• We will take every step to build up trusting and supportive relationships between families, volunteers, committee members and club members.
• Exclude known abusers
• It will be made clear to applicants for posts within the Saffron Walden Rugby Club Youth Section that the position is exempt from the provision of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1972.
• Everyone working at Saffron Walden Rugby Football Club Youth Section, whether voluntary or paid, will be interviewed before their appointment is made and will be asked to provide two references. All such references will be followed up.
• All appointments both paid and voluntary, will be subject to a probationary period and will not be confirmed unless the club is confident that the applicant can be safely entrusted with children.
• Where necessary all volunteers and coaching staff will have the appropriate social service checks, police checks and health checks, prior to their appointment.
• We will continuously seek training opportunities for all our volunteers and coaching staff, to ensure that they recognise the symptoms of possible physical abuse, neglect, emotional abuse and sexual abuse.
• We will review our Child Protection Policy yearly, and discuss on a regular basis.

Prevention of Abuse
Uncleared volunteers and coaching staff are never left alone with individual children or small groups of children.

Children will be encouraged to develop a sense of autonomy and independence through adult support in making choices and in finding names for their own feelings and acceptable ways to express them. This will enable children to have the self-confidence and the vocabulary to resist inappropriate approaches.

Suspicions of Abuse
Any changes in children’s behaviour/appearance will be investigated. All such suspicions and investigations will be kept confidential, shared only with those who need to know. The people most commonly involved will be the member of the youth committee, a supervisor and the management.

Confidential records will be set up in such cases, these being quite separate from the records kept on the child’s progress and development. The record will include, in addition to the name, address and age of the child: timed and dated observation, interpretation; wherever possible, the exact words spoken to the child, the dated name and signature of the recorder. On suspicion we will liaise with the relevant outside agencies.

Where abuse at home is suspected, Saffron Walden Rugby Football Club Youth Section will continue to welcome the child and family while investigations proceed. Whilst the care and safety of the child must always be paramount, Saffron Walden Rugby Football Club Youth Section will do all it can to offer support to the family.

PROCEDURE OF A MEMBER OF STAFF BEING SUSPECT

• All members of staff will be registered with Saffron Walden RFC Youth Section and the RFU they will have had the relevant police checks and health checks required.
• Any adult present on the premises who has not had the relevant checks will not be left in sole charge of any or one child at any time.
• Any adult who is suspected of abuse either present or in the past will be asked to leave the premises immediately. A report will be written in the incident book and the relevant agencies informed.
• Any adult who is suspected or seen handling a child carelessly or in a rough manner, will be asked to leave the premises immediately, the incident book will be completed and the relevant agencies will be informed of our actions.
• In both the above cases the parents of the child will be contacted and asked to come into the school immediately. They will be informed of the incident, and it will discussed with them the course of action we are to take.

COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE
We welcome discussion with parents at any time on training days and match days. A parent who has any small concerns over their child’s training or well being should discuss them with the child’s coach or the Chair of the youth committee at the beginning or the end of the morning.
For more serious complaints it is advisable to make a more formal appointment, so more time can be given to the problem. If this does not have a satisfactory outcome, the parent should put the concern or complaint in writing and we will review the situation. If required, both parties may have a second party present. This will be followed up by letters of agreement on decisions taken from both parties.

If a parent would like to make a complaint relating to Saffron Walden Rugby Football Club Youth Section, they must in the first instance contact the secretary of Saffron Walden Rugby Football Club.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES POLICY
Saffron Walden Rugby Football Club Youth section is open to all families in the community. Families joining the Youth section are made aware of its equal opportunities policy. We recognise that there are many different types of family units and welcome everyone. In the case of hardship the Chair of the Youth Committee is always available to discuss the most suitable ways to pay the registration fees. We will provide all children with the opportunity to develop in the sport at their own pace by providing suitable equipment in an environment that is free from prejudice and discrimination. We aim to give a balanced view on a multi-cultural society.  Saffron Walden Rugby Football Youth Section will appoint the best person for each job and will treat all applicants fairly. All those appointed will be treated likewise.

We work in accordance with all relevant legislation, including:
Disabled Persons Act 1958, 1986
Race Relations Act 1976
Sex Discrimination Act 1986
Children’s Act 1969

Saffron Walden Rugby Football Club Youth Section operates in accordance with local authority guidelines and the RFU.