Barton Rovers Football Club

Safeguarding Children Policy

Policy reviewed: September 2026
Next review: September 2027
Responsible Officer: Club Welfare Officer
Approved by: Barton Rovers Football Club Committee

1. Our commitment to safeguarding

Barton Rovers Football Club acknowledges its responsibility to safeguard and promote the welfare of every child and young person who participates in football through the Club.

For the purposes of this policy, a child or young person is anyone under the age of 18 who participates in any Barton Rovers Football Club activity, whether at training, matches, tournaments, development sessions, football camps, social activities, club events or any other activity organised or supported by the Club.

Barton Rovers Football Club is committed to providing a safe, positive, inclusive and enjoyable environment in which children and young people can participate in football, develop their skills and enjoy being part of the Club.

We recognise that safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility. Every adult involved with Barton Rovers Football Club has a responsibility to help create an environment in which children and young people are protected from abuse, neglect, exploitation, bullying, discrimination, poor practice and other forms of harm.

The Club endorses and adopts The Football Association’s current Safeguarding Children Policy, Safeguarding Children Regulations, grassroots safeguarding policies and procedures, safer recruitment guidance and other relevant safeguarding guidance issued by The FA.

2. Our safeguarding principles

Barton Rovers Football Club adopts the following fundamental principles:

The welfare of the child or young person is paramount.
Every child and young person has the right to participate in football in a safe and enjoyable environment.
All children and young people have the right to be protected from abuse, neglect, harm, bullying and discrimination.
Safeguarding applies to every child and young person regardless of age, sex, gender, disability, race, ethnicity, culture, religion or belief, sexual orientation, language or any other characteristic.
All safeguarding concerns, allegations and disclosures will be taken seriously and acted upon appropriately and without unnecessary delay.
The Club will listen to children and young people and take their views and wishes seriously, while recognising that safeguarding decisions must always prioritise their welfare.
Safeguarding concerns will be dealt with confidentially and shared only with those who need to know in order to protect the child or young person.
The Club will work appropriately with parents, carers, The Football Association, the County Football Association, the Police, Children’s Social Care and other relevant agencies.
Everyone involved in the Club has a responsibility to recognise and report concerns. It is not the responsibility of an individual member, coach or volunteer to decide whether abuse has occurred.

3. Scope of this policy

This policy applies to everyone involved in Barton Rovers Football Club, including:

Players and young people.
Parents and carers.
Coaches and assistant coaches.
Team managers and assistants.
Club officials and committee members.
Club Welfare Officers.
First aiders and medical personnel.
Volunteers.
Match-day officials and other adults involved in Club activities.
Anyone else undertaking a role involving children or young people on behalf of or within the Club.

The policy applies to all Club activities, whether taking place at the Club’s usual venues or elsewhere, including training, matches, tournaments, development sessions, football camps, tours, social events and activities organised through the Club.

4. Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility

Barton Rovers Football Club expects every adult involved with the Club to:

Put the welfare of children and young people first.
Behave appropriately and professionally at all times.
Follow the Club’s Codes of Conduct and safeguarding procedures.
Maintain appropriate boundaries with children and young people.
Never engage in behaviour that could place a child or young person at risk.
Report safeguarding concerns promptly.
Take appropriate action if they believe a child or young person is at immediate risk.
Cooperate fully with safeguarding enquiries and investigations.

No person should assume that somebody else will report a concern.

5. Club Welfare Officer

Barton Rovers Football Club has appointed a Club Welfare Officer (CWO) in accordance with The Football Association’s requirements.

The Club Welfare Officer is the principal point of contact within the Club for safeguarding concerns and will:

Promote safeguarding throughout Barton Rovers Football Club.
Provide advice and support to coaches, volunteers, players and parents/carers.
Help the Club maintain appropriate safeguarding procedures.
Promote safeguarding education and awareness.
Support safer recruitment and the monitoring of DBS checks and safeguarding training.
Ensure safeguarding concerns are appropriately recorded and referred.
Liaise with the County FA Designated Safeguarding Officer (DSO), The FA and other relevant agencies where appropriate.
Encourage a culture in which children and young people feel able to speak about concerns.
Promote good practice and challenge poor practice.
Maintain appropriate confidentiality and ensure safeguarding information is handled securely.

The Club Welfare Officer will undertake the safeguarding training and DBS requirements specified by The FA and will maintain their knowledge through appropriate ongoing training and guidance.

The Club will ensure that the Welfare Officer’s contact details are made readily available to players, parents/carers, coaches and other Club members.

Club Welfare Officer:
Name: Scott Jenkins
Email: clubwelfare@bartonroversfc.com

6. County FA safeguarding support

Barton Rovers Football Club will maintain an appropriate working relationship with the Berks & Bucks FA Designated Safeguarding Officer (DSO).

The County FA DSO provides advice and support to Club Welfare Officers and is part of The FA’s safeguarding network.

Where a safeguarding concern requires referral outside the Club, the CWO will follow The FA’s current safeguarding procedures and seek advice from the County FA DSO or The FA where appropriate.

7. Safer recruitment

Barton Rovers Football Club is committed to safer recruitment and will take reasonable steps to ensure that people appointed to work with children and young people are suitable for the role.

Where appropriate, the Club will:

Establish a clear role description and person specification.
Obtain appropriate identification.
Consider the applicant’s experience and suitability for working with children and young people.
Meet applicants before appointment and, where appropriate, conduct an interview.
Obtain and follow up references where required.
Check relevant qualifications and experience.
Complete the appropriate safeguarding and DBS checks before an individual undertakes an eligible role involving children or young people.
Ensure that safeguarding concerns arising during recruitment are referred through the appropriate FA safeguarding process.

Appointment to a voluntary position does not remove the Club’s responsibility to undertake appropriate safer recruitment checks.

Holding a coaching qualification does not, by itself, replace the requirement for appropriate safeguarding checks, training or DBS clearance.

8. DBS checks

Barton Rovers Football Club will comply with The Football Association’s current requirements regarding Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks.

Anyone aged 16 or over undertaking an eligible role involving potentially unsupervised work directly with children and young people under 18 must have the appropriate FA-accepted Enhanced DBS Check with Children’s Barred List Check.

This includes eligible grassroots roles such as coaches, managers, first aiders and other Club-based roles involving under-18s.

The Club will ensure that individuals who require an FA-accepted DBS check have the appropriate check before undertaking unsupervised work with children and young people, subject to the current FA procedures regarding renewals.

DBS checks will be monitored through the systems provided by The FA and the Club will take appropriate action where checks or safeguarding requirements are due to expire.

The Club will not use a coaching qualification, previous experience at another club or attendance at a Barton Rovers Development Centre session as a substitute for any DBS or safeguarding requirement that applies to the person’s role.

9. Safeguarding training

Barton Rovers Football Club recognises the importance of appropriate safeguarding training.

The Club will ensure that those undertaking roles requiring safeguarding training complete the relevant FA safeguarding education and maintain their qualifications in accordance with current FA requirements.

The Club Welfare Officer will monitor safeguarding training requirements and work with the Club Committee, coaches and team managers to ensure that appropriate training remains current.

The Club Chairperson, Secretary, Treasurer and Club Welfare Officer will complete the relevant FA safeguarding training required for committee members.

10. Recognising abuse and safeguarding concerns

Safeguarding concerns may arise in many different ways.

These can include, but are not limited to:

Physical abuse.
Sexual abuse.
Emotional or psychological abuse.
Neglect.
Bullying.
Discrimination.
Child-on-child abuse.
Grooming or exploitation.
Inappropriate behaviour by an adult towards a child or young person.
Inappropriate relationships or communications between adults and young people.
Online abuse or inappropriate online communication.
Abuse or poor practice by a coach, volunteer, parent, official or another player.
Concerns about the behaviour of an individual towards children or young people outside football where that behaviour may affect their safety within football.

A concern does not have to be proven before it is reported.

Club members should not investigate allegations themselves or attempt to determine whether abuse has taken place. Their responsibility is to report the concern through the appropriate safeguarding route.

11. Listening to children and young people

Barton Rovers Football Club recognises that children and young people should have a voice in matters affecting their welfare.

Children and young people should be encouraged to speak to a trusted adult if they are worried about something.

If a child or young person makes a disclosure:

Listen carefully.
Remain calm.
Take what they say seriously.
Do not promise to keep the information secret.
Do not ask unnecessary or leading questions.
Do not investigate the matter yourself.
Explain that the information may need to be shared with people who can help keep them safe.
Record the information as accurately as possible.
Report the concern promptly to the Club Welfare Officer or through the appropriate safeguarding route.

12. Lower-level concerns and poor practice

Not every concern will amount to a safeguarding allegation or abuse.

Barton Rovers Football Club encourages the reporting of lower-level concerns and poor practice where behaviour causes concern, appears inconsistent with the Club’s Codes of Conduct or safeguarding expectations, or could potentially become more serious if not addressed.

Examples may include:

Inappropriate language.
Persistent shouting or humiliation of players.
Favouritism.
Inappropriate physical contact.
Poor communication with children or parents.
Inappropriate use of social media or messaging.
Failure to maintain appropriate boundaries.
Repeated breaches of Club procedures.

Such concerns should be reported to the Club Welfare Officer.

The Club will consider each concern appropriately and determine whether it should be managed through education, advice, the Club’s disciplinary procedures or referred through the safeguarding process.

A lower-level concern should never be ignored simply because it does not initially appear serious.

13. Bullying and discrimination

Barton Rovers Football Club does not tolerate bullying or discrimination.

Bullying may include repeated physical, verbal, emotional or online behaviour intended to hurt, intimidate, isolate or undermine another person.

The Club recognises that bullying can occur between players, between adults and children, online or through social media and messaging platforms.

All concerns about bullying should be reported to the Club Welfare Officer, team manager or another trusted adult.

The Club will deal with reported incidents promptly and appropriately and will take account of the needs and welfare of all children involved.

Where appropriate, matters may be dealt with under the Club’s Anti-Bullying Policy, Codes of Conduct or disciplinary procedures.

14. Online safeguarding

Barton Rovers Football Club recognises that safeguarding concerns can arise through social media, messaging applications, online gaming, email and other digital platforms.

Adults involved with the Club must maintain appropriate professional boundaries when communicating with children and young people.

Wherever possible, Club-related communication should take place through approved Club or team communication channels and should involve parents/carers where appropriate.

Adults must not use online communication to develop inappropriate personal relationships with children or young people.

Any concern about inappropriate online communication, grooming, sexualised communication or other online behaviour involving a child or young person must be reported immediately through the Club’s safeguarding procedures.

Where there is a concern that an individual may be attempting to groom a child online, the matter may also be reported to the appropriate authorities, including CEOP and/or the Police.

15. Position of trust and professional boundaries

Adults working with children and young people at Barton Rovers Football Club are in a position of responsibility and trust.

Coaches, managers, volunteers and officials must maintain appropriate professional boundaries at all times.

They must not:

Enter into inappropriate personal or sexual relationships with players.
Send inappropriate or sexualised messages to young people.
Use their position to manipulate, intimidate or control a young person.
Engage in inappropriate physical contact.
Invite children or young people to inappropriate private situations.
Use their position within the Club for personal or inappropriate purposes.

Any concern about a breach of professional boundaries should be reported to the Club Welfare Officer.

16. Responding to safeguarding concerns

Anyone who has a safeguarding concern about a child or about the behaviour of an adult towards a child or young person should report it.

The first point of contact should normally be the Barton Rovers Club Welfare Officer.

Where the Club Welfare Officer is unavailable, the concern may be reported to the Berks & Bucks FA Designated Safeguarding Officer or directly to The FA Safeguarding Team.

Concerns may also be reported directly to The FA at:

Email: safeguarding@thefa.com
Telephone: 0800 169 1863

If a child or young person is in immediate danger, the Police or Children’s Social Care should be contacted immediately. In an emergency, call 999.

The NSPCC Helpline can also provide advice and support:

NSPCC Helpline: 0808 800 5000
Email: help@nspcc.org.uk

The Club will cooperate fully with The FA, County FA, Police, Children’s Social Care, NSPCC and any other appropriate statutory or safeguarding agency.

17. Whistleblowing

Barton Rovers Football Club supports whistleblowing and recognises that it is an important part of safeguarding.

Whistleblowing may be appropriate where:

A safeguarding concern has not been dealt with appropriately.
An individual is concerned about the conduct of another adult.
Club procedures have not been followed.
There is concern about misconduct or malpractice.
Someone believes that raising a concern through normal Club procedures may not be appropriate.

A person raising a concern in good faith will be supported by the Club.

Concerns can be reported directly to The FA Safeguarding Team:

safeguarding@thefa.com
0800 169 1863

Concerns may also be reported directly to the Police, Children’s Social Care or the NSPCC.

18. Confidentiality and information sharing

Safeguarding information will be treated sensitively and confidentially.

However, confidentiality cannot be guaranteed where information needs to be shared to protect a child or young person.

Information will only be shared with those who need to know in accordance with safeguarding procedures and applicable data protection requirements.

Records of safeguarding concerns will be maintained securely and handled appropriately.

19. Allegations against coaches, volunteers or Club officials

Where a safeguarding allegation or concern is made against a coach, manager, volunteer, official or other adult involved with Barton Rovers Football Club, the Club will follow the current FA safeguarding procedures.

The person who is the subject of the concern will not be responsible for managing or investigating the concern.

The Club Welfare Officer will seek appropriate advice from the County FA DSO and/or The FA and, where necessary, the Police or Children’s Social Care.

The Club will not conduct its own investigation where this could interfere with a statutory or FA safeguarding investigation.

Appropriate action may be taken in accordance with FA regulations and Club procedures.

20. Codes of Conduct

Barton Rovers Football Club has Codes of Conduct covering relevant groups, including:

Coaches and managers.
Players.
Parents and carers.
Club officials and volunteers.

Everyone involved with Barton Rovers Football Club is expected to comply with the relevant Code of Conduct.

Failure to comply may result in action under the Club’s disciplinary procedures and, where appropriate, referral to the relevant league, County FA or The FA.

21. Working with parents and carers

Barton Rovers Football Club recognises parents and carers as important partners in safeguarding children and young people.

The Club will:

Provide parents and carers with appropriate information about safeguarding.
Make the identity and contact details of the Club Welfare Officer readily available.
Encourage parents and carers to raise concerns.
Take concerns raised by parents and carers seriously.
Work with parents and carers wherever appropriate to support the welfare of children and young people.

Parents and carers are expected to support the Club’s safeguarding arrangements and Codes of Conduct.

22. Equality, inclusion and respect

Barton Rovers Football Club is committed to creating an inclusive environment in which every child and young person is treated with dignity and respect.

The Club will not tolerate discrimination, harassment, abuse or bullying based on characteristics including age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, religion or belief, sexual orientation or any other protected or personal characteristic.

Safeguarding and inclusion are responsibilities shared by everyone involved in the Club.

23. Development Centre and other Club activities

This policy applies to all children and young people participating in Barton Rovers Football Club activities, including the Barton Rovers Development Centre and other development, training and community football activities organised by or on behalf of the Club.

The same safeguarding principles, safer recruitment requirements, appropriate DBS checks, Codes of Conduct and reporting procedures apply to these activities.

Participation in a Development Centre session, previous experience with the Club or completion of a coaching qualification does not remove any safeguarding or DBS requirement applicable to an individual’s role.

24. Disability football and safeguarding

Barton Rovers Football Club is committed to providing a safe and inclusive environment for children and young people with disabilities.

The Club will make reasonable adjustments where appropriate and will consider the individual safeguarding needs of participants.

Where an activity involves adults at risk, the Club will also follow the relevant FA safeguarding adults requirements and procedures.

25. Safeguarding records

The Club will maintain appropriate records of:

Safeguarding concerns.
Referrals.
Actions taken.
DBS and safeguarding training requirements.
Relevant safeguarding decisions.

Records will be stored securely and handled in accordance with applicable data protection requirements and FA guidance.

26. Review of this policy

This policy will be reviewed at least annually and sooner where:

The FA introduces new safeguarding requirements.
Relevant legislation or statutory guidance changes.
The Club’s activities or structure change.
A safeguarding incident identifies a need for the policy to be amended.
The Club Committee or Club Welfare Officer considers an earlier review necessary.

The Club will ensure that the current version of this policy is made available to players, parents/carers, coaches, volunteers and other relevant Club members.

27. Key safeguarding contacts

Barton Rovers Football Club – Club Welfare Officer
Name: Scott Jenkins
Email: clubwelfare@bartonroversfc.com

Berks & Bucks FA – County FA Designated Safeguarding Officer
Current contact details: [INSERT CURRENT CONTACT DETAILS]

The Football Association – Safeguarding Team
Email: safeguarding@thefa.com
Telephone: 0800 169 1863

Police
Emergency: 999
Non-emergency: 101

NSPCC Helpline
Telephone: 0808 800 5000
Email: help@nspcc.org.uk

CEOP – Online Child Exploitation
For concerns about online grooming or sexual exploitation of a child or young person: www.ceop.police.uk

28. Declaration

Barton Rovers Football Club is committed to providing football in an environment where children and young people are safe, respected, listened to and able to enjoy participating in the game.

Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility.

No concern should be ignored.

No action is not an option.