Gibraltar Football steps up to reinforce safeguarding children’s policies

The Gibraltar FA has set down new extensive safeguarding policies aimed at providing a safer environment for young players.
An extensive list of documents outlining policies across all levels, from players to coaching staff and even parents has been published bringing safeguarding children’s policies to the forefront.
In a statement issued this week the association said “The Gibraltar FA, in collaboration with the FA, has produced a series of documents to assist all our stakeholders in producing safeguarding policies, sending the clear message that safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility!
“This child safeguarding policy is a sign of our commitment to ensuring that football is both fun and safe for all children to participate in, irrespective of their age, ability or level of involvement. The policy is centred around five goals, or areas for action that will underpin our work to prevent any risk of harm to children in football and to appropriately respond.

THE FIVE GOALS ARE:
GOAL 1: Laying the foundations for safeguarding
GOAL 2: Ensuring organisational preparedness and prevention
GOAL 3: Raising awareness
GOAL 4: Working with others and reporting concerns
GOAL 5: Measuring success in safeguarding 

For a more in depth read, please visit our website: https://www.gibraltarfa.com/safeguarding “

Gibraltar FA Safeguarding officer Julian Valverde stated: “It has been a very busy summer for the association as we have revamped a lot of our working practices. Safeguarding has featured heavily, and we are pleased to announce our new safeguarding policy together with all the accompanying annexes to help our membership in this very important field”.

Gibraltar FA General Secretary Ivan Robba said: “ As a parent of young children myself, safeguarding has always been at the forefront of my thoughts when discussing youth football. In consultation with the GSLA, we have embarked on a new venture with UEFA, to provide our members an online platform to qualify in safeguarding. This by no means is the end of the instructional phase, as I am conscious of the benefits of face-to-face interaction. Therefore, we will continue providing personal development to our members by bringing out safeguarding guest speakers to carry out seminars on a biannual basis”.