Child Well-Being and Protection
Ayrshire Tigers follow the Scottish Para-Football Child and Protected Adult Wellbeing and Protection Policy, Procedures and Guidance.
Please click here to read the club's Player Well-Being and Protection Policy Statement and click here to view our Player Wellbeing and Protection Policy.
Please click here to read the club's Player Well-Being and Protection Policy Statement and click here to view our Player Wellbeing and Protection Policy.
Safeguarding players is of paramount importance to Ayrshire Tigers Powerchair Football Club. The Club is dedicated to providing safe and secure footballing opportunities for young people in Scotland, with player wellbeing and protection central to all that we do. This section provides important information and advice on child and protected adult protection.
If you have a concern about a player’s wellbeing you can speak to Adam McGovern the club’s Safeguarding Officer, or the SPFA’s Safeguarding Officer or you can contact the Wellbeing & Protection team at the Scottish FA at [email protected] or 0141 616 6133.
We recommend that you complete our concern recording form for either Children or Protected Adults and email this to the National Protection Officer - David McArdle - [email protected]
Reporting Concerns will follow the appropriate flowchart Child or Protected Adults .
If you think a child is in immediate danger, call the police on 999, or call the NSPCC on 0808 800 5000, straight away.
Scottish Para-Football Online Protection Training
All Scottish Para-Football member Officials, regardless of their role, must complete the Children's Wellbeing in Football e-learning online module. To access the e-learning course Click Here
Every Club's Wellbeing and Protection Officer MUST ALSO complete the Managing Child Wellbeing Workshop. To book on this course please Click Here
Scottish Para-Football PVG
Please remember you must have registered to become an Official with a Scottish Para-Football Club before you can be PVG Checked. If we receive a PVG form and you are not a registered official on the Scottish Para-Football Registrations Website we cannot process your form.
Your PVG check must be carried out through Scottish Para-Football (not the individual club with which you are volunteering) in order for your membership to be approved. PVG checks which have been carried out through a different organisation cannot be used as part of your application.
If you have already completed a PVG check through another organisation, you MUST complete an Existing PVG Application Form for Scottish Para-Football. Please click here for Guide to Completing your PVG.
If you have a concern about a player’s wellbeing you can speak to Adam McGovern the club’s Safeguarding Officer, or the SPFA’s Safeguarding Officer or you can contact the Wellbeing & Protection team at the Scottish FA at [email protected] or 0141 616 6133.
We recommend that you complete our concern recording form for either Children or Protected Adults and email this to the National Protection Officer - David McArdle - [email protected]
Reporting Concerns will follow the appropriate flowchart Child or Protected Adults .
If you think a child is in immediate danger, call the police on 999, or call the NSPCC on 0808 800 5000, straight away.
Scottish Para-Football Online Protection Training
All Scottish Para-Football member Officials, regardless of their role, must complete the Children's Wellbeing in Football e-learning online module. To access the e-learning course Click Here
Every Club's Wellbeing and Protection Officer MUST ALSO complete the Managing Child Wellbeing Workshop. To book on this course please Click Here
Scottish Para-Football PVG
Please remember you must have registered to become an Official with a Scottish Para-Football Club before you can be PVG Checked. If we receive a PVG form and you are not a registered official on the Scottish Para-Football Registrations Website we cannot process your form.
Your PVG check must be carried out through Scottish Para-Football (not the individual club with which you are volunteering) in order for your membership to be approved. PVG checks which have been carried out through a different organisation cannot be used as part of your application.
If you have already completed a PVG check through another organisation, you MUST complete an Existing PVG Application Form for Scottish Para-Football. Please click here for Guide to Completing your PVG.
In 2019, The Scottish FA published its 5 year strategy to transform child protection within the whole of Scottish Football, “Getting It Right for Every Child in Scottish Football”. The purpose of the strategy is to help everyone involved in Scottish Football, including clubs, bring about a bold and ambitious programme of transformational change in the culture across the game.
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Well Being & Protection
Scottish Football has minimum child wellbeing and protection standards that must be in place within all clubs that are working with children and young people. These standards are expected to be in place within clubs to ensure that the proper safeguards and processes are in place to protect the wellbeing of all children. These standards are:
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Minimum Standards for Clubs
1. Information Sharing
Clubs need to have formal information sharing processes in place for when there are concerns with regards to a child or the conduct of an adult and understand their role in sharing this information. When a concern about a child or the conduct of an adult becomes apparent within a club setting, this needs to be recorded & reported to the relevant football body that the club is affiliated too. This should take place even if the club has managed the concern and resolved it or reported it to the Police.
2. Adopt the Children’s Wellbeing in Scottish Football Policy templates
To create a consistent approach across Scottish Football to Wellbeing & Protection at all levels of the game, clubs must adopt and have in place the “Children’s Wellbeing in Scottish Football” policy, procedures and practice notes. This includes the introduction, policy statement, set the standards (code of conduct), appointment & selection procedure, responding to concerns procedure, case review procedure and the suite of practice notes. Having these in place will help clubs respond to concerns and provide advice on how to best manage the wellbeing & protection of children and young people.
3. Have a Club Child Wellbeing & Protection Officer (CWPO)
Each club working with children and young people must have a Child Wellbeing & Protection Officer in place. The purpose of this role is to promote a safe environment for children and young people involved in Scottish Football by implementing the Child Wellbeing in Scottish Football policies, procedures and safeguards and to respond appropriately to concerns. They will also work with the Committee/Board at the club to develop and continually improve the culture around wellbeing & protection. Ayrshire Tiger's CWPO is the Head Coach Adam McGovern.
In order for them to become a CWPO, they must have undertake the Scottish FA’s “Managing Children’s Wellbeing Course” or its equivalent, sportscotland “Child Wellbeing and Protection in Sport – Officer Training” course. These courses provide further information and practical skills on how to effectively conduct the role of CWPO in a club setting. A role description detailing the responsibilities and person specifications required for the role of CWPO can be found here.
4. Appointment and Selection
Every club has a duty to make sure that any individual that they wish to recruit into regulated work with children and young people are suitable to do so. Those coaches and adults who are working or volunteering in regulated work with children and young people must have gone through the full appointment & selection procedure, set out in the Scottish FA’s Child Wellbeing & Protection Policy, before they are allowed to work or volunteer with children, even if that individual is supervised by someone who has already gone through to the full procedure themselves. Failing to do this can put the children and young people who attend your club at serious risk of harm.
One part of this procedure is the Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) scheme. The Scottish FA has prepared PVG guidance for clubs which can be found here. If you are unsure if your role falls under the category of regulated work you can consult this guidance, Disclosure Scotland or contact the SPFA.
Furthermore, the club must seek two references for the individual and each individual needs to complete an annual self-declaration by the individual in ‘regulated work’, and a fair processing notice form.
The Scottish FA has published a Appointment & Selection Toolkit for clubs to use to assist them in implementing the Appointment & Selection Procedures from the Child Wellbeing & Protection Policy. The steps for clubs to take and how to take them can be found here and the suite of templates available to clubs can be found below:
5. Education & Training for those working with Children and Young People
The Scottish FA delivers a specific wellbeing and protection course for everyone who is working or volunteering with children and young people in Scottish football. This course is “Children's Wellbeing in Scottish Football" which helps to recognise, understand and promote children’s rights, raise awareness of safeguarding children’s wellbeing and recognise what needs to be done when a child needs help or support. The course is available to attend face to face or by completing an online module. To access the online module, please click here.
6. Set the Standards, Behaviours, Expectations and Requirements
Furthermore, any individual who will be working or volunteering with children and young people has a duty to agree to “Set the Standards”. This details the standards and practice required, both verbally and non-verbally, when involved in activities with children and young people to create a positive football environment by displaying exemplary behaviour and implementing practices that make football a safe, fun and positive experience for all involved.
Sport Scotland Standards for Child Wellbeing and Protection in Sport
Sport Scotland announced in 2017 the introduction of its “Standards for Child Wellbeing and Protection in Sport”. It has been developed to help create a culture in sport that promotes, supports and safeguards children’s wellbeing in Scotland. There are 8 standards to enable sports organisations to put measures in place that help them on a journey to progress and develop a child centred and rights-based approach in sport.
Clubs should be looking to embrace and adopt these 8 standards within their club to heighten their commitment to child wellbeing and protection.
Quality Mark
Quality Mark is the Scottish FA’s club accreditation scheme which aims to reward those clubs who have a desire to be the very best they can be. To gain one of our awards – Bronze (Standard), Silver (Development), Gold (Community) or Platinum (Legacy) - your club must achieve each of our related list of criteria. Aimed at improving or supporting management, development structures, administration, planning and welfare, these criteria help each club as they strive to improve.
To find out more when it comes to Quality Mark and how to get involved in the accreditation scheme, please click here.
Clubs need to have formal information sharing processes in place for when there are concerns with regards to a child or the conduct of an adult and understand their role in sharing this information. When a concern about a child or the conduct of an adult becomes apparent within a club setting, this needs to be recorded & reported to the relevant football body that the club is affiliated too. This should take place even if the club has managed the concern and resolved it or reported it to the Police.
2. Adopt the Children’s Wellbeing in Scottish Football Policy templates
To create a consistent approach across Scottish Football to Wellbeing & Protection at all levels of the game, clubs must adopt and have in place the “Children’s Wellbeing in Scottish Football” policy, procedures and practice notes. This includes the introduction, policy statement, set the standards (code of conduct), appointment & selection procedure, responding to concerns procedure, case review procedure and the suite of practice notes. Having these in place will help clubs respond to concerns and provide advice on how to best manage the wellbeing & protection of children and young people.
3. Have a Club Child Wellbeing & Protection Officer (CWPO)
Each club working with children and young people must have a Child Wellbeing & Protection Officer in place. The purpose of this role is to promote a safe environment for children and young people involved in Scottish Football by implementing the Child Wellbeing in Scottish Football policies, procedures and safeguards and to respond appropriately to concerns. They will also work with the Committee/Board at the club to develop and continually improve the culture around wellbeing & protection. Ayrshire Tiger's CWPO is the Head Coach Adam McGovern.
In order for them to become a CWPO, they must have undertake the Scottish FA’s “Managing Children’s Wellbeing Course” or its equivalent, sportscotland “Child Wellbeing and Protection in Sport – Officer Training” course. These courses provide further information and practical skills on how to effectively conduct the role of CWPO in a club setting. A role description detailing the responsibilities and person specifications required for the role of CWPO can be found here.
4. Appointment and Selection
Every club has a duty to make sure that any individual that they wish to recruit into regulated work with children and young people are suitable to do so. Those coaches and adults who are working or volunteering in regulated work with children and young people must have gone through the full appointment & selection procedure, set out in the Scottish FA’s Child Wellbeing & Protection Policy, before they are allowed to work or volunteer with children, even if that individual is supervised by someone who has already gone through to the full procedure themselves. Failing to do this can put the children and young people who attend your club at serious risk of harm.
One part of this procedure is the Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) scheme. The Scottish FA has prepared PVG guidance for clubs which can be found here. If you are unsure if your role falls under the category of regulated work you can consult this guidance, Disclosure Scotland or contact the SPFA.
Furthermore, the club must seek two references for the individual and each individual needs to complete an annual self-declaration by the individual in ‘regulated work’, and a fair processing notice form.
The Scottish FA has published a Appointment & Selection Toolkit for clubs to use to assist them in implementing the Appointment & Selection Procedures from the Child Wellbeing & Protection Policy. The steps for clubs to take and how to take them can be found here and the suite of templates available to clubs can be found below:
- Appendix 1 - Volunteer Appointment & Selection Flowchart
- Appendix 2 - Application form template
- Appendix 3 - Reference form template
- Appendix 4 - Values-based questions (examples)
- Appendix 5 - Volunteer agreement template
- Appendix 6 - Self-declaration template
- Appendix 7 - Fair processing notice template
- Appendix 8 - Code of Conduct (Set the Standards) template
- Appendix 9 - Induction checklist
- Appendix 10 - Volunteer & Staff recruitment privacy notice template
- Appendix 11 - Volunteer & Staff fair processing notice template
- Appendix 12 - Further Information & Guidance
5. Education & Training for those working with Children and Young People
The Scottish FA delivers a specific wellbeing and protection course for everyone who is working or volunteering with children and young people in Scottish football. This course is “Children's Wellbeing in Scottish Football" which helps to recognise, understand and promote children’s rights, raise awareness of safeguarding children’s wellbeing and recognise what needs to be done when a child needs help or support. The course is available to attend face to face or by completing an online module. To access the online module, please click here.
6. Set the Standards, Behaviours, Expectations and Requirements
Furthermore, any individual who will be working or volunteering with children and young people has a duty to agree to “Set the Standards”. This details the standards and practice required, both verbally and non-verbally, when involved in activities with children and young people to create a positive football environment by displaying exemplary behaviour and implementing practices that make football a safe, fun and positive experience for all involved.
Sport Scotland Standards for Child Wellbeing and Protection in Sport
Sport Scotland announced in 2017 the introduction of its “Standards for Child Wellbeing and Protection in Sport”. It has been developed to help create a culture in sport that promotes, supports and safeguards children’s wellbeing in Scotland. There are 8 standards to enable sports organisations to put measures in place that help them on a journey to progress and develop a child centred and rights-based approach in sport.
Clubs should be looking to embrace and adopt these 8 standards within their club to heighten their commitment to child wellbeing and protection.
Quality Mark
Quality Mark is the Scottish FA’s club accreditation scheme which aims to reward those clubs who have a desire to be the very best they can be. To gain one of our awards – Bronze (Standard), Silver (Development), Gold (Community) or Platinum (Legacy) - your club must achieve each of our related list of criteria. Aimed at improving or supporting management, development structures, administration, planning and welfare, these criteria help each club as they strive to improve.
To find out more when it comes to Quality Mark and how to get involved in the accreditation scheme, please click here.