SAFEGUARDING CHILDREN

SAFEGUARDING POLICY

 

Football for Humanity has formulated a Safeguarding Policy to ensure that all of the people who work for and with Football for Humanity, including trustees, staff, volunteers, consultants, partners, sponsors, suppliers and contractors, have a uniform understanding of the basic provisions as set in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, and as such, shall carry the same beliefs and practices which are intended to protect children from harm, abuse, and exploitation.

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These guidelines and standards shall be adhered to in all of our projects, communications, initiatives, office policies, training policies, hiring policies, office and administrative as well as on-field procedures. Furthermore, these guidelines shall be promoted in all of the countries and territories we work in, and we shall provide provisions or support provisions that eradicate or reduce the risk of harm such as violent extremism, terrorism, female genital cutting, child trafficking and sexual exploitation, natural hazards and man-made disasters, violence in schools and at home, child labour and early marriage, social exclusion and discrimination. 

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To reduce the risks for children, we monitor staff and external people who work for us or come in contact with children. These mechanisms are designed to prevent harm:

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1. Internal responsibilities

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Board Members are designated Safeguarding Specialists and are assigned to ensure children are protected in relation to all Board decisions. All Board members, relevant staff, interns and volunteers, and where appropriate, partners/suppliers must obtain character and criminal clearance from their home countries or territories of operation before joining Football for Humanity, such as Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) from the UK Government.

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Football for Humanity staff and long-term volunteers undergo formal child protection and safeguarding training. Children’s participation in our activities will be monitored to serve their best interests and protection from unintended harm. This likewise covers details and images of children and other community members, and we shall ensure that data and images are appropriate and are held as safely as possible. To prevent future conflicts, we will issue information to partners, guardians, and caregivers so that they are familiar with our safeguarding policy. 

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2. External responsibilities

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To ensure we do not put children at risk through contact with external people who do not work for Football for Humanity, we may, from time to time, consult with the authorities, other organisations and the appropriate government office to vet partners, potential employees, and consultants. At our discretion, we retain the right to turn down requests to support Football for Humanity. We require supporters visiting communities or those whom we put into direct contact with children to obtain a background check from the DBS or local criminal record check before being accepted to the organisation. 

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We screen all communications from sponsors to sponsored children for any inappropriate written or visual material. Where the sponsor writes in a child’s local language not spoken at Football for Humanity, local colleagues are asked to check the content carefully.

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As much as possible, all correspondence to our beneficiary children must first be cleared with our communications and social media specialists to prevent unregulated and possibly inappropriate contact between sponsors and sponsored children. Where relevant, we return correspondence explaining our concerns and actions.

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If you have any concerns, they will be referred to our Safeguarding Specialists, who will then liaise with the appropriate external bodies.

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3. Reporting and responding

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At Football for Humanity, we take child protection very seriously. It is a fundamental requirement for all the projects we support. Our staff are responsible for identifying and mitigating any potential risks associated with our activities. We ensure that our projects and programs are focused on the well-being of children and are grounded in child protection principles. If any child is identified as being at risk, our staff have a legal obligation to report their concerns to our safeguarding specialists, who will conduct a thorough investigation and take appropriate action. If required, we will report any concerns to the relevant government bodies to ensure that the children under our care are safeguarded.

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For any concerns or reports, please contact safeguarding@footballforhumanity.org.uk.