WESTLAND SPORTS F.C.
Complaints & Safeguarding Procedure
In the event that any member feels that he or she has suffered discrimination in any way or that the Club Policies, Rules or Codes of Conduct have been broken they should follow the procedures below:
They should report the matter in writing to the Club Welfare Officer, Secretary, Chairman or another member of the Committee.
The report should include:
1. Details of what, when, and where the occurrence took place
2. Any witness statement and names
3. Names of any others who have been treated in a similar way
4. Details of any former complaints made about the incident, date, when and to whom made
5. A preference for a solution to the incident.
The Club's Management Committee will sit for any hearings that are requested.
For any person found to have been guilty of any form of discrimination or to have broken the Club's Policies or Codes of Conduct, the Club's Management Committee will have the power to:
1. Issue a verbal warning as to future conduct
2. Issue a written warning as to future conduct
3. Exclude player for specified number of matches or, if complaint is against a non-playing member, suspension from membership
4. Exclude player or non-playing member permanently from club (would only be used as a last resort for serious breaches or where other measures have not been effective)
5. Take other action deemed appropriate
Individuals have the right to seek guidance from the County FA where they feel they have been unfairly treated by the club’s management committee.
For cases involving child safeguarding issues, whether informed directly by a child or young person, via a third party, or through your own observations within a football setting, the FA’s reporting procedures outlined below should be followed:
1. Ensure the immediate safety ofthe child or young person
2. If the child or young person needs immediate medical treatment, take them to hospital or telephone for an ambulance, inform doctors of concerns and ensure that they are aware that this is a child protection issue
3. Reportthe concerns to the club Welfare Officer or the designated person in charge immediately
4. If the concern is about someone involved within a football setting and you are unable to contact the Welfare Officer in your club/league or County FA, then you should also inform The FA’s Safeguarding team on 0800 1691863 Extension 6300 or 6400 or via email on safeguarding@TheFA.com and let them know what action you have taken.
When dealing with possible poor practice and/or abuse in a football setting
1. Stay calm
2. If childor young person is present reassure him or her they are not to blame
3. Don’t make promises of confidentiality or outcome
4. Keep questions to a minimum
5. Write down what the child has said using their words and phrases or the signs and gestures they used
6. Try to establish whether the incident is poor practice or child abuse
If the concern is poor practice: Contact the club Welfare Officer who will either:
1. Follow club procedures for a report of poor practice
2. Seek advice from the County FA Welfare Officer
Possible outcomes:
1. Furtherinformation requested
2. Advice/warning as to future conduct/sanctions
3. Furthertraining/support needed
4. No case to answer
5. Referral to FA’s Safeguarding team for action
All appeals regarding County FA decisions will be dealt with via CFA complaints procedures (refer to the current FA Handbook)
The FA’s definitions of child, young person, abuse and harm.
The FA recognises that the terms ‘child or young person’, ‘abuse’ and ‘harm’ are open to interpretation and challenge but for the purpose of this policy they are defined as follows:
A ‘child or young person’ shall be defined as: ‘anyone who has not yet reached their 18th birthday.’
‘Abuse’ shall be defined as: ‘a violation of an individual’s human or civil rights by any other person or persons and, for the purposes of safeguarding children, shall include physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, neglect and bullying.’
‘Harm’ shall be defined as: ‘Ill treatment and forms of ill treatment (including sexual abuse and forms of ill treatment which are not physical) and also the impairment of or an avoidable deterioration in physical or mental health and the impairment of physical, intellectual, emotional, social or behavioural development.’ ‘Harm’ may be caused by acts of commission and acts of omission.