cannot
promise to tell no one else.
• Keep records of what is said (what happened, by whom, when).
• Report any concerns to the Club Child Protection Officer or the school (wherever the
bullying is occurring).
Action Towards the Bully(ies):
• Talk with the bully(ies), explain the situation, and try to get the bully(ies) to
understand the consequences of their behaviour.
• Seek an apology to the victim(s).
• Inform the bully's parents.
• Insist on the return of borrowed items and that the bully(ies) compensate the victim.
• Provide support for the coach of the victim.
• Impose sanctions as necessary.
• Encourage and support the bully(ies) to change behaviour.
• Hold meetings with the families to report on progress.
• Inform all organisation members of action taken.
Keep a written record of action(s) taken.
Remember:
• Maintain confidentiality on a need to know basis only.
• Ensure the Club Child Protection Officer follows up with social services.
• The Club Child Protection Officer should also report the incident to the WRC Football
Association Child Protection Officer who should ascertain whether or not the person(s)
involved in the incident play a role in Football and act accordingly.
If you do not know who to turn to for advice or are worried about sharing your concerns with a
a senior colleague, you should contact the social services direct (or the NSPCC on
0808 800 5000, or Childline on 0800 1111)
What to do if there are concerns
Information passed to the social services or the police must be as helpful as possible, hence
the necessity for making a detailed record at the time of the disclosure/concern.
Information should include the following:
• Name of the child
• Age of the child and date of birth
• Home address and telephone number
• Is the person making the report expressing their own concerns or those of
someone else.
• What is the nature of the allegation. Include dates, times, any special factors and
other relevant information.
• Make a clear distinction between what is fact, opinion or hearsay.
• A description of any visible bruising or other injuries. Behavioural signs, indirect
signs.
• Witnesses to the incidents.
• The child's account, if it can be given, of what has happened and how any bruising
or injuries occurred.
• Have the parents been contacted.
• If so, what has been said.
• Has anyone else been consulted. If so, record details.
• If it not the child making the report has the child concerned been spoken to. If so,
what has been said.
• Has anyone been alleged to be the abuser. Record details.
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