9 Deireadh Fómhair Cill Chainnigh

© GAA GAA Child Welfare/Protection Guidance 3

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 Child Welfare and Protection Committee  Child Welfare & Protection Appeals Committee  Child Welfare Training Committee  National Children’s Office  Designated Persons Club/County  Children's Officer Club/County

GAA Child Welfare Training  Child Protection Awareness Course GAA/ISC  Designated Persons Training (GAA/ISC)  Children's Officer Training  Anti Bullying Training  Designated Person Training (GAA/ISC)

© GAA Our Objective We want our underage players to benefit from and participate in our Gaelic Games in a SAFE and ENJOYABLE environment where our Games are conducted in a spirit of FAIR PLAY 7

 National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Act 2012  Criminal Justice - Withholding of Information on Offences Against Children & Vulnerable Persons Act  Children First Bill  AccessNI – amendments  Our Games - Our Code

© GAA  GAA national approach and strategy  GAA Code of Best Practice in Youth Sport  Joint Code of Behaviour  Training strategy  National Children's Office & services  Appointment of Children's Officers - Club and County  Appointment of Designated Persons – Club and County

© GAA  Children's Officer and a Designated Person at club/county  National Committee structures and supports  - Code of Best Practice & Joint Code of Behaviour  - Guidelines for dealing with allegations of abuse  - Child Welfare & Protection Committee  - Child Welfare & Protection Appeals Committee  Rule 1:13 re codes, child welfare and Code of Behaviour  Establishment of a National Children's Office

© GAA  Appoint Children's Officers & a Designated Persons at both Club and County level  Establish the roles and provide supports  CO & DP will replace any existing roles or title  Annual seminars/conferences to update and up-skill appointed officers  Provide a realistic time frame to deliver all  National Children’s Office as a support initiative

© GAA  Previous guidelines & reporting procedures required reviewing to fully comply with national guidelines/legislation  Legal review and views of statutory and sports bodies received by GAA  Guidelines act as an directive to all units of the GAA at local, county and national level  Compliant with legal requirements and national guidelines

© GAA  GAA Guidelines are Mandatory  Designated Person appointed at Club and County level  Supported by national structures  Guidelines act as a directive

© GAA Guidelines that are mandatory outlining the following:  How we may respond to and record disclosures  Reporting allegations or concerns - To statutory authorities - Within the Association  Interim action within the GAA  Endorsed by Irish Sports Council, HSE, NSPCC and our own legal advice

© GAA Child Protection and Welfare The Designated Person What governs our actions ?  GAA Guidelines for Dealing with Allegations of Abuse  GAA Code of Best Practice (Ladies Football/Camogie)  Joint Code of Behaviour  Children First  Our Duty to Care  Legal and moral responsibilities

© GAA  What is required to be a Designated Person?  What makes a person suitable?  How should a Club and County choose their DP?  To whom are they answerable?

© GAA The Roles and Responsibilities of the DP The Roles and Responsibilities of the DP Club and County Designated Person  Roles…………  Responsibilities……………….

© GAA  Receive allegations or concerns  Responding to disclosures  Recording  Reporting  Not reporting ….  Follow up …..  Who needs to know?

© GAA Reporting Allegations of Child Abuse in the GAA Reporting Allegations of Child Abuse in the GAA National Designated person reports to GAA Child Welfare and Protection Committee. Following consideration outcome communicated to alleged perpetrator, statutory Authorities, Club and County Designated Persons and others as appropriate Report to National Designated Person Report to statutory authorities and to National Designated Person Inform person against whom allegation has made and invoke debarment order If not reported to Statutory Authority record decision. Inform person who made allegation. Monitor situation Refer to Co Designated Person- Consult informally with statutory authorities and Provincial/National DP Reasonable grounds for concern established

© GAA  Who can invoke a debarment order?  What does it mean and how can it be issued?  What is reasonable grounds for concern?  How do we contact the HSE or the Gardaí?  What if a ‘case’ is not referred to the authorities?  Do we deal differently with staff and volunteers?  What happens if a case is not proven?  What happens when a debarment order is lifted?

© GAA  Insert text here Title of page to go here Go raibh míle maith agaibh