Club Welfare Officer

My name is Gemma Keech and I am the Club Welfare Officer (CWO) for Priory Parkside Colts FC. 

Each grassroots football club is required to have a Club Welfare Officer Club and I am responsible for ensuring the wellbeing of the children, young people and vulnerable adults who attend the club or take part in its activities. My role is to be the first point of contact for all club members and parents / carers regarding concerns for the welfare of anyone within the club that fall within this group. 

The Club has appointed me to this voluntary role because of my past employment roles in Education and Children’s Social Care, and therefore my experience in Safeguarding and Child Protection. 

My duties as a the Club Welfare Officer include: 

– Assist the club in ensuring that it’s Safeguarding Policy is enforced and all its responsibilities to safeguard children and vulnerable people are met.

– Assist the club in maintaining the Safeguarding Policy and ensuring that it meets current moral and legal standards.

– Be familiar with and promote the FA’s best practice policies on safeguarding, ethics and behaviour and be familiar with legislation for child protection, showing a commitment to keeping the training and qualifications up to date

– Be the first point of contact for club volunteers, young people and parents for any issue concerning child welfare, poor practice or potential / alleged abuse

– Be the first point of contact with the Safeguarding Officer for Hunts FA and other relevant local services.

– Ensure that all incidents are correctly reported and dealt with efficiently and effectively

– Ensure that all relevant club members and volunteers have an up-to-date DBS check and keep accurate records of such checks.

– Ensure all relevant club members and volunteers complete the appropriate child protection training.Ensure that codes of conduct are in place for club volunteers, coaches, players and parents.

– Attend Priory Parkside FC Management Team meetings to advise on child protection issues as necessary and attend league and County FA meetings when appropriate.

– Ensure confidentiality is maintained and information is only shared on a ‘need to know’ basis. 

My aim to be an approachable person for young people and their parents or carers, as well as club members, where issues or concerns may arise. These issues may range from worries about not fitting in or feeling left out, an individual dangerous incident or situation, other adult or young persons’ behaviour or more serious allegations against another person, volunteer, member or professional at the Club.

Please feel free to email me on prioryparksidecwo@gmail.com or telephone me on 07734 821330 if you have any concerns or wish to discuss an issue; however big or small. 

Important documents

• Anti-Bullying Policy
• FA Grassroots Safeguarding Policy and Procedures
• Priory Parkside FC Safeguarding Policy
• FA Covid-19 Safeguarding Risk Assessment Guidance
• Code of Conduct – Managers, Coaches and Club Officials
• Welfare Officers’ Roles and Responsibilities

The Club’s Complaints Process and Procedure can be found here.