Child Protection Policy

North Shore United: Child Protection Policy

PLEASE NOTE: Coaches may be asked to undertake Police Vetting Procedures

1. NSU acknowledges its responsibility to safeguard the welfare of every child and young person who has been entrusted to its care and it is committed to working to provide a safe environment for all members. A child or young person is anyone under the age of 18 engaged in any club football activity. We strive to ensure a child’s protection with respect to best practice, policy, and procedures.
2. The key principles of NSU’s Child Protection policy are that;
3. The child’s welfare is, and must always be, the paramount consideration
4. All children and young people have a right to be protected from abuse, regardless of age, gender, disability, culture, language, racial origin, religious beliefs, or sexual orientation
5. All suspicions and allegations of abuse will be taken seriously and responded to swiftly and appropriately
6. Working in partnership with other organisations, children/young people, and their parents/caregivers is essential

We acknowledge that every child or young person who plays or participates in football should be able to take part in an enjoyable and safe environment and be protected from poor practice and abuse. NSU recognises that this is the responsibility of every adult involved in our club.

1. NSU has a role to play in safeguarding the welfare of all children and young people by protecting them from physical, sexual, or emotional harm and from neglect or bullying. It is noted and accepted that child protection applies to everyone in football whether in a paid or voluntary capacity. This includes those who are volunteers, match officials, club helpers, coaches, club officials, and medical staff
2. We endorse and adopt best practice for child protection, and for recruiting volunteers we may;
3. Develop a role profile
4. Request identification documents
5. As a minimum meet and chat with the applicant, and where possible conduct interviews before appointing
6. Request and follow up with 2 references before appointing e. Require a recognised Police Check where appropriate North Shore United, Allen Hill Stadium, Devonport. Email: Office@nsu.org.nz

All current NSU members with direct access to children and young people may be required to complete a recognised Police Check If there are concerns regarding the appropriateness of an individual who is already involved, or who has approached us to become part of the Club, guidance will be sought from the appropriate sources. It is noted and accepted that all decisions will be made in the best interests of children and young people. It is accepted that NSU aims to prevent people with a history of relevant and significant offending from having contact with children or young people, and the opportunity to influence policies or practice with children or young people. This is to prevent direct sexual or physical harm to children, and to minimise the risk of ‘grooming’ within football.

1. Any adult or young person with concerns about a colleague can freely contact a member of the Executive Committee
2. NSU has appointed a Club Welfare Officer (CWO). This is the first point of contact for all club members and parents/guardians regarding concerns for the welfare of any child or young person. They will liaise directly with the appropriate authorities. They will also play a proactive role in increasing an awareness of poor practice and abuse among club members
3. We acknowledge bullying as a category of abuse. Bullying of any kind is not acceptable at our club. If bullying does occur, all players and parents/guardians should be able to tell and know that incidents with be dealt with promptly. Incidents need to be reported to the CWO or a member of the committee
4. Codes of conduct for players, parents, spectators, officials, and coaches have been implemented by NSU. To validate these codes of conduct, the club has clear sanctions to deal with any misconduct at club level and acknowledge the possibility of potential sanctions which may be implemented in more serious circumstances.
5. The programme we implement at NSU is a player-centred one, where there is clear dialogue between NSU and surrounding schools, Takapuna Grammar School & Belmont Intermediate. This is to ensure players training and game loads are managed in order to maximise development and enjoyment and to prevent burn out.
6. The club has also requested that parents and players communicate with the club around any school or family commitments that may clash with their player’s footballing sessions or games, which they will be allowed to partake in, without any repercussions to their football journey.