Welfare

As said on many occasions, the above website should form an integral part of your own football club’s website.
Most schools use the Thinkuknow resources as part of their internet safety education, so children should already have some awareness.

It is an ‘Education and Reporting Abuse’ Resource and, as part of the FA, your club has permission to download and install the links and resources for free.
Please ensure your club has the link on your club websites and draw attention to all your members of this resource.
· Children need to be aware, so they can use the resources and, if necessary, the reporting button.
· Parents need to be aware, as it shows how seriously the club takes its responsibility and duty of care towards their children.
· Coaches need to be aware, as it will help them stay current on Child Welfare, impress upon them their responsibilities towards the children in their care and enable them to promote the resources to those children.

This has always been important, but you can never remind people often enough, especially given the recent revelations which have been aired in the newspapers and on TV, concerning coaching and sexual abuse in football.

A further point on those revelations: The individual, Barry Bennell, was convicted in 1998 and the reason it has hit the headlines is that one of the victims, Andy Woodward, has publicly stated how it has had such a devastating impact upon his life. If you are unaware or not fully conversant with the details. Please follow the BBC Newslink below:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-38007412

I strongly advise that, as Club Welfare Officers, you remind all your members of the need to follow best practice, but equally important: To be aware of abuse and how to report it.
This can be done by email, but I believe it should form an important part of your next ‘monthly club meeting’, where you can impress upon your committees the ‘collective duty of care’ everybody has. REMEMBER: It isn’t just your responsibility, it is every member of your club.