Safeguarding

Lion Cubs Football Play & Learn football coaching is committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of all the children who participate in our activities. We recognise that safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility and that we all have a duty to protect children from harm.

Policy Statement

Lion Cubs is committed to creating and maintaining a safe environment for children to play football. We will take all necessary steps to ensure that our coaches, volunteers, and staff members are trained, vetted, and supported to provide a safe and enjoyable experience for all children. All coaches are fully DBS checked and records are kept up to date. All team members are required to carry out the official FA safeguarding course.

Code of Conduct

All coaches, volunteers, and staff members must adhere to our code of conduct, which outlines expectations around behaviour, safeguarding, and child protection. This includes guidelines around communication with children, appropriate behaviour, and reporting any concerns around safeguarding or child protection.

Safeguarding Procedures

We have robust safeguarding procedures in place to ensure that any concerns around child protection are identified, reported, and addressed appropriately. These procedures include clear reporting channels, staff training, and regular reviews of our safeguarding policies.

These include ensuring ;

– children are always in group environments

– child to adult ratios are in line with NSPCC guidelines on rare occasions that parents are not present at an event 

– parents are always required to remain at normal classes

– locations are safe and secure
– appropriate / reasonable medical equipment is available on site

– staff are trained to FA Safeguarding standards

– any concerns are reported immediately through the appropriate channels

– a qualified first aider is present at every event or session
– we collect information regarding each individual’s medical needs prior to the first session and staff are informed of any potential risk
– all staff and support workers are dbs checked as standard

– regular head counts are conducted when parents are not present

Risk Assessments

We regularly undertake risk assessments to identify and manage potential risks to children’s safety during training and games. This includes assessing the suitability of equipment, facilities, and activities, as well as identifying potential risks associated with individual children’s needs and circumstances.

Communication and Support

We believe that communication and support are key to effective safeguarding. We will ensure that parents and guardians are kept informed of any concerns around safeguarding or child protection, and we will provide support to any child who needs it.