Club Safeguarding Officers & CB Safeguarding Managers

Consitituent Body Safeguarding Officers

Constituent Body Safeguarding Managers are volunteers appointed by constituent bodies and provide support for safeguarding staff throughout the constituent body area. The following is a summary of Consitituent Body Safeguarding Managers' roles and responsibilities, for further information and resources visit the RFU's safeguarding website.

Nature of the Role: CB Safeguarding Manager

To provide leadership in the safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults in rugby union across the constituent body area, maintaining key relationships with the Constituent Body Management Committee, RFU Safeguarding Team and local Club Welfare Officers (CWO). The CB Safeguarding Manager should undertake NSPCC training and any appropriate RFU safeguarding courses.

The Safeguarding Manager will ideally have a background in child protection from any of the statutory agencies (Police, Social Services, Children’s services). The person should also have a range of key skills and attributes including: empathy, approachability, good sense of humour, objectivity, attention to detail, resilience and dedication to the cause of safeguarding young people.

The appointed individual will receive intensive support from the RFU safeguarding team in the form of training, conferences and regular communications and will receive corporate kit and resources to support them in the delivery of this role.

Key tasks

To be an active member of the CB Governance or Management/Executive Committee
Offer guidance and support to local clubs on developing their own ‘Safeguarding Young People in Rugby Union’ policy, in conjunction with their Club Safeguarding Officers
To identify, develop, train, support and maintain a team of Club Safeguarding Officers (CSOs), and, if appropriate, deputy CBSMs, across the CB area, and ensure their registration on the RFUs RugbyFirst clubs database
To co-ordinate a programme of training, in conjunction with CWOs and/or RDO, for club personnel involved in working with young people (i.e. Safeguarding and Protecting Young People in Rugby Union courses)
To be the Safeguarding advisor for the CB Schools of Rugby and other local performance pathways
To attend the RFUs CB Safeguarding Manager Conference (x 2 per season)
In conjunction with the CSOs, develop an effective CRB process within the CB to ensure that all individuals working with young people undertake a criminal records bureau (CRB) application every three years (note: they will also require an ISA-registration from Oct 09)
To ensure that all safeguarding issues and incidents involving adult, children and young people are reported promptly to the RFU Safeguarding team and the CB Hon Secretary
To conduct information gathering or investigations as requested by the RFU safeguarding team, and be available to attend RFU, CB or Club Disciplinary hearings when required
To have contact details for the local statutory agencies and liaise with them when necessary
To monitor, on an annual basis, 10% of the clubs with players and teams under 18 within the CB, and return audit forms to RFU Safeguarding team for analysis
To ensure the presence of a ‘Safeguarding Young People’ page on the CB web pages
To be involved in a club’s Seal of Approval accreditation and to verify and confirm the information relating to Safeguarding issues provided to the RDO is accurate
To distribute literature, electronic communication and new developments concerning the Safeguarding of young people to the CB and clubs as appropriate

Reports To

CB Governance and or Executive Committee (and RFU Child Protection & Welfare Executive)

Key Relationships

CB Hon Secretary, CB RDP Chairperson, CB schools & youth committees (as appropriate), RFU Safeguarding team, Rugby Development Officer (s), RFU Regional Press Officer, Club Welfare Officers, Local Safeguarding Team/ Partnership and County Sport Partnership.