Our Commitment to Safeguarding
Row Town Rangers FC is committed to providing a safe, positive and enjoyable environment in which children and young people can play, learn and develop through football.
For the purposes of this policy, a child or young person is anyone under the age of 18.
Safeguarding is the responsibility of everyone involved with Row Town Rangers FC. This includes coaches, managers, committee members, volunteers, officials, parents, carers and other adults involved in club activities.
The welfare of every child and young person involved with Row Town Rangers FC is our paramount consideration.
Row Town Rangers FC adopts and supports The Football Association’s safeguarding policies, procedures, regulations and best-practice guidance.
Club Welfare Officer
Row Town Rangers FC has appointed a Club Welfare Officer (CWO) who acts as the primary point of contact for safeguarding and welfare matters within the Club.
Club Welfare Officer: Max Fouracre (FAN: 67700277)
Email: welfare@rowtownrangers.com
Parents, carers, players, coaches, volunteers and other club members are encouraged to contact the Club Welfare Officer if they have any concerns, questions or incidents relating to the welfare or safeguarding of a child.
Concerns will be handled sensitively and, wherever possible, confidentially. However, information may need to be shared with The FA, Surrey FA, Children’s Services, the Police or another appropriate safeguarding authority where this is necessary to protect a child.
Role of the Club Welfare Officer
The Club Welfare Officer helps Row Town Rangers FC maintain appropriate safeguarding standards throughout the Club.
The role includes:
- Acting as the first point of contact for safeguarding and child welfare concerns within the Club.
- Helping coaches, volunteers, committee members and parents understand their duty of care towards children and young people.
- Ensuring that people undertaking eligible roles with children have the appropriate in-date FA-accepted Enhanced DBS checks.
- Monitoring safeguarding qualifications and DBS compliance within the Club.
- Ensuring relevant coaches, managers, volunteers and officials complete the safeguarding education required for their roles.
- Promoting The FA’s safeguarding policies, procedures and Codes of Conduct.
- Providing advice to club officials, coaches, parents and players on safeguarding matters.
- Liaising with Surrey FA’s Designated Safeguarding Officer where appropriate.
- Referring serious safeguarding concerns to Surrey FA, The FA or the appropriate statutory authorities.
- Promoting good practice throughout the Club.
- Helping ensure that tournaments, tours, trips, residential activities and other events involving children are appropriately planned and supervised.
- Helping the Club identify and address poor practice before it develops into a more serious issue.
- Promoting an environment in which children feel safe and confident about raising concerns.
The Club Welfare Officer will undertake the safeguarding training required by The FA for the role and maintain an appropriate in-date FA-accepted Enhanced DBS check.
Our Safeguarding Principles
Row Town Rangers FC believes that:
- The welfare of the child must always be the paramount consideration.
- Every child has the right to participate in football in a safe, positive and enjoyable environment.
- Every child has the right to be protected from abuse, neglect, exploitation, bullying, discrimination and poor practice.
- All children should be treated with dignity and respect.
- Safeguarding applies equally to every child regardless of age, sex, gender, disability, race, ethnicity, culture, language, religion, background or sexual orientation.
- All concerns, suspicions and allegations relating to the welfare of a child will be taken seriously.
- Safeguarding concerns should be responded to promptly and appropriately.
- Children and young people should be encouraged to speak up if something makes them uncomfortable, worried or unhappy.
- Working in partnership with parents, carers, children, The FA, Surrey FA and appropriate statutory organisations is essential to effective safeguarding.
Responsibility of Adults within the Club
Every adult involved with Row Town Rangers FC has a responsibility to contribute towards creating a safe environment for children.
No adult should assume that safeguarding is solely the responsibility of the Club Welfare Officer.
Coaches, managers, volunteers, officials and committee members are expected to:
- Follow this policy and The FA’s safeguarding requirements.
- Follow the Club’s Codes of Conduct.
- Maintain appropriate professional boundaries with children and young people.
- Treat all players fairly and respectfully.
- Challenge bullying, discrimination, harassment and inappropriate behaviour.
- Report safeguarding concerns promptly.
- Avoid situations that could place a child or adult at unnecessary risk.
- Use appropriate methods of communication with children and parents.
- Follow Club and FA guidance concerning photography, video, social media and electronic communication.
- Ensure that the welfare of children takes priority over winning, results or sporting achievement.
Safeguarding from Abuse
Row Town Rangers FC recognises its responsibility to protect children and young people from all forms of abuse and poor practice.
This includes, but is not limited to:
- Physical abuse.
- Emotional abuse.
- Sexual abuse.
- Neglect.
- Bullying and cyberbullying.
- Discrimination.
- Harassment.
- Grooming.
- Online abuse.
- Exploitation.
- Inappropriate relationships or breaches of positions of trust.
- Poor coaching or supervisory practice that places a child at unnecessary risk.
Any concerns of this nature must be reported.
Reporting a Safeguarding Concern
If anyone involved with Row Town Rangers FC is concerned about the welfare of a child, they should report the concern as soon as possible.
The Club Welfare Officer will normally be the first point of contact.
Where a concern is serious, involves possible abuse, involves the Club Welfare Officer themselves, or it is not appropriate to raise the matter through the Club, concerns may be reported directly to:
Surrey FA Designated Safeguarding Officer
The FA Safeguarding Team:
safeguarding@thefa.com
NSPCC Helpline:
0808 800 5000
If a child is in immediate danger or at immediate risk of harm, call 999.
Concerns may also be reported directly to Children’s Services or the Police where appropriate.
No member of the Club should delay reporting a serious safeguarding concern because they are uncertain whether abuse has occurred. It is the responsibility of the appropriate safeguarding professionals and statutory authorities to determine what action is required.
If a Child Discloses a Concern
If a child tells a coach, volunteer, parent or other adult about something that is worrying them:
- Listen carefully and remain calm.
- Take what the child says seriously.
- Reassure them that they have done the right thing by speaking up.
- Do not interrogate the child or ask leading questions.
- Do not promise to keep the information secret.
- Explain that the information may need to be shared with someone who can help.
- Make an accurate written record of what was said as soon as possible.
- Report the matter promptly through the appropriate safeguarding procedure.
Adults should not attempt to investigate allegations themselves.
Safer Recruitment and DBS Checks
Row Town Rangers FC is committed to safer recruitment practices when appointing people who will work with children and young people.
Where appropriate, the Club will:
- Clearly define the role being undertaken.
- Meet and discuss the role with prospective volunteers or coaches before appointment.
- Request appropriate identification.
- Obtain references where appropriate.
- Consider an individual’s experience, qualifications and suitability for the role.
- Require the appropriate safeguarding qualifications.
- Require an in-date FA-accepted Enhanced DBS check for roles where this is required.
- Ensure individuals have completed the necessary checks before undertaking unsupervised regulated activity with children.
- Seek advice from Surrey FA or The FA where there are concerns regarding someone’s suitability to work with children.
The Club recognises that safeguarding checks and recruitment procedures exist to minimise the opportunity for unsuitable individuals to gain access to children through football.
DBS and Safeguarding Compliance
Coaches, managers, first aiders and other individuals undertaking eligible roles involving children will be required to comply with the safeguarding and DBS requirements applicable to their role.
The Club Welfare Officer and Club officials will monitor safeguarding compliance through The FA’s systems.
Where a required DBS check, safeguarding qualification or other mandatory requirement expires, the individual may be prevented from undertaking the relevant role until the requirement has been satisfied.
Bullying
Row Town Rangers FC has a zero-tolerance approach towards bullying.
Bullying can take many forms, including:
- Physical bullying.
- Verbal abuse or name-calling.
- Threatening or intimidating behaviour.
- Social exclusion.
- Discriminatory bullying.
- Online or social-media bullying.
- Repeated criticism, humiliation or ridicule.
Bullying involving players, coaches, parents, spectators or other club members will be taken seriously.
Players should feel confident that they can speak to a coach, parent, Club Welfare Officer or another trusted adult if they experience or witness bullying.
Reported incidents will be considered promptly and appropriate action will be taken.
Serious or repeated incidents may be referred to Surrey FA, The FA or other appropriate authorities.
Codes of Conduct
Row Town Rangers FC operates Codes of Conduct covering players, coaches, managers, parents, carers, spectators, volunteers and club officials.
Membership of and participation in the Club requires individuals to comply with the relevant Codes of Conduct.
The Club may take disciplinary action where a Code of Conduct is breached.
Depending upon the seriousness of the matter, action may include:
- A discussion or informal warning.
- A formal written warning.
- Restrictions on attendance or involvement.
- Suspension from Club activities.
- Removal from a coaching, volunteering or official role.
- Termination of membership.
- Referral to the relevant football league.
- Referral to Surrey FA or The FA.
- Referral to statutory authorities where appropriate.
The protection and welfare of children will always take priority when considering what action should be taken.
Whistleblowing
Row Town Rangers FC supports The FA’s approach to whistleblowing and encourages anyone involved with the Club to raise genuine concerns about behaviour or safeguarding practices.
A person should not be discouraged from raising a safeguarding concern because it relates to another coach, volunteer, committee member or senior Club official.
Where someone does not feel able to raise the matter through Row Town Rangers FC, they may contact Surrey FA, The FA Safeguarding Team, the NSPCC, Children’s Services or the Police directly.
No person raising a genuine safeguarding concern in good faith should suffer intimidation, victimisation or disadvantage for doing so.
Online and Digital Safeguarding
Row Town Rangers FC recognises that safeguarding responsibilities extend to online communication and social media.
Coaches, officials and volunteers must maintain appropriate professional boundaries when communicating electronically with players.
Club communications involving children should wherever possible include or be directed through parents or carers and should comply with The FA’s current guidance.
Any concerns regarding online grooming, sexual communication or online exploitation of a child should be reported immediately.
Concerns regarding online child sexual abuse or grooming can also be reported through the CEOP Safety Centre, operated by the National Crime Agency.
Photography and Video
Photographs and video can play an important role in promoting and celebrating children’s football. However, they must be used responsibly.
Row Town Rangers FC will follow applicable FA safeguarding guidance concerning photography and filming of children.
Where appropriate, parents and carers will be informed about how photography and video may be used by the Club.
Photography or filming must never be used in a way that compromises the dignity, privacy or safety of a child.
Trips, Tournaments and Events
When Row Town Rangers FC organises tournaments, tours, trips or other activities involving children, appropriate safeguarding arrangements will be put in place.
These may include:
- Appropriate adult supervision.
- Parental or carer consent.
- Emergency contact information.
- Medical information where required.
- Suitable transport arrangements.
- Appropriate accommodation arrangements for overnight trips.
- Risk assessments where appropriate.
- Clear expectations regarding behaviour.
- Appropriate safeguarding and first-aid provision.
The welfare of players will remain the Club’s priority throughout all Club activities.
Poor Practice
Not every safeguarding concern will amount to abuse.
Poor practice may include behaviour that falls below the standards expected by Row Town Rangers FC or The FA, even where a child is not believed to be at immediate risk of significant harm.
Poor practice will still be addressed.
Repeated or serious poor practice may result in disciplinary action and/or referral to Surrey FA or The FA.
Confidentiality and Information Sharing
Safeguarding information will be treated carefully and shared only where there is an appropriate reason to do so.
However, safeguarding concerns cannot always remain confidential.
Where there is a concern about the safety or welfare of a child, information may need to be shared with the Club Welfare Officer, Surrey FA, The FA, Children’s Services, the Police or another relevant authority.
The protection of a child takes priority over an adult’s expectation of confidentiality.
Further Safeguarding Support
Safeguarding concerns can be raised through:
Row Town Rangers FC Club Welfare Officer
Max Fouracre
welfare@rowtownrangers.com
The FA Safeguarding Team
Email: safeguarding@thefa.com
NSPCC Helpline – adults concerned about a child
0808 800 5000
Childline – children and young people
0800 1111
Police
999 where a child is at immediate risk or there is an emergency.
CEOP Safety Centre
For concerns involving online sexual abuse or grooming.
Policy Review
Row Town Rangers FC will review this policy periodically and whenever there are significant changes to safeguarding legislation, Football Association regulations or safeguarding best practice.
All coaches, managers, committee members and relevant volunteers are expected to familiarise themselves with this policy and understand their safeguarding responsibilities.
Policy adopted: 01/05/2026
Last reviewed: 01/09/2026
Next review: 01/02/2026
Club Welfare Officer: Max Fouracre
Approved by: Row Town Rangers FC Committee