GOREY RFC SAFEGUARDING STATEMENT

Through the IRFU and related Branch, Gorey RFC provides rugby activities to young people through participation in mini and youth coaching and competitions and participation programmes in related schools and/or the community.  The club is committed to the enjoyment of rugby by young people. It values and encourages the participation of parents, coaches and volunteers in rugby for participants under 18-years of age. The club will adhere to the IRFU safeguarding policy, which strives to respect the dignity and rights of Age Grade Players.

The club will strive to promote, create and maintain safe environments for Age Grade Players. It will endeavour to maintain the key values of Respect, Inclusivity, Integrity, Excellence and Fun. A detailed safeguarding policy can be found here, https://www.irishrugby.ie/playing-the-game/spirit-of-rugby/safeguarding/safeguarding-policy/ and is available through the Club Welfare Officer – Nicola Doyle. The Sports Councils’ Code of Ethics/Safeguarding Guidance should be used where the IRFU has not published specific guidelines, in particular with regard to the principles to safeguard children from harm, https://www.sportireland.ie/ethics/safeguarding-guidance-for-children-and-young-people-in-sport

The club carried out a risk assessment for any potential harm to a child while involved in rugby. These risks were categorised under the following headings Recruitment, Club and Coaching Practices, Reporting, Complaints, Facilities, Communication and General Risk of Harm.  The assessment reviewed the areas of potential risk of harm, the likelihood of the risk occurring, and gives the required policy, guidance and document links required to manage these risks. The written risk assessment and the procedures for managing these risks is available at the end of this statement.

Our child safeguarding statement has been developed in line with requirements of the IRFU and under the Children First Act 2015 and in Northern Ireland, the Club Framework for Safeguarding Standards. In addition to the procedures listed in our risk assessment, the club adheres to the following procedures that are in place as part of the IRFU Safeguarding Policy and our intention to safeguard children:

• Procedure for the safe recruitment and selection of workers and volunteers to work with children, http://www.irishrugby.ie/playingthegame/development/safeguarding/recruitment.php

• Procedure for provision of and access to child safeguarding training and information, including the identification of the occurrence of harm, http://www.irishrugby.ie/playingthegame/development/safeguarding/training.php

• Procedure for the reporting of child protection and welfare concerns to Tusla (Ireland) and Gateway (Northern Ireland) through the National Safeguarding Officer and appointed Mandated Person within IRFU: Anne Marie Hughes . The Club Welfare Officer, Nicola Doyle is the Mandated Person  as per Children First Act. Other staff and volunteers within the club may hold the role and responsibility of a Mandated Person as per Schedule 2 of the Act but have not been appointed by the club/IRFU. They are always expected to act as a Mandated Person and when making a report in their professional capacity that involves rugby should always inform the IRFU Mandated Person that such a report has been made by them.

• Procedure for the management of allegation of abuse or misconduct against workers/volunteers of a child availing of our service and can be found in the case management policy, http://www.irishrugby.ie/playingthegame/development/safeguarding/concerns.php

• Procedure for appointing a relevant person for the purposes of the implementation of this Child Safeguarding Statement

• Procedures to minimise risk of harm of a child have been put in place and are available in the IRFU Safeguarding Policy, https://www.irishrugby.ie/playing-the-game/spirit-of-rugby/safeguarding/safeguarding-policy/

All procedures listed are available on the IRFU website, http://www.irishrugby.ie/safeguarding 

The club management expects those involved within age-grade rugby to adopt and supervise the implementation of these safeguarding principles and standards. The club recognises that implementation is an ongoing process. It is committed to the implementation of this Child Safeguarding Statement and accompanying safeguarding policy and procedures to keep children involved in rugby safe from harm. We will do this through the implementation of the Club Safeguarding Action Plan and IRFU safeguarding audit,  https://d19fc3vd0ojo3m.cloudfront.net/irfu/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/31120516/Club-SafeguardingAction-Plan.pdf

A link to the IRFU Safeguarding Policy is included in relevant club documentation and is available here – http://goreyrfc.com/contentPage/10055917/c_h_i_l_d_s_a_f_e_g_u_a_r_d_i_n_g 

Coaches and volunteers have received a copy of the policy and signed adherence through the Declaration of Intent. The Child Safeguarding Statement and related safeguarding policies are available to all parents/guardians and members of the public though the IRFU website and is available on request from the Club Welfare Officer, https://www.irishrugby.ie/playing-the-game/spirit-of-rugby/safeguarding/

The club will work with the Branch Spirit of Rugby Officer on the implementation of the policy and are available to assist Club Welfare Officers and related personnel and to deal with club queries. They can be contacted at:

• Leinster: Stephen Gore – stephen.gore@leinsterrugby.ie

Club Welfare Officers have completed relevant safeguarding training. Their ID templates are on display within club grounds. The club has completed the necessary risk assessment and published the child safeguarding statement. The club follows the safeguarding club action plan, the anti-bullying statement, uses the club pavement signs and Spirit of Rugby ‘Let Them Play’ video clips. Coaches and volunteers have also received training in vetting and safeguarding through the IRFU. This Child Safeguarding Statement will be reviewed in September 2023, or as soon as practicable after there has been a material change in any matter to which the statement refers. For queries please contact the Relevant Person, David French at david@davidfrench.ie 087 922 1833 or Nicola Doyle at thedoylesemail@gmail.com 087 829 4035.

Signed : Eoin Canavan - Club Chair                

Signed : Nicola Doyle  &  David French - Club Welfare Officers 

For queries please contact our Club Welfare Officers

Nicola Doyle: 087 829 4035 / Email: thedoylesemail@gmail.com 

David French: 087 922 1833 / Email: david@davidfrench.ie

           SAFEGUARDING RISK ASSESSMENT 

This risk assessment considers the potential for harm to come to children whilst they are in the care of this club and gives the required policy, guidance or process documents required to alleviate these risks.  This risk assessment has been carried out prior to the publication of the club’s Child Safeguarding Statement (Section 11 (1b) Children First Act 2015). In this context and in accordance with the requirements of Section 11 (1) of the Children First Act 201, that states “as a provider of a relevant service we will undertake an assessment of any potential harm to a child while availing of the service”; the risk is of abuse and not general health and safety risk.  This risk assessment is also in accordance with Sport Northern Ireland’s Club Framework for Safeguarding Standards in Sport and Sport Ireland’ Guidance and as such can be used by the IRFU’s constituent Provinces and clubs. 

The risk assessment indicates the areas of potential risk of harm, the likelihood of the risk occurring, and gives the required policy, guidance or process documents require to alleviate these risks.  The list of risks identified and procedures to manage these risks are listed in relevant categories overleaf and are based on the IRFU Club Action Plan. 

Responsibilities

• The Club has appointed two Club Welfare Officers to implement the IRFU Safeguarding Policy and to monitor the implementation of the associated Club Action Plan

• The Club Welfare Officer holds the role of Relevant Person for the organisation's Child Safeguarding Statement and links with the nationally appointed Mandated Person of the IRFU

• This risk assessment has been completed with the Club Welfare Officer and other members of the Club Committee  
  

• The Committee recorded this risk assessment at the September 2021 club meeting and published a Child Safeguarding Statement thereafter.

• All Age-Grade staff and volunteers (e.g. coaches, manager, team assistants) working regularly and continuously with Age-grade teams / groups (or where their role is a necessary part of working) with young people and/or vulnerable adults have been vetted and have signed the Declaration of Intent.

• The IRFU has a Mandated Person and listed their contact is listed in the Child Safeguarding Statement.

• The CSS and related policies are available to parents and the public through the Club Welfare Officer
  

This document was completed by Club Welfare Officer on behalf of the Club Committee and approved by the Committee in September 2021. On completion of this Gorey RFC will now complete and publish the Child Safeguarding Statement signed by Officers of the Club.                      

SIGNED :        Eoin Canavan - Club Chair     

SIGNED :        Nicola Doyle   &  David French - Club Welfare Officers

The Risk Assessment was undertaken in September 2021  and will be reviewed in September 2023 in line with updated Safeguarding Polices

For full details on the Risk Assessment, including Identified Risks: Club and Coaching Practises, links to Procedures in Place and Monitoring of Risks, please click on the link below...

https://d19fc3vd0ojo3m.cloudfront.net/irfu/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/28093751/IRFU-CSS-RA-2021.pdf