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Sporting Ennistymon F.C’s Child Safeguarding Statement

Child safeguarding banner image

As outlined by the National State agency for improving child wellbeing, Tusla. Child safeguarding processes are implemented to promote children’s welfare and protect them from harmful environments. Children or young people are defined as any person under the age of 18 years by Tusla. Sporting Ennistymon F.C is committed to implementing best practices to create an environment where underage members can thrive and achieve their full potential.

The club will work under the guidance of our national governing body, the Football Association of Ireland, to ensure child safeguarding measures are satisfied. This page details child safeguarding and outlines the latest Risk Assessment undertaken by the club before articulating some of the Safeguarding procedures in place. Child safety resources and further information on who to contact regarding child safety queries can also be found below. 

What is Child Safeguarding? 

Child safeguarding is the implementation of safe practices and appropriate responses by volunteers to concerns about the safety or welfare of children, which includes online matters if they should arise. Safeguarding not only concerns itself with the reporting of child welfare proceedings. It also asks how Sporting Ennistymon F.C can assist our young members in achieving their full potential.

We as a club are motivated to seek the best possible outcomes for children and young people who train and play with us. The club also endeavours to staying involved, remaining interested and actively participating with others to improve the child or young person’s life. 

Child Safeguarding Risk Assessment 

The Child Safeguarding Statement was first defined in the Children First Act introduced in 2015. The document is a written assessment of the risk of harm to children while availing the service. Sporting Ennistymon F.C’s written Risk Assessment document indicates the potential risk of harm and the likelihood of the risk occurring. It gives the required policy, guidance or process documents required to alleviate these risks.

The list of risks identified is contained in the following categories: Club and Coaching Practices; Complaints & Discipline; Reporting Procedures; Use of Facilities; Recruitment; Communications; and General Risk of Harm. This Risk Assessment was undertaken on 01/09/2022. 

Our Child Safeguarding Statement has been developed according to requirements under the Children First Act 2015 (the Children First: National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children (2017), and Tusla’s Child Safeguarding: A Guide for Policy, Procedure and Practice. In addition to our Risk Assessment described above, further procedures support our intention to safeguard children while they are availing of our activities. 

Children playing traffic lights game as part of launch of summer camps.

Sporting Ennistymon F.C’s Child Safeguarding Procedures 

Sporting Ennistymon F.C has implemented the following as part of our safeguarding policies: 

  • Procedures for managing allegations of abuse or misconduct by staff or volunteers against a child availing of our activities. 
  • Policies for the safe recruitment and selection of staff and volunteers to work with children in our activities. 
  • Procedures for provision of and access to child welfare training and information, including the identification of the occurrence of harm.
  • Procedure for reporting of child protection or welfare concerns to Statutory Authorities. 

Further resources  

Sporting Ennistymon F.C has a dedicated page with links to documents pertaining to child welfare, among other subjects. The mandated person within the F.A.I is Kirsten Pakes, who can be contacted through this email address: kirsten.pakes@fai.ie. Sporting Ennistymon F.C recognises that implementation is an ongoing process.

Our Club is committed to implementing this Child Safeguarding Statement and the procedures that support our intention to keep children safe from harm while availing of our activities.  

For further queries related to the Child Safeguarding Statement, please contact Eddie Crowe (Designated Liasion Officer) @ 085 727 9768 or Kieran Griffin (Child Welfare Officer) @ 087 627 3824