is there a way to contact the club in the event of an emergency so someone knows the parent is running late?
Good question - and frankly with ALL the other corners cut and failures here I'm guessing this isn't being done properly either!
being in a situation where he’s building relationships with children without following proper procedures will make people say “Why not?” if anything ever got said.
Absolutely!
When I was doing scouts at one point my then dh was testing for a badge for us (experts are brought in for such things) he was thoroughly background checked as he was in the army and was surprised that he still had to follow certain rules, it involved some safety equipment that had to be worn and checked before the activity BY an expert for safety reasons but this naturally required brief physical contact with the children, and I explained he needed to ONLY do this with another adult observing, he got a bit frustrated at one point and was (just to me) like "this is crazy! Why are they so strict?" And I explained to him then that it wasn't only to protect the children (though that of course is the most important factor) but also to protect any of the volunteers from malicious allegations - or even just misunderstandings! He got it then!
The communication and record keeping just needs to be miles better.
Omg yes! If something happened insurers/lawyers would make absolute mincemeat of them!
Just remembered to mention - sign in sheets ALSO important in case of fires or similar disasters. Local to me there are AstroTurf pitches as part of a community centre just off a main road. A few years back a van driver took a heart attack while driving and basically ploughed through the fence and onto the pitch while the under 15s were practicing. One of the kids got sent flying under some kind of gazebo to the side which also collapsed and they were unconscious, one coach also unconscious the other dazed, he handed the sign in sheet to emergency services as asked and this was the point at which they realised there was a kid unaccounted for and went searching and found him.
These things are in place for a reason!
If the email the coach sends now states that parents must stay to supervise their child and collect them is this enough?
Absolutely not!
There is FAR more they are SUPPOSED to be doing that it's clear from your posts they really aren't!
Whoever is the local safeguarding lead genuinely needs sacking - I wasn't being flippant on that! They're not doing the job REMOTELY closely to the standard they are supposed to be.
Look at that leaflet and the other info on the page/site I linked there's TONS the FA is a expecting they're doing that they're not!
Would take FAR too much writing to even bullet point the stuff the club is meant to be doing and IS NOT here. That's how bad it is!
It was also said that a couple of children turned up who had previously said they weren't coming. Don't know how you can police that though. A firm policy I guess.
That's what a sign in sheet is for. If anything happened - a fire a car accident hell even "just" a Covid outbreak (I can't imagine this isn't breaking Covid guidelines either!) then the club NEEDS to know and have a RECORD of who was there and when/what weeks.
Agree with pp with the fact that a clear safeguarding policy needs to be drawn up, signed by all club leaders and all parents, and adhered to completely. It would also be good practice for all volunteers to attend regular safeguarding trainings.
The FA DOES have a clear safeguarding policy which as far as I can tell this club is SUPPOSED to be following and isn't. It includes that all volunteers have training too
Safeguarding isn't about what's likely on a day to day basis, it's about the worse case scenario and removing those risks.
Exactly
SO SO SO many scenarios not considered here I keep running through them all in my head :
Kid injured at practice
Kid alone with volunteer at practice
Kid alone with volunteer in a secluded place at practice
Kid goes missing
Kid walking home alone gets hit by car
Kid walking home alone assaulted
Kid maliciously accused volunteer of assaulting them
Kid maliciously accuses volunteer of sexual misconduct
Kid assaulted by another kid at practice
Kid abused by another kid at practice
Bullying
Major incident occurs (fire etc) and emergency services can't confidently be sure they've accounted for everyone - this can also lead to emergency personnel unnecessarily risking THEIR lives
One of the volunteers it comes to light OUTSIDE the club that they are a paedo or wife batterer, that they had a criminal record BEFORE becoming a volunteer and the club doesn't know as no background check done - clubs name tarnished forever - as a pp said MUD STICKS!
And on and on and on...
what if an estranged ex turns up who doesnt have custody rights.
And there's another!
That one could also apply to children who are in foster care the birth parents may attempt to take them
Also, groups like this really annoy me as it’s why (understandably) some parents won’t ever send their kids to volunteer run groups as they think they’re all like this. Whereas some of us take the responsibilities seriously.
Totally agree!
This is why the FA when informed will likely be absolutely furious and remove their membership status.
They need to protect their brand - which has already dealt with several safeguarding scandals!
Sorry, I asked DH and the coaches are CRB checked including DH. The head coach has had the safeguarding training.
Well that's a backpedal and a half! And quite honestly I'm not sure I believe you.
If it is a crb then it must be at least 10 years old and should be updated to a dbs
Excellent point. Checks need to be updated regularly anyway
I think most people end up being roped in rather than stepping forward saying they would love to volunteer.
They may feel like that, but in reality it is a choice. Legally they have a duty of care to the children (and even to an extent to other volunteers!)
@worriedatthemoment yes there are parents that are murder to deal with but again I say they're the ones the volunteers MOST need to watch their backs with as they tend also to be the first and most insistent complainers if something DOES go wrong!
You and dh's embarrassment/ostracisation v a child's safety.::

I'd have called the number I posted regardless of an irresponsible dhs opinions!
Does the safeguarding person have to keep my details private if I request it?
Yes. But given how shit they are at the role I can understand you not being confident of this - so call the whistleblowing number!
But at the same time the child made out like the coaches walked off and left him on the pitch intentionally on his own, which was not the case
But neither you nor dh were there - so how would you know? Perhaps he was faffing in the loo came out and everyone had gone?
The coaches on the messages DH showed me seemed to be very defensive and with a tone she was in the wrong. The parents and child has got themselves a reputation even though they haven't been there long which could cloud the coaches judgement on how they need to improve procedures. I get the impression the child is close to being asked to leave anyway.
Wow!
The non safeguarding stuff that may be why they are removed from the club MUST be dealt with and considered separately and however annoying this family are the coaches need to not use that as an excuse to ignore that THEY cocked up here!
None of the other parents seem to see an issue with the safeguarding
Ime that will only be the case unless and until THEIR child is affected and then it'll all kick off! It's more likely to be the case that most parents if they haven't worked or volunteered in roles involving safeguarding themselves simply are unaware and assume if x goes wrong that the club DOES have safeguarding policies and procedures in place which it is following.
It's a lawsuit waiting to happen!
These things can coast along for a while but it's when something does go wrong it all blows up!
That’s the issue. Not one child and one set of parents
Exactly