Lasswade Rugby Football Club (“the Club”) exists to promote the game of rugby within its area for all ages of people. Membership and participation offers children and young people opportunities to develop their physical skills and for social interaction with their peers and with adults with a shared interest in the sport.

These children, young people and their parents place trust in the Club through their membership and support. The Club wishes to ensure this trust is well placed by providing a safe, positive, supportive and enjoyable environment with procedures, systems and personnel in place to ensure this.

The welfare of children is everyone’s responsibility, particularly when it comes to protecting children from abuse. Everyone can help.

POLICY

Note:The law relating to this matter defines all people under the age of 18 as ‘children’.

The Club will:
1) Adhere to procedures, guidance and practices contained in Scottish Rugby’s Child Protection Policy
2) Promote the welfare and safety of all its members and within that aim will treat children’s welfare and interests as the paramount consideration
3) Seek to safeguard the welfare of children and ensure freedom from harm, abuse, neglect or exposure to bad practice.
4) Treat all children equally, fairly and with respect and consideration regardless of age, ability, gender and sexual identity, racial origin, religion, language and culture.
5) Ensure children’s programmes and competitions are relevant to their ages and stages of development.
6) Listen to and take seriously anything children have to say, whether individually or collectively
7) Provide clear and easily understood procedures to ensure that allegations or suspicions of abuse, harm, neglect or poor practice are responded to swiftly, fairly and proportionately
8) Work in partnership with parents, schools, local child protection services and the community in general
9) Appoint a Club Child Protection Officer who will
a) oversee and manage its child protection policy and practice
b) not be directly involved with the activities of the child members so that children, parents or anyone else with concerns regarding a child can consult the CCPO impartially and in confidence
c) treat all allegations, suspicions and concerns seriously and take appropriate action including consulting with the local Social Services Department or Police where abuse from any source is a possibility
d) ensure that the CCPO’s name and contact details are publicised within the Club and on the Club’s website.
e) be ex officio a member of the Club’s Committee
f) undertake training as required by Scottish Rugby

The Club will.
10) Seek to ensure that participation in rugby at the Club is supported and delivered by suitably recruited, vetted and managed staff whether unpaid volunteers or paid employees
11) Adopt and employ equitable recruitment and selection policies, procedures and practices to ensure that adults likely to have significant contact with children are checked as to their fitness for the responsibility
12) Ensure that in particular, all such individuals are current members of the Protecting Vulnerable Groups Scheme (PVG) either by processing an application for membership or requesting a Record Update if already a member through work with another organisation
13) Ensure that any concerns regarding a PVG member are referred to Disclosure Scotland, if required.

The Club will seek to ensure that all staff working with children
14) Are given guidance about safe practices
15) Are aware of the nature of all forms of child abuse and its signs and symptoms
16) Know what they are expected do if they suspect abuse and in particular that they should consult about all suspicions and allegations, but not investigate
17) Are given support and supervision in the course of their work.

The Club will ensure that any group tours involving children will comply with the relevant Scottish Rugby regulations and Guidance whether within Scotland, the UK or elsewhere.

A full copy of the Club’s Policy and Procedures can be found on the Club’s website at Information> Documents>Child Protection or can be obtained from the Club Secretary.