Cambridge Football Club is committed to providing football in a fun, safe and respectful environment for all participants.  We recognise children’s right to be free from all forms of abuse and acknowledge our duty of care to safeguard them.   This policy outlines the actions Cambridge Football Club will take to protect children and vulnerable adults and is in line with NZ Football guidelines.

This policy applies to all Cambridge Football Club employees, contractors or volunteers who have (or may have) regular or overnight contact with a child or vulnerable adult in the course of their duties.  This includes coaches, team managers, match officials, volunteers and other club administrators (“club personnel”).  Regular is defined as once per week, or at least 4 days per month.

What is “Safeguarding”?

Safeguarding is the term for the proactive measures we take to promote the welfare of children and vulnerable adults, prevent risk of injury or harm from taking place and being ready to respond if we’re concerned that harm may be happening.  Identifying risks, taking measures to prevent and reduce those risks and having systems in place to respond to concerns are all part of Safeguarding.  This policy outlines the measures Cambridge Football Club will take to safeguard children and vulnerable adults and the process it will follow in the event of any concerns being raised. 

For further information about safeguarding you can refer to NZ Football’s Guidelines for Safeguarding Children & Vulnerable Adults.  

Cambridge Football Club protocols for Working with Children and Vulnerable Adults

Cambridge Football Club protocols when transporting children or vulnerable adults

Cambridge Football Club will ensure that club personnel who are transporting children or vulnerable adults will:

• Hold a full NZ driver’s licence or approved equivalent
• Refrain from consuming alcohol or drugs (illegal or prescription where they might impair the driver’s ability to drive safely) prior to or during the journey
• Ensure that any vehicles used have a current WOF, are appropriately insured and that passengers do not exceed the permitted maximum capacity
• Ensure that seat belts are worn
• Adhere to speed limits
• Gain the parents’/caregivers’ written consent for their child or vulnerable adult to be transported in another adult’s car
• Advise parents/caregivers of pick-up/drop-off locations and expected departure/arrival times
• Provide contact details of key staff to children and vulnerable adults, their parents and/or caregivers.

Cambridge Football Club protocols for billeting or other overnight accommodation

 Cambridge Football Club will adopt the following protocols to minimise risks for children or vulnerable adults whilst billeted or staying overnight at other types of accommodation (eg hostels, motels, backpackers etc):

• Cambridge Football Club will ensure there are enough supervising adults to manage the group (a ratio of 1:8 is recommended for children 8-12 and 1:10 for children over 12).
• Cambridge Football Club will ensure that supervising adults are aware of this policy and know who to contact with any concerns
• Cambridge Football Club will outline expected standards of behaviour and advise children and vulnerable adults of who to contact if they feel unsafe
• Potential billeting hosts (and their households) will be police vetted and results reviewed before any child or vulnerable adult is billeted
• At least two children will be billeted together
• Rooms may be shared, but there will be no mixed-gender sharing or sharing with an adult
• Children will be given the privacy to get changed and use the bathroom
• Parents/caregivers will be given information about the hosts when billeting including who is in the household and contact details
• Parents/caregivers will be given contact details of the supervising adults

Cambridge Football Club protocols for safety checking club personnel

Cambridge Football Club will ensure that all personnel who fall within the scope for this policy are police vetted.  Individuals being vetted will access the NZF Police Vetting System, complete an online form, view a short training module and provide their identification documents to [Club Name’s] Safeguarding Officer for online verification.  This identity check provides an added layer of security.  Police vetting will be repeated every 3 years.

Refusing to undertake police vetting (or not providing identity evidence) will result in ineligibility to work with children or vulnerable adults at Cambridge Football Club.

Vetting Result

NZ Football’s Guidelines for Safeguarding Children & Vulnerable Adults outlines the information that may be released by the police, who assesses the results, offences that result in automatic disqualification and the appeals process.  The results of the vetting process are strictly confidential, and the only information that Cambridge Football Club will have access to is:

• Month/year vetting form was processed
• Team the person is connected with
• Date of receipt of the vetting result and if appropriate the outcome of any appeals process.

Cambridge Football Club acknowledges its duty of care to protect the personal information of those being vetted.  All personal information will be treated confidentially in line with NZ Football’s Privacy policy.

Cambridge Football Club protocols for handling any allegations of suspected abuse

Cambridge Football Club will respond to allegations of suspected child or vulnerable adult abuse in a manner which ensures the child’s or vulnerable adult’s safety is the first and paramount consideration.  This includes any instances where an allegation is made against Cambridge Football Club personnel.

All concerns will be reported to the designated Safeguarding Advisor at [Name of Federation], or to the NZF Safeguarding Manager.  Contact details are available on the [Name of Federation] website and the NZF website, where there is a flowchart which outlines the process to follow if abuse is suspected.  The NZF and Federation Safeguarding team will then advise {Club name] on next steps.

All concerns or allegations of sexual abuse, or if an immediate response is required to ensure the child's or vulnerable adult’s safety will be reported immediately to the NZ Police.

This policy was adopted by Cambridge Football Club on 1/1/2024.