The role of the Club Welfare Officer (CWO) is to deal with poor practice cases within the club, give advice and guidance as well as being the lead on DBS’s within the club.

There are five ways to report a concern:

1. To the club’s designated Safeguarding Officer:
   Dale Wood
   07824 827259
   dawleywandererswelfare@gmail.com
   
2. To your County FA Designated Safeguarding Officer.
   Victoria Vespa
   07918764766 / 01743 362769 (Option 4)
   safeguarding@shropshirefa.com
   
3. By emailing The FA Case Management Safeguarding Team at Safeguarding@TheFA.com
   
4. If urgent and you cannot contact your club, league or County FA Designated Safeguarding Officer, you should call the NSPCC 24 hour helpline on 0808 800 5000
   
5. If it is an emergency because a child or children are at immediate risk, then call the Police.

Here you can download and view the club’s welfare and safeguarding policy.

Here you can download and view the club’s risk assessment policy.

Whistle-blowing can be used as an early warning system or when it’s recognised that appropriate actions have not been taken. This approach or policy is adopted in many different walks of life. It is about revealing and raising concerns over misconduct or malpractice within an organisation or within an independent structure associated with it.

Any adult or young person with concerns about a colleague can also use whistle-blowing by calling 0800 169 1863 and asking for The FA’s safeguarding team, or via email at safeguarding@TheFA.com.

https://www.thefa.com/football-rules-governance/safeguarding/policy-downloads
https://www.thefa.com/football-rules-governance/safeguarding/section-2-reporting-concerns

Alternatively, you can go direct the Police or Children’s Social Care and report your concerns there, or to the Child Protection in Sport Unit via cpsu@nspcc.org.uk or the NSPCC Helpline via 0808 800 5000 or by emailing help@nspcc.org.uk

Childline is a free and confidential service where you can be you. It exists to help anyone under 19 in the UK with any issue they’re going through. Whether it’s something big or small, their trained counsellors are there to support.

Childline is free, confidential and available any time, day or night. You can talk to Childline on the phone, by email or through 1-2-1 counsellor chat. Whatever feels best for you.

• Childline can help with anything – from abuse and bullying to exam stress and relationships;
• Call Childline on 0800 1111 or go to the childline.org.uk for advice and support.

The National Crime Agency’s CEOP Education team (NCA-CEOP) aims to protect children and young people from the threat of online child sexual abuse.

They do this through the CEOP Education programme which provides training, resources and information for young people, their families and professionals who work with them. Visit www.thinkuknow.co.uk

The CEOP Education programme aims to:

• Increase professional’s knowledge of online child sexual abuse and how to respond to it – through education and safeguarding.
• Increase children’s knowledge, skills and resilience, making them safer online and ensuring they know how to seek help when they need it.
• Give parents and carers the knowledge and skills to help their children be safer online and know how to seek help when they need it. 

How to report to CEOP

Simply go to the CEOP Safety Centre then click on the yellow button. You’ll be asked a number of questions such as what happened, who did it happen to, what do you know about the suspected offender, as well as your name and contact details.

Don’t worry if you don’t know all the details about what happened, just fill in the form as fully as you can. Once you’ve made your report, it will be reviewed by a Child Protection Advisor.

The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) is the leading charity fighting to end child abuse in the UK and Channel Islands.

Alongside The FA’s own procedures for responding to, and reporting concerns about a child, the FA promotes the use of the NSPCC Helpline: 0808 800 5000. 

The NSPCC Helpline is staffed by trained professionals who can provide expert advice and support. They’re here if you’re concerned about a child, if you’re a parent or carer looking for advice, or if you’re a professional in need of information and guidance.

The NSPCC also operates a football-specific helpline:
The FA Sexual Abuse in Football Helpline: Tel: 0800 023 2642 (Monday to Friday: 8am-8pm; weekends: 9am-6pm). 

Adults can contact by phone or online or by emailing help@nspcc.org.uk to get advice or share their concerns about a child, anonymously if they wish. You can email anytime, but please note emails are triaged Monday to Friday: 7:30am- 9pm and at weekends: 7:30am-6pm.

If you think a child is at immediate risk of harm, please call the police on 999.

Find more information on the FA’s website regarding areas such as Safeguarding framework, Reporting Concerns and courses. https://www.thefa.com/football-rules-governance/safeguarding

Find contact information for getting in touch with the Shropshire FA’s safeguarding officer. https://www.shropshirefa.com/about/safeguarding-and-welfare/safeguarding-at-shropshire-fa