Safeguarding Children - Making Football Safe
Safeguarding children is high on the FA's agenda and is a high priority for Guernsey FA. The aim is to have someone at every club on the island aware of Child Protection and Best Practice, whether it's a Premiership Academy or a Sunday Youth Side.
As part of it's National Game Strategy 2008 - 2012 The FA is keen to eliminate abuse and poor practice. Safeguarding children is about doing things the right way, doing things properly. It's about allowing children and young people to enjoy the game without fear of abuse of any kind. That means bullying, physical, emotional or sexual abuse and neglect.
The FA believes that football can have a powerful and positive influence on children and young people. This means that everyone involved in football must take on the responsibility of looking after those children and young people who want to play the game.
In order to support these aims the FA has appointed County Welfare Officers throughout the country and is working towards developing a network of trained volunteers who will be the Club Welfare Officers (CWO's)
By affiliation for the 2008-2009 season it will be mandatory for all clubs with youth teams to have a named Club Welfare Officer who has completed the FA's enhanced CDB check and have either an 'Accepted' or 'In Progress" status. Consequently all clubs with youth teams will only be able to achieve affiliation with Guernsey FA if they meet these criteria.
Criminal Records Bureau (CRB)
CRB checks help to create a safer environment and identify those who may be at risk to children and vulnerable adults. They are a way of checking an individual's history to make sure they do not have any convictions that might mean they are not safe to work with children.
What you need to know about Criminal Records Bureau checks
The FA established CRB checks as a step towards safeguarding children in football.
This information will help both those applying for an FA Enhanced CRB check and those authorised to verify any application, before it is further processed.
All people who are working directly with children and young people in football need to have an FA Enhanced CRB check. This means that if you care for,train,supervise or have sole care of children and young people under the age of 18 in football, as part of your normal Club or County duties, you need to have an FA Enhanced CRB check.
Should you require any further information please call the Football Development Department on 01481 200443