Crystal Palace Football Club
Academy Safeguarding Policy Statement
Part of the football philosophy of CPFC Academy is our commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of young players. We expect all staff, volunteers, parents/carers, young players, any partner agencies or any commissioned service providers to share this commitment.
The aims of Crystal Palace Football Club Safeguarding Policies are to:
• Develop a positive and pro-active approach to safeguarding in order to best protect all children and young people who are registered with the Academy or engage in associated activities, enabling them to participate and achieve in an enjoyable and safe environment.
• Facilitate the provision of a range of child protection and awareness training for all staff or volunteers in line with guidance from The Football League and Local Safeguarding Children Boards (LSCBs) and in line with The FA requirements for work with children and young people.
• Demonstrate best practice in the area of safeguarding the welfare of all children and young people.
• Promote ethical work with children and young people.
• Work towards achieving the National Standards and post Standards for Safeguarding and Protecting Children in Sport devised by the Child Protection in Sport Unit of the NSPCC.
The key principles underpinning this Policy Statement are that:
• The welfare of children and young people is, and must always be, the paramount consideration.
• All children, young people and vulnerable adults have a right to be protected from abuse regardless of their age, gender, disability, culture, language, racial origin, religious belief or sexual identity.
• All suspicions and allegations of abuse will be taken seriously and responded to swiftly and appropriately.
• Working in partnership with children, young people and their parents/carers is an essential element of our work.
Crystal Palace Football Club is committed to working together with Children’s Services Departments, and Local Safeguarding Children Boards (LSCB’s) in accordance with their procedures and in line with the most recent HM Government guidance - Working Together to Safeguard Children (2010). In addition, Crystal Palace Football Club is committed to working together with agencies within football to create a safer environment in which all can enjoy the game.
Where Crystal Palace Football Club believes, or is informed that circumstances exist which may harm any child(ren), young person(s), or poses or may pose a risk of harm to them, Crystal Palace Football Club will refer the matter to a statutory agency such as the Police or Children’s Social Care Team for further investigation. The F.A. Case Management Unit will also be informed.
Whilst Crystal Palace Football Club will refer matters of concern relating to risk or harm or acts of abuse towards children to the appropriate authorities, it does not investigate disclosures. It does however, have a role in responding to general complaints and/or complaints of poor practice. Crystal Palace Football Club will work together with agencies both inside and outside football, as appropriate, in order to deal with, respond to or refer on complaints in line with the Safeguarding Complaints Procedure.
Crystal Palace Football Clubs arrangements in fulfilling its commitment to safeguarding children and young people:
The Designated Safeguarding Officer (DSO) for the Academy is Ben Smith. All concerns, allegations or disclosures regarding the welfare of young players will be referred to the DSO who will make a decision as to the seriousness and nature of the information and will refer and report to the appropriate agency.
1. Crystal Palace Football Club has in place responsible recruitment processes which include:-
• Statements in job adverts and in job descriptions as to the organisation’s commitment to safeguarding
• Job descriptions
• Interviews
• Enhanced CRBs checks for those working with children and young people as required for the role.
• The taking up of two written references
• Crystal Palace Football Club will await revised government guidance on the role of ISA Registration and CRB requirements and will follow any such revised guidance.
Crystal Palace Football Club also outlines its commitments and requirements for safeguarding to all partner organisations and any commissioned service providers.
2. Crystal Palace Football Club accepts and adopts The Football Association’s and The Football League’s safeguarding policies and procedures whilst further specific and individual Academy policies are developed and adopted.
3. Crystal Palace Football Club ensures that, where the role requires, all staff and volunteers complete The FA Safeguarding Children Workshop. In addition all Academy staff and volunteers receive in-house training on identifying and reporting concerns in respect of safeguarding. In addition support is provided for those involved in dealing with reporting incidents.
4. Crystal Palace Football Club is committed to ongoing safeguarding training and development, appropriate to the role of the employee and the level of their involvement with children, young people and vulnerable adults.
5. Crystal Palace Football Club is committed to the sharing of information to protect children, young people, in line with Working Together (2010) and the Data Protection Act (1998).
6. In addition to this Safeguarding Policy, Crystal Palace Football Club promotes a number of initiatives which seek to address and encourage young people’s and families’ enjoyment as participants and spectators.