Frampton Cotterell Rugby Football Club - FCRFC

Policies

Contents:

1. Child Protection Policy

Child Protection Officer:

Name: Nick Knight
Home: 01454 776566
e-mail: nickknig This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

At Frampton Cotterell Rugby Football Club we believe that taking part in sport should be a positive and enjoyable part of children's lives. We want to make sure that children are protected and kept safe from physical, sexual and emotional harm while they are with the Club's coaches, helpers and other volunteers. To achieve this desire we have the following aims: -

All coaches will attend a START Coaching Rugby Union Course before they begin working with children.
Woman coaches and helpers will be encouraged.
All coaches will be qualified to Preliminary Award level before they are allowed to be the Head Coach of an age group.
The Club will encourage and help coaches to stay up-to-date with rugby, coaching and child protection issues. Each lead coach will receive guidance in child protection and in the application of the Clubs Child Protection Policy.
All coaches will be given a copy of the Club's Code of Conduct for Coaches and be expected to keep it at all times.
We will keep written records of parental consent and accidents will be discussed at the Junior Management Committee.
Accusations or suspicions of child abuse is covered by a written procedure which is held by the Child Protection Officer. Copies of the procedure are available to coaches, parents or guardians on request.
As a Club we will promote "fair play" and always play within the spirit of the laws and the letter of the continuum.
We will identify a person whose role it is to deal with any concerns about physical, sexual or emotional abuse within the Club. That person will assume the role of the Child Protection Officer and will attend an NCF Coach Protection Workshop.

2. Child Protection Policy 'Handout'

GUIDELINES FOR GOOD PRACTICE

Always be publicly open when working with children. Avoid situations where you and an individual child are completely unobserved.
Rugby is a physical game. Situations will occur when, in order to teach or coach certain techniques, it is necessary to make contact with the player. If this is the case, tell the player beforehand and ask them if they have any objections.
If groups are to be supervised in changing rooms, always ensure that adults work in pairs, and that gender is appropriate.
Where mixed teams compete away from home they should always be accompanied by at least one male and one female adult.
Volunteers and professionals must respect the rights and dignity and worth of all and treat everyone with equality.
Coaches must place the well-being and safety of the player above the development of performance.
Coaches should:
- Avoid overplaying of players (particularly talented players). All players need and deserve equal opportunity to play.
- Remember that children play for fun and enjoyment and that winning is only a part of it.
- Ensure that contact skills are taught in a safe, secure manner paying due regard to the physical development of young players.
- Never allow young players to train or play when injured.
- Ensure equipment and facilities are safe and appropriate to the age and ability of the players.
Coaches should hold current RFU coaching awards or a recognised leadership award.
Coaches must ensure that the activities which they direct or advocate are appropriate to the age, maturity and ability of the players.
Coaches should always promote the positive aspects of their sport (e.g. fair play), and never condone law violations or use of prohibited substances.
Coaches must consistently display high standards of personal behaviour and appearance.
Coaches should never overtly criticise players or use language or actions which may cause the player to lose self esteem or confidence.

Everyone should also be aware that, as a general rule, it does not make sense for a coach to:

Spend amounts of time alone with children away from others.
Take children alone on car journeys, however short, the journey.
Take children to your home.

If it should arise that such situations are unavoidable they should only take place with the full knowledge and consent of someone in charge in the club/governing body and/or a person with parental responsibility for the player. If you accidentally hurt a player, or cause distress in any manner, or the player appears to respond in a sexual manner to your actions, or misunderstands, or misinterprets something you have done, report the incident to a colleague supported by a brief written report of the incident as soon as possible. Parents/carers should also be informed of the occurrence.

YOU SHOULD NEVER!

Engage in inappropriate physical contact, including horseplay.
Share a room with a player.
Permit any form of inappropriate touching.
Permit players to use unacceptable or explicit language unchallenged.
Make sexually suggestive comments to a player, even in fun.
Agree to meet a player on your own, outside the context of the normal coaching or mentoring process.
Allow allegations made by a player to go unchallenged, unrecorded or not acted upon.
Do things of a personal nature that a player can do for themselves. It may be necessary for a volunteer to do things of a personal nature for some players particularly if they are very young or disabled. Such tasks should only be carried out with the full understanding and consent of the parent/carer. There is also a need in these instances to be responsive to the player's reactions - if a player is fully dependent upon you, talk with him/her about what you are doing and give choices where possible.

3. Drugs Policy

Definition of a Drug

In this policy a drug is defined as any substance which affects how a person thinks, feels or behaves. The term embraces medicinal and non-medicinal drugs and illegal drugs. A substance is any material, which a person might consume or inhale.

Purpose

The purpose of this policy is as follows: -

To protect the junior members of the Club (under 18s) from the effects of drugs.
To recognise the Law regarding the use of drugs.

Policy

The use or introduction of any illegal drug or substance at any time within the Club including any function or event, by a Club member or a member's guest will not be tolerated.

Action

Any member found using or allowing the use of drugs within the Club or at a Club function or event will be subject to disciplinary action, which will be taken by the Clubs Disciplinary Committee.

4. Guideline On Alcohol

These guidelines are for information and are taken from the Law regarding licensed premises.

Offence: - Providing Intoxicating Liquor for a person under 18.

This offence refers to the Licensee or their Bar Staff selling intoxicating liquor to a person under 18 or knowingly allowing a person under 18 to consume intoxicating liquor in a bar.
The above could result in a fine or loss of license.

Offence: - Person under 18 buying or drinking iintoxicating liquor in a bar.

The Licensing Act states that a person under 18 shall not in licensed premises buy or attempt to buy intoxicating liquor, nor consume intoxicating liquor in a bar.
The above could result in a fine.

Offence: - Buying intoxicating liquor for a person under 18.

The Licensing Act states that no person shall buy or attempt to buy intoxicating liquor for consumption in a bar in licensed premises by a person under 18.
The above could result in a fine.

5. Code of Conduct

Junior Section Coaches:

Any coach working with young players within Frampton Cotterell Rugby Football Club is part of a structure which has many stakeholders, and as such he/she has responsibilities to all of them.

This code has been written to remind or inform coaches of those responsibilities and the minimum standards of behaviour commensurate with fulfilling them. Each season every coach active in the section will be required to warrant that they have read, understood and intend to abide by this code.

Players

Rugby is only a part of their lives. Recognise this and allow for it in your demands on them.
Treat games against other clubs as lessons, opportunities to learn, not as a test.
Rugby is for everyone. Frampton Cotterell RFC is for everyone. Do not rely on "star" players and never make any player feel like a "spare part". Share game time and your time in practice sessions equally.
Never ridicule any player. Never belittle any player. Always make every player feel valued.
Find out what makes each player tick. Know about their family background and their other interests. Be aware and react to changes in their behaviour.
Find out the facts about child development and the physical, intellectual and emotional capabilities of the age group you work with.

Rugby Union

Rugby is a potentially dangerous game, which relies on every participant playing it in a spirit of mutual respect.
Rugby works best when sides are evenly matched. Endeavour to mix and match ill matched teams.
Some very experienced people constructed the continuum, understand it and abide by it to the letter. You have no option as the continuum forms part of the laws of the game.
Learn the laws and learn to referee.
Teach players by your own example, to respect the referee at all times.

Coaching

When you call yourself a coach you apply to join an elite: when others call you coach you have achieved that status. You owe it to yourself and all other coaches to behave as a coach should:
- Always look like a coach, always act like a coach.
- Start and finish on time.
- Plan your session.
- Do not drink alcohol before or whilst you are working.
- Do not smoke while you are working.

To be a good coach, you need up to date information on coaching issues and Rugby issues. Stay in touch.
- You are responsible for the safety of the players you work with:
- Mark out a safe area and keep it safe. Make sure equipment is in good repair and safe.
- Never join in with contact drills or games. You are too big and too hard and you will injure them.
- Do not encourage or allow players to participate if injured. Refer injured players to their doctor, or better still a sports injuries clinic.

Do not put yourself in a position where you could be suspected of, or accused of, physical or sexual abuse of any child associated with the club. Avoid being alone with individuals "behind closed doors" and NEVER "get in the bath with the boys".

Tell the players and keep telling yourself that winning and losing are only by-products of performance. We are there to play and enjoy playing, nothing more.