3. Child Protection 2

Practices to be avoided
The following should be avoided except in emergencies. If a case arises where these situations are unavoidable (eg the child sustains an injury and needs to go to hospital, or a parent fails to arrive to pick a child up at the end of a session), it should be with the full knowledge and consent of someone in charge in the club or the child's parents.
Otherwise, avoid:
• Spending excessive amounts of time alone with children away from others.
• Taking or dropping off a child to an event.

Practices never to be sanctioned
The following should never be sanctioned. You should never:
• Engage in rough physical or sexually provocative games, including sexual innuendo.
• Share a room with a child.
• Allow or engage in any form of inappropriate touching.
• Allow children to use inappropriate language unchallenged.
• Make sexually suggestive comments to a child, even in fun.
• Reduce a child to tears as a form of control.
• Allow allegations made by a child to go unchallenged, unrecorded or not acted upon.
• Do things of a personal nature for children or disabled adults that they can do for themselves.
• Invite or allow children to stay with you at your home unsupervised.

NB It may sometimes be necessary for staff or volunteers to do things of a personal nature for children, particularly if they are young or are disabled. These tasks should only be carried out with the full understanding and consent of parents and the players involved. There is a need to be responsive to a person's reactions. If a person is fully dependent on you, talk with him/her about what you are doing and give choices where possible. This is particularly so if you are involved in any dressing or undressing of outer clothing, or where there is physical contact, lifting or assisting a child to carry out particular activities. Avoid taking on the responsibility for tasks for which you are not appropriately trained.

Incidents that must be reported/recorded
If any of the following occur you should report this immediately to the Club Welfare Officer and record the incident. You should also ensure the parents of the child are informed:
1. if you accidentally hurt a player
2. If he/she seems distressed in any manner
3. if a player appears to be sexually aroused by your actions
4. if a player misunderstands or misinterprets something you have done.
Use of photographic/filming equipment at sporting events
There is evidence that some people have used sporting events as an opportunity to take inappropriate photographs or film footage of young and disabled sportspeople in vulnerable positions. All clubs should be vigilant and any concerns should to be reported to the Club Welfare Officer. There is a policy in place for Photographs and Recorded Images (2007) at Chosen Hill FP RFC.
Video as a coaching aid: there is no intention to prevent club coaches and teachers using video equipment as a legitimate coaching aid. However, performers and their parents/carers should be made aware that this is part of the coaching programme and such films should be stored safely.

Recruitment and training of Coaches, Trainers, staff and volunteers
Chosen Hill FP RFC recognises that anyone may have the potential to abuse children in some way and that all reasonable steps are taken to ensure unsuitable people are prevented from working with children.

Pre-selection checks must included the following:
• All volunteers/staff should complete a Criminal Records Bureau form. The application form will elicit information about an applicant's past and a self-disclosure about any criminal record.
• Consent should be obtained from an applicant to seek information from the Criminal Records Bureau.
• Evidence of identity should be provided (eg passport or driving licence with photo) and checked by the club welfare officer.

Training
All managers, coaches, managers and assistants will attend the safeguarding young adults in rugby course and any relevant course to keep updated on an annual basis if needed to:
• Analyse their own practice against established good practice, and to ensure their practice is likely to protect them from false allegations.
• Recognise their responsibilities and report any concerns about suspected poor practice or possible abuse.
• Respond to concerns expressed by a child or young person.
• Work safely and effectively with children.
• Non-coaching staff and volunteers to complete a recognised awareness training on child protection.
• Relevant personnel to receive advisory information outlining good practice and informing them about what to do if they have concerns about the behaviour of an adult towards a young person.
• Relevant personnel to undergo national first aid training (where necessary).
• Attendance of update training when necessary.

Responding to allegations or suspicion
It is not the responsibility of anyone working in Chosen Hill FP RFC in a paid or unpaid capacity, to decide whether or not child abuse has taken place. However, there is a responsibility to act on any concerns through contact with the appropriate authorities.

Chosen Hill FP RFC will assure all staff/volunteers that it will fully support and protect anyone who in good faith reports his/her concern that a colleague is, or may be, abusing a child.
Where there is a complaint against a club member there may be three types of investigation:
• a criminal investigation
• a child protection investigation
• a disciplinary or misconduct investigation.
The results of the police and child protection investigation may well influence the disciplinary investigation, but not necessarily.