Safeguarding Policy

Empire Football Club is fully committed to providing a safe environment to learn.   We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults.

AIM OF POLICY

Empire Football Club aims to maintain the highest possible standards which meet social, moral and legal obligations to protect and safeguard the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. Empire Football Club will provide all staff, permanent and temporary with training on how to identify potential or suspected abuse and raise awareness of preventative measures to protect Empire Football Club staff members.

OUR POLICY

Empire Football Club will ensure that all staff, permanent and temporary, receive guidance/training in recognising what the different types of abuse are.

All employees have read and understood FA Safeguarding Policy.

All employees have read and understood Empire Football Academy Safeguarding Policy 2020/2021.

All employees adopt safeguarding procedures through codes of conduct for learners and staff.

Empire Football Club will provide a safe environment for learners to maximise learning and development.

TO ENSURE GOOD PRACTICE EMPIRE FOOTBALL CLUB WILL:

• Maintain a register at all times for learners
• Work in an open environment with all areas visible to all learners
• Remain at coaching area until all participants have been collected or are continuing to be supervised by an appropriate member of staff
• Avoid unnecessary physical contact with learners unless to prevent a danger to themselves or others
• All first aid treatment to be carried out by a qualified first aider and with another adult present
• Avoid unaccompanied time with learners
• Avoid suggestive remarks or acting inappropriately familiar with learners
• Report potential concerns, allegations of abuse made by learners to the designated safeguard lead
• Refrain from inviting or allowing learners to socialise with them outside the learning environment
• Refrain from providing personal information to learners

DEFINITION OF SAFEGUARDING

Safeguarding is the protection of children, young people and vulnerable adults from physical, emotional or sexual abuse or neglect, particularly those that are unable to protect themselves from abuse or vulnerable adults aged 18 or over who are unable to care for themselves, protect themselves from harm or prevent themselves from being exploited.

TYPES OF ABUSE

PHYSICAL ABUSE – Physical Abuse is deliberate physical harm to an individual, or the wilful and neglectful failure to prevent physical harm or suffering.  Types of Physical abuse include but not limited to throwing, shaking, poisoning, burning/scalding, hitting, drowning and suffocating.  This includes physical harm caused by a parent or carer wishing to fabricate or induce the symptoms of illness.

EMOTIONAL ABUSE – Emotional Abuse is persistent emotional maltreatment of an individual, leading to severe and adverse effects on the individuals emotional state of mind and development, such examples of emotional abuse;  making an individual feel worthless or unloved, inadequate or unvalued.  Symptoms may include limitation of learning or prevention of the individual participation in normal social interaction.  Emotional abuse can also lead to bullying, making the individual feel frightened, endangerd or lead to exploitation or corruption of the individual.  Domestic violence, adult mental issues and parental substance misuse may also expose an individual to Emotional Abuse.

SEXUAL ABUSE – Sexual Abuse involves forcing or enticing a child, young person or vulnerable adult to take part in sexual activities, whether or not they are aware of what is happening,  these activities may involve physical contact or non- contact activities (including but not limited to looking at or involving the individual in the production of pornographic material forcing the individual to watch sexual activities, encouraging sexually inappropriate behaviour or making inappropriate sexual remarks).

NEGLECT – Neglect is the persistent failure to meet an individual’s basic physical, emotional and/or psychological needs, which is likely to result in significant harm, types of neglect may include failure to provide adequate food, clothing, shelter, failure to protect  the individual from physical harm or danger, failure to provide access to medical care or treatment, or failure to provide adequate supervision.

INDICATORS OF ABUSE

PHYSICAL INDICATORS:

• Unexplained bruising
• Repeated injuries
• Injuries to the mouth
• Torn or bloodstained clothing
• Burns or scalds
• Bites
• Fractures
• Inconsistent stories or excuses for injuries

EMOTIONAL INDICATORS:

• Unexplained changes in behaviour
• Difficulty in making friends
• Distrustful towards adults
• Excessive attachment to adults
• Sudden drop in performance
• Changes to attendance patterns
• Inappropriate behaviour or language
• Inappropriate sexual awareness

MAKING REFERRALS

Any member of Empire Sports Academy staff or guest coach can make a referral, please contact either Adam or Vic directly. All referrals or concerns will be reported to Adam who will follow internal procedures for reporting the case.

Referral can be made/concerns raised by telephone, in person or in writing. To make a referral you will need to provide:

1. Any background information and history you are aware of, giving dates/times/events and persons involved.
2. Why you are concerned/the nature of the concern and evidence that you have or why you believe it to be true.

The earlier a cause for concern/referral is made the easier it is to action and possibly the safer the child is.

EMPIRE FOOTBALL CLUB SAFEGUARDING TEAM

DESIGNATED SAFEGUARDING LEAD

VIC MOORE (DSL) 058 5438141

vic@empiresportsacademy.com

DEPUTY SAFEGUARDING LEAD

ADAM FELIX – Managing Director

info@empiresportsacdemy.com

ADDRESS FOR CORRESPONDENCE: OFFICE 323 LIGHTHOUSE BUILDING, ARJAN, DUBAI

info@empiresportsacademy.com

MONITORING AND REVIEW

This Policy will be reviewed annually to ensure it is up to date and reflects the legal obligations for the safeguarding of children, young people and vulnerable adults.

The policy is to be signed off by Managing Director, it is to visible in workplace and read and signed by all coaches.