Birkenhead Park RFC

Birkenhead Park Rugby Club takes the issue of Safeguarding very seriously, if in doubt please contact our dedicated Safeguarding Officier Dawn Skeoch

Safeguarding Policy

1. Birkenhead Park Football Club acknowledges its responsibility to safeguard the welfare of all children involved in the Club from harm.
2. Birkenhead Park Football club confirms that it adheres to the Rugby Football Union’s Safeguarding Policy and the procedures, practices and guidelines and endorses and adopts the Policy Statement contained in that document and any successor policy. A link to the policy is provided here https://rfu.widen.net/s/m92bdqphgh/rfu-safeguarding-children-policy-2022
3. A child is anyone under the age of 18 engaged in any rugby union activity. However, where a 17 year old male player is playing in the adult game it is essential that every reasonable precaution is taken to ensure his safety and wellbeing. Please refer to RFU Regulation 15 for more details on Age Grade Rugby. Parental Consent is required for players aged 17 playing in the adult game.
4. The Key Principles of the RFU Safeguarding Policy are that:

• The welfare of the child is, and must always be, paramount to any other considerations.
• All participants regardless of age, gender, ability or disability, race, faith, culture, size, shape, language or sexual identity have the right to protection from abuse or harm. 
• All allegations or suspicions of abuse, neglect, harm and poor practice will be taken seriously and responded to swiftly, fairly and appropriately.
•  Working in partnership with other organisations, statutory agencies, parents, carers, children and young people is essential for the welfare of children.
• Children have a right to expect support, and personal and social development delivered by an appropriately recruited and vetted person, which is managed in relation to their participation in rugby union, whether they are playing, volunteering or officiating in the community or professional areas of the sport.

5. Birkenhead Park Football Club recognises that all children have the right to participate in sport in a safe, positive and enjoyable environment whilst at the same time being protected from abuse, neglect, harm and poor practice.
6. Birkenhead Park Football Club recognises that this is the responsibility of everyone involved, in whatever capacity, at the Club.
7. Birkenhead Park Football Club will implement and comply with the RFU Code of Conduct and the Codes of Conduct for Coaches, Spectators and Officials as appropriate.
8. If you witness or are aware of an incident where the welfare of a child has been put at risk you must, in the first instance, inform the Club Safeguarding Officer. They will then inform the Constituent Body Safeguarding Manager and the RFU Safeguarding Team. If an incident involves Birkenhead Park Club’s Safeguarding Officer you should inform the Birkenhead Park Clubs’ Youth Chairman and either the Constituent Body Safeguarding Manager or the RFU Safeguarding Team, details of which can be found at the end of this policy.
9. All members of Birkenhead Park Football Club who work with children in Regulated Activity must undertake an RFU Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check in accordance with RFU Regulation 21.
10. Birkenhead Park Football Club will ensure that all its members, whether they are coaches, parents, players or officials will comply with the Best Practice Guidance as issued by the RFU.
11. Birkenhead Park Football Club manages the changing facilities and arranges for them to be supervised by two DBS checked adults of the appropriate gender for the players using the facilities. The Club ensures that all its coaches, parents, officials and spectators are aware that adults must not change at the same time, using the same facilities as children.
12. Birkenhead Park Football Club does not tolerate bullying in any form, including physical, verbal and emotional. Birkenhead Park Football Club encourages any such behaviour to be reported to the safeguarding officer for appropriate action under the terms of the RFU’s antibullying policy.
13. Birkenhead Park Football Club will ensure that the club workforce both voluntary and paid following a successful recruitment process, undergo DBS clearance, if appropriate and agree not to work with children unsupervised, until such time as a successful DBS check is in place. All staff (paid or voluntary) will undergo an induction which will include the identification of any training needs, signposting to relevant documentation such as; Codes of Conduct and Codes of Good Practice and the Club’s and the RFU’s Safeguarding Policies.
14. Birkenhead Park Football Club will ensure that its coaches and team managers will receive the support and training considered appropriate to their position and role. The RFU “Managing Challenging Behaviour” Policy has been adopted and circulated amongst the club workforce both, voluntary and paid.
15. Birkenhead Park Football Club will ensure that when practical, parental consent will be obtained for photographs to be taken whilst a child is at the Club or at an away fixture and that all images taken are appropriate and used appropriately in line with the RFU Safeguarding Policy and guidance.
16. Birkenhead Park Football Club will ensure that where possible Club officials will communicate Club details through parents and/or carers and not through children directly, this includes through telephone, social networking sites and email.
17. Birkenhead Park Football Club ensures that the adult to child ratios are met, with at least one DBS checked adult in charge of any group of children. This guideline applies to any Club tours, where an additional risk assessment will also be undertaken and require the approval of the safeguarding officer.
18. Any events held on Birkenhead Park Club’s premises must comply with this Policy and if appropriate a Safeguarding Plan should be discussed and circulated to those affected.
19. Birkenhead Park Football Club will ensure that any tours, overseas or domestic, undertaken by the Club must comply with the relevant RFU Regulations and Guidance relating to tours, ensuring an appropriate risk assessment is undertaken and signed off by the Safeguarding Officer.

Please remember 

If a child has disclosed concerning information to you OR you have witnessed or had reported to you an incident or complaint involving the behaviour of an adult in relation to a child, which may be considered abuse or poor practice – please contact the Club Safeguarding Officer.

STAY CALM - REASSURE - NO PROMISES - FEW QUESTIONS 

If the victim is in need of urgent medical treatment, please contact the emergency services. At the earliest convenience complete the Birkenhead Park FC Accident Form and return to the Club Safeguarding Officer. The Accident Form can be found behind the bar at the club.

Key Contacts

The Club Safeguarding Officer is Dawn Skeoch – 07916 025508 – Bpfcsafeguarding@gmail.com

The Club Youth Chairman is Anthony O’Keefe- 07900134483 - tony.okeefe@lm6.co.uk

The Constituent Body Safeguarding Manager is Colin Free - 07770 362117 - colinfree@btconnect.com

Useful Links

https://rfu.widen.net/s/m92bdqphgh/rfu-safeguarding-children-policy-2022

https://www.englandrugby.com/run/safeguarding/advice-for-children

https://rfu.widen.net/s/qzppmq7wkq/sharing-concerns

https://www.childline.org.uk/

https://www.familylives.org.uk/