Lonlas Youth Club

Changing Rooms

When children and young people use changing rooms, they should be supervised by two members of staff. Adult staff should not change or shower at the same time using the same facilities. For mixed gender activities, separate changing facilities should be available for boys and girls or alternatively they should change at different times.

If a child feels uncomfortable changing or showering in public, no pressure should be placed on them to do so. Instead, they should be encouraged to shower or change at home.

If children with disabilities use your club, make sure that they and their carers are involved in deciding how they should be assisted. Ensure they are able to consent to the assistance that is offered.

Collection by parents / carers

Your club should develop and publicise policies about the collection of young players from activities. These policies should be based on the age of the children and the location, time and type of activity.

Make sure you receive permission from parents / carers for children to participate in any games, competitions, training or practice activities you run. Ideally you should provide a list of fixtures and training sessions at the beginning of the season. You should also notify.

Late collection of children

Late collection of children by parents presents clubs and coaches with a potentially difficult situation. Your organisation should develop written guidelines for parents explaining your policy for dealing with late collection of children.

The guidelines should:

Make clear that it is not your organisation's responsibility to transport children home on behalf of parents who have been delayed.

Include a staff contact number and an instruction to parents/carers to phone if there is any likelihood of late collection.

Ask parents to provide an alternative contact name or number, for staff to use when they are not available on their usual number.

In cases of late collection, staff and volunteers:

Should:

Attempt to contact the child's parent or carer on their contact number.

Use the alternative contact name/number if necessary.

Wait with the child/young person at the sport facility, with other staff/volunteers or parents present if at all possible.

Remind parents/carers of the policy relating to late collection.

Should not:

Take the child home or to any other location.

Send the child home with another person without permission from a parent or carer.

Ask the child to wait in a vehicle or sport facility with you alone.

Physical contact

Football requires a degree of physical contact between staff and children or young people. Coaches and staff may need to use it to instruct, encourage, protect or comfort. Your club should develop and publicise clear guidelines about physical contact, so that adults and children/young people understand what are the appropriate types of touching and their appropriate contexts.

Physical contact during sport should always be intended to meet the child's needs, NOT the adult's. The adult should only use physical contact if their aim is to:

Develop sports skills or techniques.

To treat an injury.

To prevent an injury.

To meet the requirements of the sport.

The adult should explain the reason for the physical contact to the child. Unless the situation is an emergency, the adult should ask the child for permission. The contact should not involve touching genital areas, buttocks or breasts. Physical contact should not take place in secret or out of sight of others. All injuries should be fully recorded by staff.