Player Protection Policy Statement

POLICY PRINCIPLES

First National Rangers St. Agnes Amateur FC recognises the participation in sport makes an important contribution to a child’s development. A child’s natural sense of fun and spontaneity can blossom in a positive environment created by sports organisations. Sport provides an excellent opportunity for them to maintain good health, learn new skills, become more confident, build resilience, self-esteem and maximise their own unique potential. This is particularly vulnerable. 
The Club is fully committed to safeguarding the welfare of all players in its care. It recognises the responsibility to promote safe practise and to protect players from harm, abuse and exploitation. The Club’s staff and all volunteers will work together to embrace difference and diversity and respect the rights of children and young people.

The policy outlines the Club’s commitment to protecting players and is based on the following player/s rights: 
The right to a protection against harm or the risk of harm 
The right to a protection against physical abuse 
The right to a protection against verbal abuse 
The right to a protection against emotional abuse 
The right to a protection against sexual abuse 
The right to a protection against bullying 
The right to a protection against neglect 
The right to express opinions and to have those opinions considered in all matters that concern their well being. 
The right that all actions concerning the child should be in his/her best interests 
The right to have all suspicions and allegations taken seriously and actioned as appropriate.

The Club shall: 
Promote the health and welfare of children by providing opportunities for them to take part in grassroots football safely
Respect and promote the rights, wishes and feelings of players 
Promote and implement appropriate guidelines to safeguard the well being of players and protect them from abuse 
Require officials to adopt and abide by this Player Protection Policy and these guidelines
Respond to any allegations of misconduct or abuse of players in line with this Policy and these guidelines as well as implementing, where appropriate, the relevant disciplinary and appeals procedures 
Regularly monitor and evaluate the implementation of this Policy and these guidelines

This document outlines the Club commitment to protect all players. These guidelines are based on the following principles and are supported by our work and experiences over a number of years: 
The club’s officials will work together to embrace difference and diversity and respect the rights of children and young people.

The welfare of players is to primary concern 
All players, whatever their age, culture, disability, gender, language, racial origin, socio-economic status, religious belief and/or sexual identity have the right to protection from all forms of harm and abuse 
Players have a right to express their views on all matters which affect them and should be encouraged to do so in appropriate ways e.g. at club meetings
The club shall work in partnership together with players and parents to promote the welfare, health and development of players.

CHILD ABUSE 
This definition includes placing children at risk through something a person has done to them or something a person is failing to do for them. For those working the definition gets broken down further into categories of abuse, namely; 
- 1. Emotional abuse 
- 2. Physical injury 
- 3. Physical neglect 
- 4. Sexual abuse

- Identifying Child Abuse 
- Although the physical and behavioural signs listed may be symptomatic of abuse, they
may not always be an indicator and, conversely, children experiencing abuse may not 
demonstrate any of these signs. 
- Child abuse is often difficult to recognise. It is not the responsibility of anyone involved 
in the Club to decide whether or not a child has been abused. This is the role of trained
professionals. We all however, have a duty to act on any concerns about abuse.