1. Rams Rugby Football Club Limited – a company incorporated in England and Wales with company registration number 14613862 having its registered office at Rams Rugby Football Club, Old Bath Road, Sonning, Reading, Berkshire RG4 6TQ (known as Rams RFC) – acknowledges its responsibility to safeguard the welfare of all children involved in Rams RFC from harm.

2. Rams RFC confirms that it adheres to the Rugby Football Union’s Safeguarding Policy and the procedures, practices and guidelines and endorse and adopt the Policy Statement contained in that document and any successor policy.

3. A child is anyone under the age of 18 engaged in any rugby union activity. However, where a 17 year old player is playing in the adult game it is essential that every reasonable precaution is taken to ensure their safety and wellbeing are protected (see also: Club protocol for playing/training with adults).

4. Key Principles of the RFU Safeguarding Policy are that:

• The welfare of the child is, and must always be, paramount to any other considerations.

• All participants regardless of age, gender, ability or disability, race, faith, culture, size, shape, language or sexual identity have the right to protection from abuse or harm.

• All allegations or suspicions of abuse, neglect, harm and poor practice will be taken seriously and responded to swiftly, fairly and appropriately.

• Working in partnership with other organisations, statutory agencies, parents, carers, children and young people is essential for the welfare of children.

• Children have a right to expect support, and personal and social development delivered by an appropriately recruited, vetted and managed in relation to their participation in rugby union, whether they are playing, volunteering or officiating in the community or professional areas of the sport.

5. Rams RFC recognises that all children have the right to participate in sport in a safe, positive and enjoyable environment whilst at the same time being protected from abuse, neglect, harm and poor practice. Rams RFC recognises that this is the responsibility of everyone involved, in whatever capacity, at the club.

6. Rams RFC will implement and comply with the RFU Code of Conduct and the Codes of Conduct for Coaches, Spectators and Officials as appropriate.

7. The Club’s Child Welfare Managers (Safeguarding Officers) are Robin Ireland and Mel Baker. They can be contacted on safeguarding@ramsrugby.com or 07946 420720 (Robin's mobile).
If you witness or are aware of an incident where the welfare of a child has been put at risk you must, in the first instance, inform the Child Welfare Manager. They will then inform the CB Safeguarding Manager and the RFU Safeguarding Team. If an incident involves the Child Welfare Manager you should inform the Youth Chairman, John Raspin, whose email address is johnraspin@yahoo.com and telephone 07977 934343 (mobile) and either the CB Safeguarding Manager or the RFU Safeguarding Team.

8. All members of Rams RFC who work with children in Regulated activity must undertake an RFU Disclosure and Disbarring Service (DBS) check in accordance with Regulation 21 of the RFU Regulations.

9. Rams RFC will ensure that all its members, whether they are coaches, parents, players or officials will comply with the Best Practice Guidance as issued by the RFU (See Appendix 1). In summary, the following are NOT acceptable and will be treated seriously by the club and may result in disciplinary action being taken by the club, the CB or the RFU:

• Working alone with a child.
• Consuming alcohol whilst responsible for children.
• Providing alcohol to children or allowing its supply.
• Smoking in the presence of children.
• Humiliating children.
• Inappropriate or unnecessary physical contact with a child.
• Participating in, or allowing, contact or physical games with children.
• Having an intimate or sexual relationship with any child developed as a result of being in a ‘position of trust.’
• Making sexually explicit comments or sharing sexually explicit material.

10. Rams RFC manages the changing facilities and arranges for them to be supervised by two DBS checked adults of the appropriate gender for the players using the facilities. Rams RFC ensures that all its coaches, parents, officials and spectators are aware that adults must not change at the same time, using the same facilities as children.

11. Rams RFC will ensure that its coaches and team managers will receive the support and training considered appropriate to their position and role. The RFU “Managing Challenging Behaviour” Policy has been adopted and circulated amongst the club workforce both, voluntary and paid (see Appendix 2) .

12. Any events held on Rams RFC premises must comply with this Policy and if appropriate a Safeguarding Plan should be discussed and circulated to those affected. Any tours, overseas or domestic, undertaken by Rams RFC must comply with the relevant RFU Regulations and Guidance relating to tours.

This must be adopted in accordance with the club constitution.

Signed:

Club Chairman: A.T.Lynch
Date: October 2023

Rams Rugby Football Club

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