CCUSA GUIDE TO CHILD WELFARE

There are four scenarios to address, but it should be stressed that they are all so unlikely to happen that you need not worry about any of them ever happening to you. The purpose of this guide is to prepare you with a good practice set of procedures to follow so that you are covered legally and any child in danger is adequately cared for.

A child is defined as anyone, male or female, under the age of 19. An incident is defined as any form of abuse – verbal, physical, mental, sexual, psychological, or anything detrimental to the well-being of the child.

Scenario 1: You directly see or hear an incident involving a child.

Procedure 1:

• Fill in an Umpire’s report form and submit it to the Cambridgeshire Disciplinary Committee Co-ordinator.
• State the incident, the child’s name, club and age or approximate age (“under 15” will do) on the report.
• The Co-ordinator will then take it from there.
• Take no further action.

Scenario 2: You receive a report of an incident involving a child from an adult.

Procedure 2:

· Fill in an Umpire’s report form and submit it to the CCUSA Child Welfare Officer (CWO). Currently he is Steve Kent-Phillips (“Bushy”), and his address and phone number is in every league handbook.

• State the alleged incident, the child’s name, club and age or approximate age as above.
• The CCUSA CWO will forward the report to that club’s CWO, who will take it from there.
• Take no further action.

Scenario 3: You are accused of an incident involving a child.

Procedure 3:

· Contact the CCUSA CWO immediately.

· He has a list of resources that can help you.

· He will advise you in the strictest confidence on the way forward.

· He can accompany you to any hearings if you wish.

Scenario 4: A child wants to report an incident to you that may or may not involve that child.

This is the most difficult to handle. The child may want to talk to you because you are seen as someone in authority and not connected with the club involved. You may be the only person the child feels safe talking to.

Procedure 4:

• Sit down with the child in a quiet, but open space where people can see you. If the child insists on complete privacy, comply but make sure another adult knows you are there. Do not give an explanation why.
• Stay calm, and try to keep the child calm.
• Show the child you are taking the matter very seriously, whatever is being said.
• Reassure the child that he/she is in no way to blame and that they are right to talk to you and it is OK.

• Try to take notes at the time, or write them down immediately afterwards. State the alleged incident, the child’s name, club and age or approximate age as above.

• Check the information with the child.
• Tell the child you will pass on the information to only one other person and will not speak a word of it to anyone else.
• Reassure the child that action WILL be taken urgently.
• Pass it to the CCUSA Child Welfare Officer, who will take it from there.
• Take no further action.

DO NOT

• Promise not to tell anyone.
• Get angry or show horror or disgust.
• Try to investigate the allegation yourself.
• Contact the police or social services.
• Contact the child’s parents.
• Speak about it to anyone at all, especially anyone involved in the match.

HOWEVER

If you feel there is an immediate threat to the child’s welfare or well-being, remove the child from the area and call the police, who will respond 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Make sure nobody at the game knows what is happening, and stay with the child until the police arrive They will take it from there.