2. Safeguarding Children Policy

Waveney F.C.

Player Protection Policy
Waveney F.C. aims to provide a safe, friendly environment in which the players can develop their football and team working skills, in an atmosphere that is competitive, but also encourages fair play.
The club is always pleased when its teams do well, but winning is not the first priority. To achieve this, the club has developed the following policy.
Every child and young person who plays football should be able to participate in an enjoyable and safe environment and be protected from abuse. This is the responsibility of every adult involved in football.

Waveney F.C. recognises, however, that child abuse is also a very emotive and difficult subject. It is important to understand the feelings involved, but will not allow them to interfere with our judgement about any action to be taken.

The Club recognises its responsibility to safeguard the welfare of all children and young people by protecting them from physical, sexual or emotional harm and from neglect or bullying. It is determined to meet its obligation to ensure that those individuals providing football opportunities for children and young people through the Club, do so to the highest possible standard of care.

The aims of the Club's Player Protection Policy are:
• To develop a positive and pro-active position in order to best protect all children and young people who play football, enabling them to participate in an enjoyable and safe environment.
• To deliver quality assured child protection training.
• To demonstrate best practice in the area of child protection.
• To promote ethics and high standards throughout the Club.

The key principles underpinning this Policy are that:
• The child's welfare is, and must always be, the paramount consideration.
• All children and young people have a right to be protected from abuse regardless of their age, gender, disability, culture, language, racial origin, religious beliefs or sexual identity.
• All suspicions and allegations of abuse will be taken seriously and responded to swiftly and appropriately.
• Working in partnership with children and young people and their parents/carers is essential.

The Club's Regulations on child protection are:
1. Any act, statement, conduct or other matter which harms a child or children, or poses or may pose a risk of harm to a child or children, shall constitute behaviour which is improper and brings the Club into disrepute.

2. In these Regulations the expression "Offence" shall mean any one or more of the offences contained in Schedule 1 to the Children and Young Persons Act 1933 and any other criminal offence which reasonably causes The Club to believe that the person accused of the offence poses or may pose a risk of harm to a child or children.

3. Upon receipt by the Club of:
notification that an individual has been charged with an Offence; or notification that an individual is the subject of an investigation by the Police, social services or any other authority relating to an Offence; or any other information which causes The Club reasonably to believe, that a person poses or may pose a risk of harm to a child or children, then The Club shall have the power to order that the individual be suspended from all, or any specific football activity, for such period and on such terms and conditions as it thinks fit.

4. In reaching its determination as to whether an order under Regulation 3 should be made, The Club shall give consideration, inter alia, to the following factors:-

• whether a child is, or children are, or may be at risk of harm;
• whether the matters are of a serious nature;
• whether an order is necessary, or desirable to allow the conduct of any investigation by The Club, or any other authority or body to proceed unimpeded.

5. The period of an order referred to in 3 above shall not be capable of lasting beyond the date upon which any charge under the rules of The Club or any offence is decided or brought to an end.

6. Where an order is imposed on an individual under Regulation 3 above, The Club shall bring and conclude any proceedings under the rules of The Club against the person relating to the matters, as soon as reasonably practicable.

7. Where a person is convicted, or is made the subject of a caution in respect of an offence, that shall constitute a breach of the rules of The Club and The Club shall have the power to order the suspension of the person from all, or any specific football, for such period (including indefinitely) and on such terms and conditions as it thinks fit.

8. For the purposes of these regulations, The Club shall act through its Management Committee.

9. Notification in writing of an order referred to above, shall be given to the person concerned as soon as reasonably practicable.