Safeguarding & Wellbeing Policy

At Johnstown FC, we are fully committed to safeguarding the welfare of every child and young person who is entrusted to our care. We strive to create a safe and supportive environment for all members of our club. A child or young person refers to anyone under the age of 18 who participates in any club football activity. We endorse and adopt The Football Association of Wales' Safeguarding Children – Policy and Procedures, and we adhere to the Policy Statement within this document.

Key Principles of The FAW Safeguarding Children Policy:

- The child’s safeguarding is paramount and must always come first.

- Every child and young person has the right to be protected from abuse, regardless of age, gender, disability, race, sexual orientation, faith, or belief.

- All suspicions and allegations of abuse will be treated seriously and responded to quickly and appropriately.

We believe that working in partnership with children, young people, parents/carers, and other organisations is essential to providing a safe and enjoyable football environment. Every adult involved in our club shares the responsibility of ensuring that all children are safeguarded from poor practice and abuse.

Safeguarding Responsibilities

Johnstown FC is committed to safeguarding all children and young people by protecting them from physical, sexual, or emotional harm, as well as neglect and bullying. The FAW’s Safeguarding Children Regulations apply to everyone in football, whether they are paid or in a voluntary capacity—this includes volunteers, match officials, coaches, club officials or medical staff.

We also follow the FAW’s Responsible Recruitment guidelines. All club members working in eligible roles with children or young people, such as managers, coaches, and volunteers are required to complete an FAW-accepted Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) in line with FAW regulations.

If concerns arise regarding an individual’s suitability for working with children, Johnstown FC will seek guidance from the CFL and/or the FAW. The CFL and/or the FAW will assess the relevance of any information obtained through the relevant DBS process to ensure that decisions are made in the best interests of children and young people. The FAW aims to prevent individuals with a history of significant offences from having any contact with children within football.

Whistle-Blowing and Reporting Concerns

Johnstown FC supports The FAW’s Whistle Blowing Policy. If you have concerns about an adult in a position of trust within football, you can contact The FAW’s Safeguarding Team, the Police, Children’s Social Care, or the NSPCC. The FAW’s Whistle Blowing Policy is encouraged for all members to know and use when necessary.

Club Safeguarding Officer/s

Johnstown FC has appointed Club Safeguarding Officers in line with FAW guidelines, who have completed the Safeguarding Children and Welfare Officers Workshop. The Safeguarding Officer is the first point of contact for any concerns regarding the welfare of a child or young person. They will work closely with the Carmarthenshire Football League (CFL) Safeguarding Officer and are familiar with the correct procedures for referring concerns. The Safeguarding Officer also promotes awareness of Respect, poor practice, and safeguarding throughout the club.

Bullying of any kind is not tolerated at Johnstown FC. Incidents of bullying should be reported immediately to a Club Safeguarding Officer, who will ensure they are handled promptly. In serious cases, the CFL Safeguarding Officer may be contacted.

We have implemented Respect codes of conduct for players, parents, spectators, officials and coaches. The club has clear actions in place to address serious or repeated misconduct and acknowledges that the CFL who may impose further sanctions in extreme cases.

Reporting Concerns

Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility. If you are worried about the welfare of a child, you must report your concerns—doing nothing is not an option. If the concern relates to poor practice, a Club Safeguarding Officer or Chairman may address it directly or seek advice from the relevant authorities. If the concern is more serious and involves potential child abuse, Police or Children’s Social Care should be contacted immediately.

In urgent situations where a child requires medical attention, take the child to the hospital or call an ambulance, ensuring they are informed of the child protection concerns. After taking action, inform a Club Safeguarding Officer, who will then notify the appropriate authorities.

If the Club Welfare Officer is unavailable, or if the matter is clearly serious, you can contact the FAW Welfare Officer, The FAW Safeguarding Team, the Police, Children’s Social Care, or the NSPCC.

For further details, including how to make a referral, consult The FAW’s Safeguarding Children Policy and Procedures available here.

For more information on safeguarding matters, you can contact:

Club Safeguarding Officers:

Jason Davies
Phone: 07811 111111
Email: Jason@gmail.com

Bethan Johnson
Phone: 07811 111111
Email: Bethan@gmail.com

For serious concerns, you may also contact:

The FAW Safeguarding Team: 029 2043 5830 | safeguarding@faw.co.uk | www.safeguarding.cymru

NSPCC 24-Hour Helpline: 0808 800 5000 | text 88858 | help@nspcc.org.uk

Issued: October 2024