Child Protection

Child Protection - Policy Statement
Cheltenham Centre of Excellence Child Protection Policy The Centre of Excellence of the Cheltenham Town Football Club acknowledges and accepts as its main responsibility, the well being and safety of those young persons who are trialing at the centre of Excellence or who are registered at the Centre of Excellence. It does so in the belief that placing their welfare at the centre of its concern provides a solid foundation for the development of the young players of the future and for effective Child Protection. Objectives · Promotes and supports good outcomes in terms of health, development and educational achievement for its students. · Enables parents and other members of the student’s family to be as involved as is practicable in a working partnership with the Centre of Excellence. · Recognises the significance of ethical and cultural diversity · Acknowledges its responsibility to set high football, academic and social standards. · Expects that all adults having contact with students will provide good models of behaviour, be honest and take feelings of others into account. · Seeks opportunities for celebrating students’ success and recognises achievements, effort and good behaviour. · Recognises that good behaviour will be achieved if all those in the Centre of Excellence have a clear and mutual understanding of the aims of the Centre of Excellence and if systems of training are implemented efficiently. · Provides a disciplined environment where students will work together taking pride in themselves and their surroundings. Child Protection The Centre of Excellence of Cheltenham Town adopts the policy of the Football League Child Protection. Following consultation with Cheltenham and Gloucester Social Services Department, the Centre of Excellence adopts the guidelines and procedures on child protection given in the Council publication. The Football Club recognises that the Social Services Department, the NSPCC and the Police have a statutory duty to protect children and young persons at risk. The Centre of Excellence accepts that it must work in partnership with these agencies when child protection issues arise. At the Centre of Excellence, Mr Paul Bennett - Child Protection Officer, is the designated person to whom any cause for concern about a child’s well being must be reported. He may be contacted on 01242 254444 Identification and Referral of Child Abuse The protection of children is the proper concern for everyone in a position to help. All staff and volunteers at the Centre of Excellence, who are involved with children and young persons, will be made aware of how to recognise child abuse and make appropriate referrals to the designated person. The Centre of Excellence will provide training in this. Complaints Experience confirms the importance of apparently small matters needing to be taken seriously, listened to and addressed. A recurring pattern of minor complaints could indicate deep-seated problems that need to be addressed. All staff and volunteers at the Centre of Excellence, who are involved with children and young persons, should take complaints seriously and report them to the designated person. Students should have direct access to the designated person and complaints should always be acknowledged and logged. Discipline and Sanctions The Centre of Excellence recognises that children need to discover where the boundaries of acceptable behaviour lie and this can sometimes lead to challenging situations. Disapproval should be of behaviour and not the person. Unacceptable behaviour should be prevented through verbal reprimand. No form of corporal punishment including striking, slapping, pushing or nudging a student may be used in any circumstance. The imposition of formal disciplinary measures a sanction should only be considered after other approaches have proved to be ineffective. The student should first be warned that a specific sanction will be imposed if behaviour does not improve. If a sanction is subsequently necessary, it should be clear and appropriate to the misbehaviour. The student and the student’s parents should be informed why the sanction has been imposed. Staff and volunteers must make themselves aware of the sanctions operated by the Centre of Excellence and those to whom the Centre of Excellence Director has delegated the responsibility of imposing sanctions. Staff and Volunteers All Cheltenham Town personnel involved in the Centre of Excellence programme must complete a self-certification form. All potential new staff/volunteers must provide three referees. A Criminal Records check form may be used to follow up staff applications; permission will be requested from the person involved if this action is deemed to be appropriate.
Missing Child Procedure & Anti Bullying Policy
MISSING CHILD PROCEEDURE & ANTI BULLYING POLICY Missing Child Procedure – Parents In the event of your child not returning from training, from a match or on discovering him missing at a Centre of Excellence venue, please undertake the following procedure · Contact the relevant age group coach to establish where your son was last seen · Contact a fellow team member to establish where your son was last seen · If your are at a Centre of Excellence venue, together with staff make a search of the area including changing rooms and toilets · Continue to search the area · All such incidents must be reported to the Child Protection Officer / Head of Youth, Youth Coach or Centre of Excellence Manager If you’re an is expected to attend a fixture but is unable to do so please ensure that you inform the relevant group coach On an away fixture you must inform the coach if you intent not to travel on the coach to or from any venue and if you are taking any other players with you. Please ensure you provide the coach with any alternative numbers in the event that you may be delayed in collecting your Children. Missing Child Procedure – Staff On the discovery of a Child having gone missing, please undertake the following procedure · Establish who saw the Child last and where · Inform a full time member of staff · Make a search of the immediate area including toilets and changing areas · Inform the local police · Inform the Childs parents / guardians if they are not present at the time · Continue a search of the area · Report all incidents to the Child Protection Officer If a Child does not attend training for a period of time, make enquiries with the parent or guardian Care should be taken on away fixtures that prior to returning home all children are accounted for. Parents must inform staff that they are to take their child or another child home with them. Care should be taken when stopping at Motorway services that all children are again accounted for. Anti Bullying Policy Cheltenham Town FC intends to eliminate and prevent any form of bullying taking place within its Centre of Excellence. It is intended that this will be done through the establishment of an anti-bullying policy, establishing a policy of intervention and recording and monitoring any such incidents via the incidents register. Intervention should have the aim of making any bullying victim fee safe and encourage the bully(s) to recognise that their behaviour is unacceptable. It is with these aims in mind that the anti bullying policy will be adopted by the Centre of Excellence. This policy is in accordance with the Football Association and the Football League. Anti Bullying Procedure – Parents / Players · Any incidents of suspected bullying should be reported to any group coach · All victims will be encouraged to speak to an appropriate Club official offered support and guidance · An incident file will be set up by the Head of Youth to investigate the situation · Both the victim and the bully (bullies) will be spoken to separately to establish the situation · Reassure the victim and let them know you will help them Anti Bullying Procedure – Staff All incidents are to be treated with the utmost seriousness Any incident should be reported to the Head of Youth · A record of what was heard / saw will be established · Written facts generated · Follow FA reporting procedure if necessary · Contact social services if necessary A satisfactory conclusion should be established based upon the facts

Child Protection - Policy Statement

Cheltenham Centre of Excellence Child Protection Policy

The Centre of Excellence of the Cheltenham Town Football Club acknowledges and accepts as its main responsibility, the well being and safety of those young persons who are trialing at the centre of Excellence or who are registered at the Centre of Excellence. It does so in the belief that placing their welfare at the centre of its concern provides a solid foundation for the development of the young players of the future and for effective Child Protection.

Objectives

· Promotes and supports good outcomes in terms of health, development and educational achievement for its students.

· Enables parents and other members of the student’s family to be as involved as is practicable in a working partnership with the Centre of Excellence.

· Recognises the significance of ethical and cultural diversity

· Acknowledges its responsibility to set high football, academic and social standards.

· Expects that all adults having contact with students will provide good models of behaviour, be honest and take feelings of others into account.

· Seeks opportunities for celebrating students’ success and recognises achievements, effort and good behaviour.

· Recognises that good behaviour will be achieved if all those in the Centre of Excellence have a clear and mutual understanding of the aims of the Centre of Excellence and if systems of training are implemented efficiently.

· Provides a disciplined environment where students will work together taking pride in themselves and their surroundings.

Child Protection

The Centre of Excellence of Cheltenham Town adopts the policy of the Football League Child Protection. Following consultation with Cheltenham and Gloucester Social Services Department, the Centre of Excellence adopts the guidelines and procedures on child protection given in the Council publication.

The Football Club recognises that the Social Services Department, the NSPCC and the Police have a statutory duty to protect children and young persons at risk. The Centre of Excellence accepts that it must work in partnership with these agencies when child protection issues arise.

At the Centre of Excellence, Mr Paul Bennett - Child Protection Officer, is the designated person to whom any cause for concern about a child’s well being must be reported. He may be contacted on 01242 254444

Identification and Referral of Child Abuse

The protection of children is the proper concern for everyone in a position to help. All staff and volunteers at the Centre of Excellence, who are involved with children and young persons, will be made aware of how to recognise child abuse and make appropriate referrals to the designated person. The Centre of Excellence will provide training in this.

Complaints

Experience confirms the importance of apparently small matters needing to be taken seriously, listened to and addressed. A recurring pattern of minor complaints could indicate deep-seated problems that need to be addressed. All staff and volunteers at the Centre of Excellence, who are involved with children and young persons, should take complaints seriously and report them to the designated person. Students should have direct access to the designated person and complaints should always be acknowledged and logged.

Discipline and Sanctions

The Centre of Excellence recognises that children need to discover where the boundaries of acceptable behaviour lie and this can sometimes lead to challenging situations.

Disapproval should be of behaviour and not the person.

Unacceptable behaviour should be prevented through verbal reprimand.

No form of corporal punishment including striking, slapping, pushing or nudging a student may be used in any circumstance.

The imposition of formal disciplinary measures a sanction should only be considered after other approaches have proved to be ineffective. The student should first be warned that a specific sanction will be imposed if behaviour does not improve. If a sanction is subsequently necessary, it should be clear and appropriate to the misbehaviour. The student and the student’s parents should be informed why the sanction has been imposed.

Staff and volunteers must make themselves aware of the sanctions operated by the Centre of Excellence and those to whom the Centre of Excellence Director has delegated the responsibility of imposing sanctions.

Staff and Volunteers

All Cheltenham Town personnel involved in the Centre of Excellence programme must complete a self-certification form. All potential new staff/volunteers must provide three referees. A Criminal Records check form may be used to follow up staff applications; permission will be requested from the person involved if this action is deemed to be appropriate.

Missing Child Procedure & Anti Bullying Policy

MISSING CHILD PROCEEDURE & ANTI BULLYING POLICY

Missing Child Procedure – Parents

In the event of your child not returning from training, from a match or on discovering him missing at a Centre of Excellence venue, please undertake the following procedure

· Contact the relevant age group coach to establish where your son was last seen

· Contact a fellow team member to establish where your son was last seen

· If your are at a Centre of Excellence venue, together with staff make a search of the area including changing rooms and toilets

· Continue to search the area

· All such incidents must be reported to the Child Protection Officer / Head of Youth, Youth Coach or Centre of Excellence Manager

If you’re an is expected to attend a fixture but is unable to do so please ensure that you inform the relevant group coach

On an away fixture you must inform the coach if you intent not to travel on the coach to or from any venue and if you are taking any other players with you.

Please ensure you provide the coach with any alternative numbers in the event that you may be delayed in collecting your Children.

Missing Child Procedure – Staff

On the discovery of a Child having gone missing, please undertake the following procedure

· Establish who saw the Child last and where

· Inform a full time member of staff

· Make a search of the immediate area including toilets and changing areas

· Inform the local police

· Inform the Childs parents / guardians if they are not present at the time

· Continue a search of the area

· Report all incidents to the Child Protection Officer

If a Child does not attend training for a period of time, make enquiries with the parent or guardian

Care should be taken on away fixtures that prior to returning home all children are accounted for. Parents must inform staff that they are to take their child or another child home with them.

Care should be taken when stopping at Motorway services that all children are again accounted for.

Anti Bullying Policy

Cheltenham Town FC intends to eliminate and prevent any form of bullying taking place within its Centre of Excellence. It is intended that this will be done through the establishment of an anti-bullying policy, establishing a policy of intervention and recording and monitoring any such incidents via the incidents register.

Intervention should have the aim of making any bullying victim fee safe and encourage the bully(s) to recognise that their behaviour is unacceptable.

It is with these aims in mind that the anti bullying policy will be adopted by the Centre of Excellence. This policy is in accordance with the Football Association and the Football League.

Anti Bullying Procedure – Parents / Players

· Any incidents of suspected bullying should be reported to any group coach

· All victims will be encouraged to speak to an appropriate Club official offered support and guidance

· An incident file will be set up by the Head of Youth to investigate the situation

· Both the victim and the bully (bullies) will be spoken to separately to establish the situation

· Reassure the victim and let them know you will help them

Anti Bullying Procedure – Staff

All incidents are to be treated with the utmost seriousness

Any incident should be reported to the Head of Youth

· A record of what was heard / saw will be established

· Written facts generated

· Follow FA reporting procedure if necessary

· Contact social services if necessary

A satisfactory conclusion should be established based upon the facts