Welfare Guide

Houston United Football Club is committed to providing a safe environment for all its members.

This welfare guide intends to give an overview of the club’s welfare policies.

Please click on the titles below to reveal each policy

1. Ethics
Houston United Football Club actively promotes and supports ethics in sport, where ethics can be defined as the application of moral rules, principles, values and norms. In line with the policy of the Scottish Football Association and sport scotland, the Club practices the following core values within delivering football opportunities:

  • Fairness & Fair Play
  • Inclusion for ALL
  • Integrity
  • Respect
  • Equity

Every member within Houston United Football Club; whether as players, administrators, officials, coaches or supporters – must take personal responsibility for ensuring that football activities are fun and fair for all.

2. Duty Of Care
As a club member you have a duty to:

  • Take reasonable care for your own welfare and that of others
  • Co-operate with the club on health & safety issues
  • Correctly use all equipment provided by the club
  • Not interfere with or misuse anything provided for your health, safety or welfare.

Key contacts: PPO/Coach:

LOUIS JEFFREY Chair/Coach

Address: 12 Fulton Gardens, Houston PA6 7NU
Home: 01505 328004
Mobile: 07786484961
Work: 0141 5325978
Email: louis.jeffrey@btintemet.com
DOB: 13/08/1967
PVG membership number: 1303 2112 4874 0345
Coaching courses: Coaching Youths 1.1, Activity based First Aid

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JOHN FERGUSON Secretary/Coach

Address: 23 Woodside Road, Brookfield. PA58UB
Mobile: 07966924349
Work: 01505 328227
Email: john.ferguson@cgglobal.com
DOB: 24/04/1968
Coaching courses: Early Touches, Coaching Youths 1.1, Activity based First Aid

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DAVID LITHERLAND Club Development Officer

Address: 4 Leman Grove, Houston PA6 7LR
Mobile: 07860 136162
Home/work: 01505 610790
Email: david@litherland36.fsnet.co.uk
DOB: 07/0211962
Coaching Courses: Children Levell, 2 & 3 plus Goalkeeper Level. Youth Level, 1st aid

3. Risk Assessment Hazard
A hazard is something with the potential to cause harm to an individual.
This can be an object, an activity and even a substance.
Risk expresses the likelihood that the harm from a potential hazard is realised. Risks are normally categorised as LOW, MEDIUM or HIGH.

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Setting up of goals

HAZARDS IDENTIFIED NB: Any scnous or imminent danger will need a procedure
Number of goal pieces, weight of object, possibility of posts moving during game/practice

RISK: Low/Medium/High
Medium

PERSON(S)AT RISK: i.e. coach, juniors or adults with special needs
Coaches, Players, Spectators

EXISTING CONTROLS:
at least two coaches erect goalposts instructions clearly labelled and procedures followed (training)

ADDITIONAL CONTROL MEASURES REQUIRED:
additional weights to be placed on goals to hold them down during game/training

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Suitability of playing areas

HAZARDS IDENTIFIED NB: Any scnous or imminent danger will need a procedure
Broken Glass / Cans / Dog Waste on Playing Area, Storage of indoor equipment/apparatus

RISK: Low/Medium/High
Low

PERSON(S)AT RISK: i.e. coach, juniors or adults with special needs
Coaches, Players

EXISTING CONTROLS:
Playing area checked by coaches prior to activity starting

ADDITIONAL CONTROL MEASURES REQUIRED:
Supply of addition rubbish bins on training/match days
Ensure area is free of any equipment/apparatus

4. Emergency Operating Procedure
Injury is a common occurrence while participating in football, as amember ofHouston United Football club you have the responsibility to ensure that any injury orincidents are recorded and reported.

Guidelines for Dealing with an Incident/ Accident

Step-By-Step Advice for Club Members-Houston United

•Stay calm but act swiftly and observe the situation.

•Is there danger of further injuries?

•Listen to what the injured person is saying.

•Alert the first-aider who should take appropriate action for minor injuries.

•In the event of an injury requiring specialist treatment, call the emergency services.

•Deal with the rest of the group and ensure that they are adequately supervised.

•Do not move someone with major injuries.

•Wait for the emergency medics.

•Contact the injured person’s parent/carer.

•Complete an incident/accident report form.

5. Accident & Incident Reporting
Information you should record may include; Coach/Individual’s name:
About the injured person:

Full Name:

About the Incident:

Activity taking place at time of incident:Date& Time of incident:Place of incident:Description oflncident:

Action Taken:
Action taken by Coach/ Leader/ Club Rep:

An accident register will be kept by Louis Jeffrey, Houston United Player
Protection Officer.

6. Child Protection
Football can and does have a very powerful and positive influence on people­ especially young people and vulnerable adults. Not only can it provide opportunities for enjoyment and achievement, it can also develop valuable qualities and skills such as self-esteem, leadership and teamwork. These positive effects can only take place if football is in the right hands- in the hands of those who place the welfare of all young people and vulnerable adults first and adopt practices that support, protect and empower them.
Adopting best practice by everyone will help to safeguard children and vulnerable adults from potential abuse as well as adults in positions of responsibility from potential false allegations of abuse.
Houston United Football Club is committed to the protection of children and vulnerable adults through the implementation of this policy and the supporting procedures.

Good Practice

Houston United Football Club supports and requires the following good practice with children and vulnerable adults:

  • Make football fun, enjoyable and promote fair play.
  • Always work in an open-environment e.g. avoid private or unobserved situations and encourage an open environment for activities.
  • Treat all children and vulnerable adults equally, with respect and dignity.
  • Put the welfare of each child or vulnerable adult first before winning or achieving goals.
  • Be an excellent role model including not smoking or drinking alcohol in the company of children or vulnerable adults.
  • Request permission for the use of any video or photographic equipment.
  • Give enthusiastic and constructive feedback rather than negative criticism.
  • Request permission if volunteers/staff are required to transport young people in their cars or minibuses.

Practice to be Avoided

  • Avoid having ‘favourites’ – this could lead to resentment and jealousy by other children or vulnerable adults and could be a cause for false allegations
  • Avoid spending excessive amounts of time alone with children away from others

Practice Never to Be Sanctioned

  • Never engage in rough, physical or sexually provocative games, including horseplay
  • Never allow or engage in any form of inappropriate touching
  • Never make sexually suggestive comments to a child, even in fun
  • Never reduce a child to tears as a form of control
  • Never allow allegations made by a child to go unchallenged, unrecorded or not acted upon
  • Never invite or allow children to stay with you at your home unsupervised
  • Never do things of a personal nature for children and vulnerable adults that they can do for themselves

If you require any further information with regard to the Child Protection policies of Houston United Football Club, please contact Louis Jeffrey, Child Protection Officer

What to do if a disclosure is made to you

A disclosure is when a young person opens up about something personal that has happened to them. It usually involves the development of trust between the young person and the person they disclose to.

How to listen to a disclosure

React calmly so as not to frighten the child/vulnerable adult. Listen to the child/vulnerable adult.
Do not show disbelief.
Tell the child/vulnerable adult that he/she is not to blame and that he/she was
right to tell.
Take what the child/vulnerable adult says seriously, recognising the difficulties
inherent in interpreting what a child/vulnerable adult says, especially if they have a speech disability and/or differences in language.
Do not pre-suppose that the experience was bad or painful – it may have been neutral or even pleasurable.
Always avoid projecting your own reactions onto the child or vulnerable adult.
If you need to clarify, keep questions to the absolute minimum to ensure a clear and accurate understanding of what has been said.
If you need to clarify or the statement is ambiguous, use open-ended, non­
leading questions.
Do not introduce personal information from either your own experiences or
those of other children or vulnerable adults. Reassure the child or vulnerable adult.


What to do after a Disclosure has been made to you
Listen to the child as detailed above. Acknowledge the information received.
Pass the information to the Child Protection Officer and if appropriate the parents/guardians/carers of the child or vulnerable adult
Make a full written record of the disclosure on the day you receive the disclosure.
Sign and date the record then pass it to the Child Protection Officer.