Children’s Officer

The appointment of Children’s Officers in hockey clubs is an essential element in the creation of a quality atmosphere. They act as a resource with regard to children’s issues.

In summary Children’s Officers should work with others on the club committee to ensure current policies in relation to young people, check that all activities are safe and fun, and inform adults of how to deal with any concerns that may arise in relation to the protection of children and young people.

Club Children’s Officers should be child centered in focus and have as the primary aim the establishment of a child centered ethos within the hockey club. S/he is the link between the children and the adults in the club. They also take responsibility for monitoring and reporting to the Club Management Committee on how club policy impacts on young people and Hockey Leaders.

The Children’s Officer should be a member of or have access to, the Club Management Committee and should be introduced to the young people in an appropriate forum.

Club Welfare Officer Youths Girls: Niamh Creedon

Club Welfare Officer Youths Boys: Louise Barber Gosnell

Club Welfare Officer Girls in Senior Section: Fran Doonan

Club Welfare Officer Boys in Senior Section: Judy Landers

All above contact information available from facilities@corkharlequins.com

The role of the Club Children’s Officer should be:

To promote awareness of safeguarding guidelines within the hockey club, among young members and their parents/guardians. This could be achieved by:- the distribution of information leaflets, the establishment of a junior specific notice board, regular information meetings for the young people and their parents/guardians

• To influence policy and practice within the hockey club in order to prioritise children’s needs
• Establish contact with the National and Regional Children’s Officers across Hockey Ireland and the Provinces.
• To ensure that children know how to make concerns known to appropriate adults or agencies.
• To encourage the appropriate involvement of parents/ guardians in the club activities
• To act as an advisory resource to Hockey Leaders on best practice in youth hockey
• To monitor changes in membership and follow up any unusual dropout, absenteeism or club transfers by children or hockey leaders
• To ensure that the children have a voice in the running of their hockey club and ensure that there are steps young people can take to express concerns about their hockey activities/ experiences.
• Establish communication with other branches of the club, e.g. facilitate parent’s information sessions at the start of the season
• Keep records on each member on file, including youth members, their contact numbers and any special needs of the child that should be known to leaders
• Ensure each member signs an annual membership form that must include the signing up to the code of conduct for hockey leaders and children and young people.
• The CCO must undertake the necessary training i.e. Safeguarding 1 & 2 (RoI) or Safeguarding Children and Young People and Designated Safeguarding Officer (NI).
• Coordinated the completion of any safeguarding audit require and review the club safeguarding risk assessment.
• Ensure that the club rules and regulations include:
  • complaints, disciplinary and appeals procedures.
  • an anti-bullying policy.
  • safety statement.
  • rules in relation to traveling with children.
  • supervision and recruitment of leaders.

National Children’s Officer
Hockey Ireland’s National Children’s Officer will advise on all matters in relation to safeguarding.

The role of the National Children’s Officer involves:

• Have knowledge of the Safeguarding Code and relevant child protection legislation (Children First Act 2015 (ROI)/ National Vetting Bureau Act 2012-2016, Co-operating to Safeguard Children and Young People in Northern Ireland 2017).
• Commitment to attendance at appropriate training as required in order to act as a resource to members in relation to children’s needs
• Co-ordination of Child Safeguarding training.
• The promotion of the values, attitudes and structures which make sport enjoyable for children
• Circulation of all relevant information and resource materials, on children’s sport to clubs and affiliates of the sports organisations
• Communication with regional and club Club Children’s Officers to ensure the distribution of the Code and the promotion of related education programmes, materials events and governing body related codes
• Liaison with all clubs to examine the rules, regulations and structures to ensure that they are child centred, e.g., equal playing time, appropriate competition structures, modified equipment to allow sense of achievement and success, anti-bullying policy etc.
• Liaison with clubs, to ensure drop-out rates and transfers are monitored so that unusual developments or trends can be addressed, including transfer of sports leaders
• Assisting in the development of a system of record keeping which maintains confidentiality while allowing for appropriate information to be passed to relevant authorities where necessary
• Coordinating the development of an appropriate hockey specific policy, which includes a policy statement, codes of conduct, disciplinary procedures, Anti- Bullying policy, safety statement, recruitment and selection policy and reporting procedures.

Hockey Ireland National Children’s Officer: Anne McCormack

 
Designated Liaison Person
The Designated Liaison Person is a resource for leaders/volunteers/staff who have a child protection concern. DLP’s are responsible for ensuring that the reporting procedures are followed correctly and promptly. The designated liaison person is responsible for reporting allegations or suspicions of child abuse or neglect to the Duty Social Worker in Child and Family Agency/Tusla or An Garda Síochána/ Gateway services or PSNI.

The DLP should also inform the National Children’s Officer that a report has been submitted without identifying details

• The DLP should be knowledgeable about child protection and undertake any training considered necessary i.e. Safeguarding 3/DSO workshop
• The DLP should familiarise themselves with the statutory and support services within their locality
• Have knowledge of the Safeguarding policy and relevant child protection legislation (Children First Act 2015 (ROI)/National Vetting Bureau Act 2012-2016 (ROI) and Cooperating to Safeguard Children and Young People in Northern Ireland 2017.

Hockey Ireland DLP: Shirley Moore

Club DLP: Edward Gash

Relevant Person

• For Clubs/organisations that operate in Republic of Ireland they must appoint a Relevant Person. Defined in the Children First Act 2015 (ROI) as a person who is appointed by a provider of a relevant service to be the first point of contact in respect of the provider’s Child Safeguarding Statement.

Hockey Ireland Relevant Person: Anne McCormack

Mandated Person (NGB only)
The Mandated person is a person named under schedule 2 of Children First Act 2015 (ROI). They have a legal responsibility to report concerns or allegations that reach or exceed the threshold of harm of abuse to the Tusla.

Legal Obligations of a Mandated Person:

Mandated persons have two main legal obligations under the Children First Act 2015 (ROI). These are:

• To report the harm of children above a defined threshold to Tusla;
• To assist Tusla, if requested, in assessing a concern which has been the subject of a mandated report.

Hockey Ireland Mandated Person: Anne McCormack