With an ethos of Football For All our club is committed to ensuring children, young persons and vulnerable persons can participate in football activities in a safe environment. We want to provide opportunities for children to learn new skills, become more confident and maximise their potential as members of teams and as individuals.

 

Participation at our club should be fun, enjoyable and provide a platform to learn and develop life skills, make new friends, and enhance personal growth - however the safety and welfare of all is paramount.

 

The Children First Act 2015 has provided a statutory framework supporting Children and Young People, ensuring they are kept safe, and their welfare maintained to a high standard whilst participating in our club. The Act defines Harm (in relation to a child) as: (a) assault, ill-treatment, or neglect of the child in a manner that seriously affects or is likely to seriously affect a child’s health, development, or welfare Or (b) sexual abuse of a child, whether caused by a single act, omission or circumstance or a series or combination of acts, omissions, or circumstances, or otherwise.

The job of a Designated Liaison Person is to report abuse to professionals (Tusla) not to investigate.  All Designated Liaison Persons must be Gardai Vetted and must have completed Safeguard 1 and Safeguard 3 training course.

 

We would like to remind you that in your club the Chairperson* is our nominated Designated Liaison Person. If you wish to report a child protection concern you should speak to the Designated Liaison Person in confidence who will be responsible for making the report. Where the allegation or concern relates to the Designated Liaison Person you should without delay report the matter to the Deputy Designated Liaison Officer* or other authorities.

 

*Our current committee is published on our website and here  https://bhafc.org/pages/2022-23-committee