YOU

Kids Zone

Information for under 18's involved in football

Information & Support

 

Hi, my name is Veronique Nani and I am the Designated Safeguarding Officer for Bedfordshire FA.

My contact details are:
Tel: 07960 500723
Email: Safeguarding@BedfordshireFA.com

My job is to help look after you when you are playing football, to make sure you are enjoying it and you aren’t worried about something that has happened in football to you or to somebody else.

If somebody says or does something you are worried about, you need to tell an adult you trust. You can tell your parent or carer, your coach or your club Welfare Officer. Or you can talk to your teacher or your doctor. They will all help you.

Every club has a Welfare Officer who is there to make sure everything is going well in your club. If you don’t know who this person is, you can ask your parent or carer or your coach or another adult.

But my job is to help you too, so you could call me on 07960 500723 if you can’t find anybody in the club. Or you or your parents/carers can email me Safeguarding@BedfordshireFA.com

 

If you are U18 please see below for help & advice.

One of the most important things in football is to have fun, always do your best and treat other people with respect. We have a Code Of Conduct which all players should sign at the start of the season. Here is a copy of it:

There’s also a Code of Conduct for managers, coaches, parents and referees. Everyone in football needs to sign a copy to agree that they will do everything they can to make football safe and enjoyable for all.

Bullying is never okay, no matter where it happens. Telling an adult you trust is the first step in getting it stopped.

Football can be really physical sometimes and you might get knocked around a bit during some tackles. It might not be bullying – it could just be a normal part of the game. But if people keep saying nasty things to you or keep targetting you to be hit or tackled, then this is bullying and it’s not okay. Telling an adult often helps.

Sometimes bullying is online with messages and comments on social media. This can be scary if someone is targeting you and saying things to try and upset you and you should tell an adult you trust who can help it stop.

Childline has some really useful tips on their website, click here

You should be able to play and enjoy football, no matter what your race, age, gender, religion or sexuality is. Discrimination in football is never ok.

If somebody at a football match says something racist or sexist or homophobic to you, or you over hear something being said to somebody else then you need to let the referee know  or tell your coach straight away and they will report it to Beds FA so we can investigate.

You can also tell Sarah DaCosta Safeguarding@BedfordshireFA.com

If you see or hear any kind of discrimination in football (for example, homophobia or racism) then you can  also report what happened anonymously to Kick it Out

Child abuse is what happens when a person, or group of people, harm a child or young person under the age of 18. Often the adult - 'abuser' - knows the child well. Child abuse can happen anywhere.

There are five types of child abuse:

  • Neglect - is not being looked after properly, not being fed enough or having warm clothes or a place to sleep or needing medication when you are ill and not getting it.

  • Physical abuse - is being hit, shaken, thrown, poisoned, burned or being given harmful drugs or alcohol

  • Sexual abuse - is being touched in a way that feels wrong, being forced or encouraged to have sex or made to touch an adult sexually even if you don't understand what is happening or being shown sexual films or pictures

  • Emotional abuse - is being bullied or threatened, not being loved but made to feel stupid and worthless.

  • Bullying - is being hit or kicked, called names, being left out, being threatened, having things stolen, being made to give someone money, being shouted and laughed at or being made to feel stupid/different. It can happen via text or social networking sites like Snapchat, Facebook or Whatsapp.
Abuse is never ok. It's not your fault and there are people who can help.

If you are worried or being abused or have been in the past it's important to tell an adult you trust. This isn't easy but keeping quiet isn't the answer - you need someone to help. You might be worried about what might happen.

You could be worried about any of these things:

  • You may have been told to keep quiet, that no-one would believe you
  • You might have been threatened or they said they would hurt your family
  • You might have been told you would not be allowed to play football again
  • You might be worried because they are an important person in your club/football team and everyone looks up to them
  • You might be worried about what your mum and dad will think
  • You might feel guilty that you didn't stop it happening
  • You might think it will just stop

Abuse is never ok. 

It's not your fault and there are people who can help.

Every youth club in Bedfordshire has a Club Welfare Officer (CWO) who has received special training and can help you. 

You should know them and how to contact them, if you don’t know who your CWO is, ask your coach or another adult.

If you want to speak to somebody at Bedfordshire FA, you can contact the Designated Safeguarding Officer Sarah DaCosta on 07960 500723 / Safeguarding@BedfordshireFA.com 

Sarah is here to help you.

If you take part in football you have the right to have fun and stay safe. Your coaches are there to help you learn safely and enjoy football. This means respecting you as a person and as a player and:

  • Being a good role model - leading by example
  • Not speaking to you in a way that makes you feel uncomfortable
  • Not bullying you to make you do things
  • Treating you as an individual
  • Thinking about you and your team-mates and not just about winning or scoring goals
  • Making sure the pitch/playing area and equipment are safe for you to use
  • Having the right qualifications to coach

Making football fun!

Remember it's your right to enjoy your football - don't let anyone else spoil it. If you are worried about the way a coach, team manager, referee or anyone involved in football is behaving towards you, there are people you can talk to If your coach needs to have physical contact to correct a technique or your positioning, they need to explain this to you and check you are ok with this. If you are not comfortable with physical contact, you have the right to say no.

Tell an adult you trust as soon as possible. 

This could be your mum or dad or someone else in your family; an adult at your club; a teacher; your doctor or school nurse or school counsellor. 

Think of who you trust and speak to them now; remember it needs to be an adult. 

Or call the NSPCC helpline on 0808 800 5000. It’s free unless you use a mobile, available all day, every day and they have trained professionals who know what to do. 

If you have hearing difficulties you can use their textphone by calling 0800 056 0566. 

Your club has a Club Welfare Officer, they will also know what to do so find out who they are and speak to them.
 
There are also lots of websites that give advice you might want to email them for advice.


ChildLine

ChildLine offers lots of ways you can contact them:

You can send an e-mail
Get support on the message boards
Send your questions to ‘Ask Sam’
Or remember you can call them on 0800 1111

Kidscape
Visit Kidscape for advice on:

Who gets bullied?
What can I do?
Who can I tell?
What if...?

Thinkuknow
Visit thinkuknow if you would like to know more about:

chat rooms
mobiles
cyber bullying
gaming
will I get into trouble?
customising your profile
uploading films clips
IM
sharing files
‘sexting’
harassment
what can go wrong?
social networking

Then just visit thinkuknow they have a really cool site developed by children and young people that gives advice on all the types of things you want to know about. 

There are specific sections for 5-7, 8-10 and 11-16-year-olds. As well as advice you can watch films, play games visit the TUK cyber café or get involved with one of their polls. Don’t just take our word for it – go and take a look…