Child Welfare and Safeguarding Webinar
Please find below information from the Child Welfare and Safeguarding Webinar recently presented by Child Welfare and Safeguarding Committee Croke Park.
Just a few updates before you read below
- Compliance with all Child Welfare and Safeguarding is a mandatory legal requirement. This means that all clubs must have a Children’s Officer by law and all adults who are involved with players under eighteen years of age must be in compliance with Child Welfare and Safeguarding regulations. This is the law of the land.
- Garda Vetting Policy has now changed to three years. All those previously vetted in 2016 to 2018 must now submit a new vetting application as well as all new mentors etc.
- The 3-year condition, within which a person was permitted to renew their Child Safeguarding Training, by either attending another face to face workshop or undertake the online safeguarding refresher has been temporarily extended to five years. This three to five-year extension is until the end of June 2021.
- Every Club Executive Committee must carry out a Child Safeguarding Risk Assessment and then publish a revised Child Safeguarding statement by 31 May 2021.
A template Risk Assessment document will be issued in April along with a Child Safeguarding Statement. The templates may be used to commence the process. A special webinar will also take place in April.
The Club Executive Committee must agree their Risk Assessment outcomes and Child Safeguarding Statement date/time to be recorded.
- The updated Garda Vetting List and Safeguarding 1 list is due very shortly from Croke Park. If you follow the Webinar you will note that the Ulster Counties had been completed by February 20th. Connacht is next to be sent out followed by the Munster Counties. I will send out the list to all clubs once I receive them.
- I cannot overstress the importance of having a good record of all matters relating to players under eighteen years of age in the matter of Child Welfare and Safeguarding. You will need it in the event of any engagement with outside statutory body on Child Welfare issues. Ensure that all matters are approved and minuted by the club adult executive committee. This includes the approval of everybody involved in whatever capacity with these players.
- These are very uncertain times for all of us. Many young people are finding it particularly difficult. I would urge all clubs to check in on these players and on other vulnerable teenagers in our communities and ensure that they know that support is available.
This is the link to the recording of the Webinar.
The slides to go with the Webinar may be found in the Child Safeguarding Information 4MB attached file. You will also find the 50 answers to the Q & A session at the webinar in the Child Safeguarding Information 225KB attached file.
Below are details on a Study called ADAPT being carried out by NUI Galway on the effects of Covid19 on the lives of our teenagers. More details are available on this study in the first part of the webinar – both in the oral presentation and in the slides.
Le gach dea ghuí,
Eoghan O’Connor, Cork GAA Children’s Officer
ADAPT STUDY: how Adolescents Deal with and Adjust to Pandemic restrictions
About the study:
A team of psychologists at NUI, Galway and Trinity College Dublin are keen to understand
how the COVID-19 pandemic and the various restrictions that are in place, are impacting on
the lives of teenagers and how they have impacted on the wellbeing of teenagers.
What is involved?
Teenagers are invited to take part in 3 short surveys over the next 12 months. You need to
either be in attendance at secondary school or between the ages of 12-18 years.
If you would like to take part, please discuss this with your parent/guardian. Your parent or
guardian needs to complete a consent form.
Where can I find the Parent/Guardian Consent form:
Information for parents/guardians is available here. This website also contains a link to the
parent consent form:
https://www.adaptresearchstudy.com/study-information/information-for-parents
How do I complete the survey?
Parents/guardians provide an email address for you, as part of their consent form. Then we
ask you to keep an eye on your email, as we will send you a link to our survey by email. You
will also need to fill out a form which tells us whether you want to take part or not.
For further information see our website: https://www.adaptresearchstudy.com/home
Information for teenagers can be found here: https://www.adaptresearchstudy.com/studyinformation/information-for-teenagers
Dr. Caroline Heary, from the National University of Ireland is the study lead if you wish to
contact her (caroline.heary@nuigalway).
