Pontyclun Juniors F.C.

POLICY STATEMENT

Pontyclun AFC recognises that all those involved in the coaching or supervision of children associated with the club have a duty to safeguard the welfare of those children.

This duty extends to the prevention of physical; sexual or emotional abuse of children associated with the Club and shall be applied regardless of a child's sex, race or religion.

Pontyclun A F C is committed to creating and maintaining the safest possible environment for children to play football. It is the duty of all Club Officials, Team Managers and any other individual directly or in directly involved with teams in the League to be aware of and help prevent abuse which children can suffer: NEGLECT, SEXUAL, PHYSICAL and EMOTIONAL. (Definitions of these forms of abuse can be found in the F.A.W Leaflet " GUIDEANCE FOR SAFEGUARDING CHILDRENS WELFARE""

Pontyclun A.F.C. accepts children’s welfare as paramount and that all children no matter of their age, culture, disability, gender or religious belief has the right to protection from abuse. As such any suspicions and allegations of abuse will be taken seriously and responded to swiftly and appropriately.

Appointment of Child Welfare Officer. (C.W.O.)

1. The Club shall appoint a Child Welfare Officer to the Executive at the Annual General Meeting. (AGM)

2. The Child Welfare Officer shall undertake such duties as are necessary and in accordance with this policy for a period of twelve months. The C.W.O. position shall be renewable at the subsequent A.G.M.

3. As with all personnel involved in the club. the Child Welfare Officer must first have subjected him / herself to the relevant police clearance checks.

4. The Club Executive shall make the name; address and contact telephone number of the C.W.O. known to all involved directly or indirectly with Pontyclun A F C.

DUTIES OF WELFARE OFFICER

1. The Welfare Officer shall ensure that all personnel involved directly or indirectly with Pontyclun A F C have subscribed to the DECLARATION OF AGREEMENT to have their position within the club checked by the Criminal Record Bureau (CRB) for suitability.

2. The C.W.O. shall maintain a record of all personnel who have not subscribed to such a declaration and shall, if necessary, require such personnel to either subscribe or resign from their involvement in the club

3. The C.W.O. shall provide such information and guidelines as will be necessary for the aims of the CHILD WELFARE POLICY to be implemented in full by all subscribing members of Pontyclun A F C

4. The C.W.O. shall attend, where possible, all meetings of the Club Management Committee and of the League proper to submit such reports as may be necessary or prudent to submit.

5. The C.W.O. shall attend such training event’s as sponsored by the club or as necessary to assist him / her to fulfil his / her duties in full.

6. The C.W.O. shall respond initially to all referrals / complaints concerning child welfare issues.

7. The C.W.O. shall record all referrals / complaints and his / her response.

8. The C.W.O. shall make available his / her records to the Club Executive on request and to the complainant or the subject of the complaint within 21 days of request (DATA PROTECTION ACT 1998)

9. The C.W.O. will report on his / her responses to complaints to the League Executive at each meeting of the same.

10. The C.W.O. shall consult, where necessary, with the appropriate statutory authorities for advice and guidance and will refer to such authorities when in his / her opinion the nature of the complaint merits such a referral.

11. The C.W.O. shall respond to each complaint / referral in the strictest confidence. (CONFIDENTIALLY CANNOT BE UPHELD IN CASES WHICH MAY RESULT IN THE PROSECUTION OF THE SUBJECT OF THE COMPLAINT / REFERRAL.)

The C.W.O. shall inform all personnel involved of any change in the CHILD WELFARE POLICY as and when such changes may arise.

COMPLAINTS / REFERRALS

1. Any person wishing to make a complaint / referral will contact the C.W.O. in the first instance.

2. The onus upon all personnel to report concerns / suspicions of abuse to the C.W.O. does not undermine their right to report such concerns to the statutory authorities or any other such authority that the complainant may deem appropriate

3. The complaint / referral will be recorded and acted upon in accordance with the duties of the C.W.O. outlined above.

SUBJECT OF COMPLAINTS / REFERRALS.

1. The C.W.O. shall contact the subject of a complaint / referral within 7 days of receipt of that complaint / referral in writing.

2. The "subject" can respond directly to the C.W.O. in writing. The C.W.O. shall reserve the right to continue to engage in addressing the complaint / referral in person or to seek a legal or Executive response – whichever the C.W.O. deems appropriate.

3. The "subject" has the right to :

a) Appeal any C.W.O. decision / response to the League Executive within 14 days of that response.

b) Appeal any League Executive decision within 14 days of that response and / or

c) Seek legal advice.

The Clubs Child Welfare Policy shall be reviewed and amended when necessary,

in accordance with experience and "best practice" and to ensure that the interests of children

within the care of the club. are protected.

Pontyclun Football Club

Child Welfare Policy

Pontyclun Football Club is committed to creating and preserving the safest possible environment for children to play football. It is the duty of all club and team officials and any other individuals directly or indirectly involved with children playing at the club to be aware of, and help prevent, the abuse which children can suffer; physical, sexual, neglect, bullying and emotional.

Pontyclun accepts children’s welfare is paramount and all children whatever their age, culture, disability, gender or religious belief, have the right to protection from abuse.

All suspicions and allegations of abuse will be taken seriously and responded to in an appropriate manner.

Pontyclun Football Club Child Welfare Officer

Adele Naden 01443 230296

e mail address: paul.rowley@talk21.com (Chairman)

FAW / NSPCC 24 hour Child Protection Help Line 0808 800 5000

Pontyclun Football Club

Procedures for Safeguarding Children’s Welfare

The procedures below apply to all teams playing football under the authority of

Pontyclun

Football Club.

All those with designated responsibilities for providing football for young people (up

to 18 years old) must complete a self-declaration form and have a CRB Check.

All those with designated responsibilities for providing football for young people (up

to 18 years old) must undertake an appropriate training programme.

There are five main categories of abuse you should be aware of:

This can include any direct acts of physical injury upon a child or young person,

which are not the result of normal competitive interaction. This can also include

training sessions, which clearly exceed the capacity of the child’s body to manage

and encouraging young people to take alcohol, cigarettes or inappropriate drugs.

This includes all forms of sexual acts perpetrated upon a child by another person.

Younger children cannot give consent due to their age and inexperience, but this

issue is more complex when between older children of similar age groups. The

essential issue is one of exploitation, which is considered to have occurred if the

activity was unwanted when first began and/or involved a misuse of power, age or

authority. This can also include exposure or failure to prevent the exposure of

children to all forms of pornography.

This relates to the persistent failure to prevent the exposure of a child to danger, or

the extreme failure to carry out important aspects of care, medical or physical

which results in the significant impairment of the child’s health or development.

This can occur when a coach fails to adequately supervise the safety of young

children or exposes any child to extreme or unmanageable weather conditions or

preventable risk of serious injury.

This is persistent and psychological ill treatment, which results in a severe impact

upon a child’s behaviour and development. It will involve a denial of normal respect

and may take the form of persistent personal criticism or humiliation in the absence

of any positive interest or concern. This can happen in competitive situations when

children are subject to a persistent level of personalised criticism and/or bullying as

a result of the unrealistic expectations of others.

It is not always easy to define bullying. It can take many forms and is usually

repeated over a period of time. The three main types of bullying are:

Physical (e.g. hitting, kicking, theft)

Verbal (e.g. racist or homophobic remarks, threats or name calling)

Emotional (e.g. isolating an individual from activities)

Emotional or verbal bullying is more common in football than physical violence. It

can also be difficult to deal with or prove

It is not always easy to recognise a situation where abuse is occurring. Any concerns about the welfare of a child or a young personshould be reported as explained in these procedures. Indications that a child or young person may be suffering from abuse include

- Unexplained or suspicious injuries such as bruising, cuts or burns,

particularly if situated on a part of the body not normally prone to such

injuries.

- Any injury for which the explanation seems inconsistent.

- The child or young person describing what appears to be an abusive act

involving him/her.

- Someone else – a child or adult, expressing concern about the welfare of

another child or young person.

- Unexplained changes in behaviour – e.g. becoming very quiet, withdrawn,

or displaying sudden outbursts of temper.

- Sexual awareness inappropriate for age.

- Engaging in sexually explicit behaviour in games.

- Being mistrustful of adults, particularly those with whom a close relationship

would normally be expected.

- Having difficulty in making friends.

- Being prevented from socialising with other children or young people.

- Variations in eating patterns including overeating or loss of appetite.

- Loss of weight for no apparent reason.

- Becoming increasingly dirty or unkempt.

This list is not exhaustive and the presence of one or more of the

indicators is not proof that abuse is actually taking place. All children or

young people will suffer cuts, bruising and grazes from time to time,

and their behaviour may sometimes give cause for concern. There may

well be reason for these factors other than abuse.

If, however, you are concerned about the welfare of a child or young

person you must act! Do not assume that somebody else will.

Remember non-action is not an option in Child Protection.

The following action should be taken by anyone who has concerns about

the welfare of a child or young person in football, the home or other

settings.

- Understand that this may be the only time the person has built up courage

- to tell someone what has happened

- Stop what you are doing and respect the person’s privacy, listen to what

they tell you

- Do not react in a way, which may add to the person’s distress eg with anger

or shock.

- Do not ask leading questions eg did he/she……………?

- Only ask questions to establish exactly what was done and who did it.

- Explain that you cannot promise to keep any secrets you may have to tell

someone else.

- Let the person know that you understand how difficult it is to talk about such

Experiences

- Inform the Pontyclun designated Child Welfare Officer

- Make an accurate record of the time and date and exactly what was said

- Do not discuss with any other parties who may be involved.

Treat all players and children with respect and dignity befitting of their age.

Watch your language, tone of voice and the nature of any physical contact.

Record and report all allegations of abuse.

Engage in rough, physical or sexually provocative games including

horseplay.

Allow or engage in inappropriate or intrusive touching of any kind.

Allow children to use sexually explicit language unchallenged.

Make sexually suggestive comments to a child even in fun.

Not follow up any allegations a child may make, always act as directed.

Invade the privacy of children when they are changing, showering or going

to the toilet.

Doing things of an intimately personal nature that children can do for

themselves e.g. going to the toilet.

Spending excessive amounts of time alone with children away from others.

Taking children alone on car journeys however short.

Taking children to your home.

Where any of these situations are unavoidable, first seek parental

consent where possible. If unable to speak to the parents, always

inform them of the circumstances as soon as practicable.

The above is covered more extensively in the FA's "Child Protection

Procedures and Practices Handbook".

The club has introduced a new form to standardise the reporting of accidents and incidents. Managers and coaches will need to use a common sense approach as to when to complete a form. Minor injuries which occur during matches or training do not need to be reported.

If managers do feel the event is sufficiently serious to complete a form then a copy must be forwarded to Adele Naden, Child Welfare Officer, who will advise the manager and club if any further actions should be taken.

Pontyclun Football Club

Accident/Incident Report Form

Date: _______________ Time: ____________

Location : _________________________________________________________-

Name: ________________________________ Age: ________

Injury/Illness:

___________________________________________________________________

Treatment Given:

___________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

How did the incident happen?

___________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Where did the incident happen?

___________________________________________________________________

Outcome of Incident:

___________________________________________________________________

Contacted: Parent/Carer _____ Ambulance _____ Police ____

Name of First Aider: ________________________

Signature: ________________________________

I have been informed of the incident and the treatment given to the above person.

Signed: ___________________________ Parent/Guardian Date: __________

Once completed this form must be sent to Adele Naden, The Pontyclun AFC Child Welfare Officer

In the event that any member feels that he or she has suffered discrimination in any way, or that the Club Policies, Rules or Code of Conduct have been broken, should follow the procedures below.

They should report the matter in writing to the Club Secretary or another member of the Committee, if your complaint is pertinent to Child Protection then address the complaint to the Club's Child Welfare Officer. This will then be dealt with by the Club Committee

Your complaint should include:

Details of what, when, and where the occurrence took place.

Any witnesses along with there statements.

Names of any others who have been treated in a similar way.

Details of any former complaints made about the incident, date, when and to whom made.

A preference for a solution to the incident.

The Club's Committee will then arrange a meeting to be held at the earliest convenience so that all parties can discuss the complaint.

The Club's Committee will comprise of at least five Committee members of which two must comprise of either The Club Chairman, the Secretary or the Treasurer and in all cases of Child Protection issues, the Club's Child Welfare Officer, will have the power to:

Warn as to future conduct.

Suspend from membership.

Remove from membership any person found to have broken the Club's Policies or Codes of Conduct.

Determine whether any Child Protection issues should be referred to an official body, ie. The Police.

The Club Committee will not make judgement on squad and team selection issues.

Like any Football Club, we have numerous policies to protect all associated with the club, and to deal with any problems or issues that occur. Click the links below to access the relevant documents, more will be added soon.

1 / Photography

2 / Anti Bullying Policy

3 / Equal Opportunities Policy

4 / "Kick it out"

5 / Equity Policy Statement

6 / Respect our neighbours policy

1 / PHOTOGRAPHY

Outlining our policy on photography / videos / camera phones at Pontyclun AFC

We appreciate that this is a sensitive area and we do not want any children or parents to have any concerns. Therefore, we have set in place a policy which is largely based on the F.A.W Guidelines on Video/Photographic Images.

First and foremost:

1. Any adult seeking to take photographs of any Pontyclun Minis or Junior player must first speak with the Manager of that age group ideally or as an alternative, the coach taking that session. This is a fundamental requirement, not just a courtesy.

2. If any of the players' parents or people looking after them who are present object, then no photographs may be taken.

In addition:

1. All young people must be appropriately dressed for the activity taking place.

2. Photography or recording should focus on the activity rather than a particular young person and personal details, such as their address, should not be revealed.

3. Where an individual has achieved success in the game, permission must be gained from a parent/guardian and the young person to use the images and relevant details.

4. Wherever possible, photographs/recordings should represent the diverse range of young people participating in football.

5. Anyone taking photographs or recording at any football event must have a valid reason for doing so.

6. Lead coaches may authorise, from time to time, the taking of head and shoulder photographs of players for the purpose of identifying children. These photographs are not for publication.

7. All concerns regarding inappropriate or intrusive photography should be reported in confidence to the club's Child Welfare Officer.

8. Any parent/guardian who objects to their child being photographed should notify the coach (as above) or the Chairman, Secretary/Junior Secretary or Child Welfare Officer, otherwise it is presumed that photographs may be so taken and that any images may be used on the website, football related publications or in press-releases.

Use of Images of children/young people under the age of 18

INTRODUCTION

Child protection and best practice – Guidelines have been developed to provide clubs, leagues and County FA’s with advice and guidance on the use of images of children and young people and is integral to the work of The FAW’s National Game Division. It is recommended that this is adopted by clubs, leagues and County FA’s and the Ten Golden Rules made available to as many people as possible.The whole policy document should be kept by the organisation’s administrators for future reference.

Please remember that the safety of children and young people should be paramount in all your activities and this has been designed to help you in this.

Pontyclun A.F.C. is committed to providing a safe environment for children/young people under the age of 18. Implicit in this is the commitment to ensure that all publications, resources and media represent participants appropriately and with due respect. By adopting the points outlined in this guideline we will be putting in place the best possible practice to protect children and young people wherever photographs or recorded images are taken and stored.

KEY CONCERNS

The key concerns contained within this policy regarding the use of images of children/young people relate to:

- The possible identification of children when a photograph is accompanied by personal information.

- The inappropriate use, adaptation or copying of images for use on child pornography websites.

- The taking of inappropriate photographs or recorded images of youngsters.

RECORDING IMAGES OF CHILDREN/YOUNG PEOPLE

There have been concerns about the risks posed directly and indirectly to children and young people through the use of photographs on sport web sites and other publications. Photographs can be used as a means of identifying children when they are accompanied with personal information, for example: "This is a member of the Anytown Junior Football Club who likes Atomic Kitten". This information can make a child vulnerable to an individual who may wish to start to "groom" that child for abuse. Secondly the content of the photo can be used or adapted for inappropriate use. There is evidence of this adapted material finding its way onto child pornography sites.

GUIDELINES FOR RECORDING IMAGES - All children featured in recordings must be appropriately dressed with outer clothing garments covering their torso from at least the bottom of their neck to their thighs, (i.e. a minimum of vest/shirt and shorts)

- The photograph should ideally focus on the activity. Where possible images of children/young people should be recorded in small groups (the group may comprise any combination of adults and children)

- You should ensure that images of a young person, who is under a court order, are not recorded or published.

- Any instances of the use of inappropriate images should be reported to The FAW/NSPCC Helpline or the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF)

- Club’s or organisation’s coaches and teachers should still be allowed to use video equipment as a legitimate coaching aid. However, footballers and their parents/carers should be aware that this is part of the coaching programme and care should be taken in the storing of such films.

GUIDELINES FOR PUBLISHING IMAGES - If the child is named, avoid using their photograph.

- If a photograph is used, avoid naming the young person or use their first name only. Personal details of children such as an email address, home address and telephone numbers should never be revealed on a website

- Ask for the child’s permission to use their image. This ensures that they are aware of the way the image is to be used to represent the sport. A Parent/Carer and Child Permission Form is the best way of achieving this and can be done at the beginning of the season (see Permission Form)

Ask for parental/carer permission to use an image of a young person. This ensures that parents/carers are aware of the way the image of their child is representing the sport. A Parent/Carer and Child Permission Form is the best way of achieving this and can be done at the beginning of the season (see Permission Form)

In order to guard against the possibility of a young person under a court order appearing on a website, the simultaneous streaming of images onto a website is not recommended. Delayed streaming also provides an opportunity for the editing of inappropriate clips (e.g.disarranged clothing). If video/film clips are delivered from your own server that material can be downloaded. It is therefore recommended that you use an independent server so that material cannot be accessed, copied or downloaded

Think about the level of consideration that you give to the use of images in all publications, for example the processes used in choosing photographs for a publicity brochure for the club. Apply an increased level of consideration to the images of youngsters used on websites. Simple technology features such as watermarking may dissuade third parties from using or attempting to access controlled imagery _ Try to take photographs that represent the broad range of youngsters participating safely in football. This might include:

– boys and girls

– minority ethnic communities

– a range of clothing e.g. tracksuit/jogging trousers

– girls with hair covered e.g. baseball cap or scarf

– disabled people

– glasses if not actually playing at the time

– shin pads must be on if they are recorded playing

– jewellery should be removed in all images

GUIDELINES FOR USE OF PHOTOGRAPHIC FILMING EQUIPMENT AT FOOTBALL 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. While this might be rare in football you still have a duty of care to young people to ensure that this risk is as small as possible. By taking some simple steps you will be reducing that risk.

If you are commissioning professional photographers or inviting the press to a football activity or event it is important to ensure they are clear about your expectations of them in relation to child protection.

- Provide a clear brief about what is considered appropriate in terms of content and behaviour

- Issue the photographer with identification, which must be worn at all times (see Event Registration Form

- Inform participants and parents that a photographer will be in attendance at an event and ensure they consent to both the taking and publication of films or photographs

- Do not allow unsupervised access to footballers or one to one photo sessions at events

- Do not approve/allow photo sessions outside the event or at a footballer’s home.

Parents and spectators might also wish to take photographs or record their children participating at the event;

- If parents or other spectators are intending to photograph or video at an event they should also be made aware of your expectations.

- Parents and spectators should be required to register at an event if they wish to use photographic equipment (see Event Registration Form)

In addition:

- Participants and parents should be informed that if they have concerns about inappropriate or intrusive photography these should be reported to the event organiser or official and recorded in the same manner as any other child protection concern.

- Event organisers should approach and challenge any person taking photographs who has not registered with them. They might need to refer to the local police force if this person continues to record images

SUMMARY

Child protection is about putting in place the best possible practices and procedures; this will protect not only the child but also you, the adult, in football. If you have any comments on this guideline or require any further support or guidance relating to children and young people please contact The FAW Child Welfare Department.

TEN GOLDEN RULES TO REMEMBER

1 All children must be appropriately dressed

2 Photography or recording should focus on the activity not on a particular young person

3 Images should focus on small groups rather than individuals

4 Images of a child who is under a court order should never be used

5 If a young person is named avoid using their photograph

6 If a photograph is used avoid naming the person or use their first name only. Personal details should never be revealed

7 Makes sure parents/carers/young person have signed and returned the Parent/Carer and Young Person Permission Form

8 Use photographs that represent the broad range of youngsters participating in football

9 All people taking photographs or recording footage at a football event should register with the event organiser

10 All concerns regarding inappropriate or intrusive photography should be reported to the appropriate

THE USE OF PHOTOGRAPHS AND RECORDED IMAGES

This side of the form should be completed by the club and then signed by the legal guardian (usually parent/carer) of a child or young person under the age of 18, together with the child or young person. It provides permission for images of the child/young person to be used. Please note that if you have more than one child under the age of 18 registered with the club you will need to complete a separate form for each young person.

Pontyclun A.F.C. recognise the need to ensure the welfare and safety of all young people in football. As part of our commitment to ensure the safety of young people we will not permit photographs, video or other images of young people to be taken or used without the consent of the parents/carers and the young person.

Pontyclun A.F.C. will follow the guidance for the use of images of children and young people, a copy of which is attached. (Ten Golden Rules).

Pontyclun A.F.C. will take all steps to ensure these images are used solely for the purposes they are intended which is the promotion and celebration of the activities of Pontyclun A.F.C.

If you become aware that these images are being used inappropriately you should inform Pontyclun A.F.C. immediately.

The information will be available on the website www.freewebs.com/pontyclunfootball.com. for the football season 2006/2007 after which it will be removed.

If at any time either the parent/carer or the young person wishes the data to be removed from the website, fourteen days notice must be given to the Club Secretary after which the data will be removed.

For The Use Of Photographs & Video Images

This form provides permission for the use of images of the child/young person to be used. Please note if you have more than one child under the age of 18 registered with the club you will need to complete a separate form for each young person.

Pontyclun FC recognizes the need to ensure the welfare and safety of all young people in football. As part of our commitment to ensure the safety of young people we will not permit photographs, video or other images of young people to be taken or used without the consent of the parents/careers and the young person.

Pontyclun FC will follow the guidance for the use of images of children and young people, a copy of which are below. (Ten Golden Rules)

Pontyclun FC will take steps to ensure that these images are used solely for the purpose they are intended which is the promotion and celebration of the activities of Pontyclun FC.

If you become aware that these images are being used inappropriately you should inform Pontyclun FC Child Welfare Officer Adele Naden immediately.

If at any time either parent/ career of the young person wishes the data to be removed from the website,

Fourteen days notice must be given to the Child Welfare Officer (Adele Naden TEL: 01443 230296)

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Pontyclun AFC

For The Use Of Photographs & Video Images

I ___________________________________________________(insert parent/carer full name) consent to Pontyclun AFC photographing or videoing

______________________________________________________ (Name of child/young person) under the Stated rules and conditions and I confirm that I am legally entitled to give this consent.

I also confirm that ________________________________________(name of child or young person)

Is not under a court order.

Signature

I ___________________________________________________(name of child or young person) Consent

To Pontyclun FC photographing or videoing my involvement in football under the stated rules and conditions.

Signature

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FOR THE USE OF PHOTOGRAPHS AND RECORDED IMAGES

Please return this form to: Your Team Manager or a Committee Member

THIS FORM SHOULD BE COMPLETED BY ANYONE TAKING PHOTOGRAPHS OR RECORDING IMAGES AT AN EVENT

Name............................................................................

Address........................................................................

……………………………………………….

……………………………………………….

………………………………………………..

Tel no..............................................................................

I wish to take photographs or record images at this event. I agree to abide by the event organisers’guidelines and confirm that the photographs or recorded images will only be used appropriately

Signed………………………………………

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2 / ANTI BULLYING POLICY

Emotional and verbal bullying is more commonplace in football than physical violence.

At Pontyclun AFC a player has the right to enjoy football in an environment free from bullying. As a club we also believe that bullying does not sort itself out. Bullying arises from a wish to hurt, threaten or frighten somebody else.

Anti-bullying Policy Aim:

States clearly the clubs position on unacceptable behaviour and in particular bullying and to provide a framework for parents, players and officials in dealing with bullying behaviour

To raise the awareness of issues of bullying by promoting and implementation through open dialogue with players and parents

To encourage players to develop positive attitudes towards self and others

To enable coaches and club officials to maintain consistent approach by clarifying the roles of individuals in the club and to introduce procedures for investigation and prevention.

Policy Objectives:

To engender greater awareness amongst members of the club of the issues around bullying

To promote greater concern for the welfare of victims and bullies

To seek a reduction of the incidences of bullying throughout the club

Policy Purpose

The club will look after their welfare by providing a safe and secure environment for all individuals

The club will clearly communicate the position of behaviour, unacceptable behaviour and bullying

The club will actively promote the implementation of the policy through communication with players and parents

The club will ensure all sources of personal support are available

Issues of concern raised by players, parents and the club will be investigated, monitored and an agreed course of action undertaken and recorded

Victims and perpetrators will be offered appropriate advice and support

Action to be taken by the Club

Obtain apology from bully to victim

Inform parents of bully

Insist bullies compensate victim

Encourage and support bully to change his/her behaviour

Impose sanctions against bully. E.g. bully will be excluded if deemed necessary

Hold a follow up meeting with all parties concerned

Keep written records of action taken

3 / Anti-Discrimination & Equal Opportunities Policy Statement'

Pontyclun AFC is responsible for setting standards and values to apply throughout orientation, race, nationality, ethnic origin, religion or disability.

Equality of opportunity at Pontyclun AFC means that in all our activities we will not discriminate or in any way treat anyone less favourably, on the grounds of sex, sexual orientation, race, nationality, ethnic origin, colour, religion or disability.

This includes:

• The advertisement of volunteers;

• The selection of candidates for volunteers;

• Courses;

• External coaching and education activities and awards;

• Development activities;

• Selection of Teams;

• Appointment of honorary positions.

Pontyclun AFC will not tolerate sexual or racially based harassment or other discriminatory behaviour, whether physical or verbal, and will work to ensure that such behaviour is met with appropriate action in whatever context it occurs.

Pontyclun AFC is committed to the development of the programme of ongoing training and awareness raising events and activities, in order to promote the eradication of discrimination within its organisation.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES AND ANTI DISCRIMINATION POLICY

Pontyclun Football Club is committed to a policy of equal treatment of all members of whatever level or authority, to abide & adhere to this general principle & the requirements of the Codes of Practice issued by the Equal Opportunities Commission & Commission for Racial Equality.

All members are expected to abide by the requirements of the Race Relations Act 1976, Sex Discrimination Act 1986 & Disability Discrimination Act 1995. Specifically discrimination is prohibited by:

• Treating any individual on grounds of gender, colour, marital status, race, nationality or ethnic or national origin, religion, sexual orientation or disability less favourably than others.

• Expecting an individual solely on the grounds stated above to comply with requirement(s) for any reason whatsoever related to their memberships, which are different from the requirements for others.

• Imposing on individual requirements, which are in effect more onerous on that individual than they are on others. For example, this would include applying a condition, which makes it more difficult for members of a particular race or sex to comply those others not of that race or sex.

• Victimisation of an individual.

• Harassment of an individual, by virtue of discrimination.

• Any other act or omission of an act, which has its effect the disadvantaging of a member against another, or others, purely on the above grounds. Thus, in all the Club’s recruitment, selection. Promotion & training processes, as well as disciplinary matters, it is essential that merit, experience, skills & temperament be considered as objectively as possible.

Pontyclun Football Club commits itself to the immediate investigation of any claims of discrimination on the above grounds & where such is found to be the case, a requirement that the practice cease forthwith, restitution of damage or loss (if necessary) & to the investigation of any member accused of discrimination.

Any member found guilty of discrimination will be instructed to desist forthwith. Since discrimination in its many forms is against the Football Club’s policy, any members offending will be dealt with under the disciplinary procedure.

The Football Club commits itself to the disabled person whenever possible & will treat such members, in aspects of their recruitment & membership, in exactly the same manner as other members. The difficulties of their disablement permitting assistance will be given, wherever possible to ensure that disabled members are helped in gaining access. Appropriate training will be made to such members who request it.

4 /KICK IT OUT

'Kick It Out' is football's anti-racism campaign. Here at Pontyclun AFC we support the 'Let's Kick Football' campaign.

The Campaign was started by the Commission for Racial Equality and the Professional Footballers' Association in 1993. It is supported by all the game's governing bodies, supporters' organisations and local authorities, and works to challenge racism at all levels of the game.

It's not just the pro game that suffers from racism. Unfortunately, racial harassment rears its ugly head in amateur games too, on local parks and in school fixtures week after week, often unseen by the rest of the world.

The secretary of an amateur league in Yorkshire told a survey that, although racism was unacceptable, really it was just "part of the game". But why should broken jaws, black eyes and bruised backs and arms be seen as part of the game. Physical attacks like these are only the worst examples.

Bari FC, an Asian side in East London, was attacked and racially abused by opponents in November 1998. One of its players was left unconscious after being beaten with a corner flag, kicked and stamped on. "The team is unlikely to play in this type of league again and will probably disband," said their vice-captain.

One of the few ethnic minority referees, says he gave up playing football because of the racism. "Some referees see it as just another form of abuse and as part of the game," he says. "It is actually against the law."

Shobnall Rangers, an Under 14s team from Burton-on-Trent, received racist abuse from opponents during a game. "The most alarming thing was that it came from kids 14 years of age," said their manager.

Cheetham Hill Primary School team from Manchester, was subjected to racist abuse, according to parents, pupils and teachers. "This school team has to overcome all sorts of racial hurdles," said their sports teacher.

Roundhay High School Under 16s team from Leeds was attacked by 20 youths hurling racist abuse, rocks and bricks during a cup semi-final game. The match was abandoned and windows in the team's mini-bus were broken.

If you receive racist abuse, or see or hear someone making racist comments or gestures, you should report it to a steward or the police, to a teacher or coach, to the club if you are a fan, or to the local authority if it occurs on your local council pitch.

Racist abuse at football matches is against the law, so the police and stewards should take action. Referees should act if the abuse comes from players, and your league or county FA should look into the matter. Make note of the incident and let 'Kick It Out' know what's happened too. The 'Kick It Out' hotline number is 0800 169 9414.

EQUITY POLICY STATEMENT

This club is committed to ensuring that equity is incorporated across all aspects of its development. In doing so it acknowledges and adopts the following Sport Wales definition of sports equity:

Sports equity is about fairness in sport, equality of access, recognising inequalities and taking steps to address them. It is about changing the culture and structure of sport to ensure it becomes equally accessible to everyone in society.

The club respects the rights, dignity and worth of every person and will treat everyone equally within the context of their sport, regardless of age, ability, gender, race, ethnicity, religious belief, sexuality or social/economic status.

The club is committed to everyone having the right to enjoy their sport in an environment free from threat of intimidation, harassment and abuse.

All club members have a responsibility to oppose discriminatory behaviour and promote equality of opportunity.

The club will deal with any incidence of discriminatory behaviour seriously, according to club disciplinary procedures.

Respect to our Neighbours Policy

Wherever junior football training or matches take place on a space allocated for such activities, there will always be issues surrounding the potential for noise, additional traffic, swearing, property damage and the like. Pontyclun AFC have taken these points onboard and it is our intention at all times to work in harmony with our neighbours and minimise any possible disruption. :

1) Pontyclun AFC pledge: Ifor Fields Pitches

that weekend matches and/or training will never begin before 10.00 hours and will always finish before 17.30 hours (with the possible exception of a once a year football fete).

that any weekday outdoor training/matches will finish no later than 20.30 hours.

that the car parks will be utilised and that all visiting teams will be directed towards them, maintaining the access of all local roads.

to leave the club grounds tidy and free of rubbish.

2) Pontyclun AFC will make it clear that any instances of foul or abusive language will not be tolerated - and the person responsible will be requested to leave the grounds immediately.

3) Pontyclun AFC have in place a liability insurance, in case of any damage to neighbouring property.

Please note:The main users of the Ifor Fields pitches will be 12, 13, & 16 year olds, with matches lasting for no more than 90 minutes at a time. These age groups do not play every week. Home matches will often be coordinated so that the total length of time of matches in action will be minimised. Teams will play away as often as they play at home, consequently some weekends in the season will be match free. Senior matches will also be played on Ifor Fields, and the same issues apply.

With these pledges and despite the absence of any byelaws enforcing such, Pontyclun AFC are proud to say that our ‘Respect to our Neighbours’ policy is to our knowledge as stringent a policy of any sports grounds in the County – and we will honour those pledges. In doing so, we hope that our neighbours will support Pontyclun AFC in our aims to promote children’s football in the community in the ways we intend.