Where are we?
Season 2009-2010 presents additional challenges. Not only must the Club Welfare Officer have an enhanced CRB disclosure they must also have attended a Safeguarding Children in Football workshop prior to their club being affiliated to the county/ registered with their league(s).
Club Welfare Officers, on adding the Safeguarding Workshop to their FACRB, may apply to The FACRB Unit to become FACRB verifiers for their clubs hence removing the need of club members sending personal documentation through the post.
Contact:
0845 210 8080
The County schedules Safeguarding Children Workshops for Level 1 Coach Courses, Referee Courses and Stand-alones. All three are similar and may be topped-up by any of the disciplines, resulting in approximately 70 workshops being made available annually. If members of your club require to attend the workshop please contact:
Jackie on
01256 853014
The FA Welfare Officer Pack is available to download now - see 'Related Links'.
The pack offers information about the role of a welfare officer at both club and league level. This has been developed in conjunction with other County Football Associations to provide guidance for all welfare officers across the country. This pack will provide information, guidance and ideas on the role of a welfare officer, as well as some practical tips.
The next section for the pack to be written involves the Online Safeguarding System and how the CWO can access this and what it provides.
Safeguarding Online for CWOs
A number of our CWOs are already involved with the Safeguarding Online system – it obviously requires the CWO to have an email address. Online will enable the CWO to see who in the club has been CRB’d and also who holds a current Safeguarding Certificate (3-year life): please note, this may be a Safeguarding Children workshop or CD equivalent.
Thinkuknow Website
The www.thinkuknow.com website provided by CEOP (Child Protection & Online Protection) is worth a visit if you haven’t already done so. It offers up to date advice and guidance for children and parents on the safe use of the internet.
Telephone Numbers
The FA/NSPCC 24 hour Helpline number…
0808 800 5000. The FA teamed up with the NSPCC eight years ago and contributed financially to the nationally known NSPCC 24-hour Helpline number. Anyone wishing to report a concern about a child or seek advice can phone The FA/NSPCC 24-hour Helpline 0808 800 5000. This number is dealt with by a team of NSPCC trained staff who will inform The FA of concerns they receive relating to football. It also offers a deaf users textphone on 0800 056 0566.
The FA Safeguarding and Equality General Enquiries number…
0845 210 8080 is aimed at anyone who wants to find out more about The FAs Safeguarding Education Programme, The FA CRB Unit or anything relating to Safeguarding Children in football that we deal with. Please note this number is also used as a general enquiries number for the Equality Education Programme. It is managed by TMG Support on behalf of The FA’s Equality and Child Protection department. There are also the two email addresses which can be used:
Footballsafe@TheFA.com for general safeguarding enquiries
and
crb@TheFA.com for CRB specific issues.
The FA Report Discrimination free phone number and email address …
0800 058 0508 to report allegations of discrimination such as sexist, racist and homophobic abuse as well as abuse in relation to disability. This number is dealt with by FA staff in London although allegations can be passed back to a County FA or other organisation to deal with. There is also an email address: reportdiscrimination@TheFA.com
which can be used as an alternative to the phone number.
CRB (Criminal Record Bureau) Checks
Clubs often inform me that their CWO/ Manager/ Coach has a CRB from another agency as part of their work or other voluntary activity. Under current rules, CRBs are not transferable between agencies and hence The FA requires their own CRB process.
The FACRB is ‘portable’ between FA clubs – a referee who has a FACRB can also be the Club Welfare Officer using the same document. A CWO moving from one football club to another uses the same FACRB document.
Continuing on from last season, all Registered Referees over the age of 18 must have an enhanced FACRB plus, in their case, having attended a Safeguarding Children Workshop (Child Protection Workshop as was). Due to the possible sensitivity of the workshop, the Under 16s are sent a DVD to study with a question/ answer paper, which is sent to The FACRB Unit for assessment.
The CRB usually lasts for three years, however, the three-year renewal process has been put on hold by The FA as they await further information from Government.
CWOs are encouraged to ensure that their Managers, Coaches and Physios hold an FACRB. During season 2009-2010 all Managers, Coaches and Physios will be required to hold an FACRB disclosure.
CRBs are sensitive personal documents. They cannot be demanded for observation by anyone else and neither should they be photocopied. The only information that can be requested by the Club or Organisation is the CRB Serial Number.
If your club/ team operates within a school environment, the school may request that you become CRB’d under their agency despite holding an FACRB.
Welfare Officers Workshop
The Welfare Officers Workshop is for Club Welfare Officers and Youth League Welfare Officers. Pre-requisites are:
Named CWO or YLWO
Completed CRB process and been accepted by The FA
Attended the Safeguarding Children in Football Workshop.