Bathgate Thistle Community Football Club

 

CHILDREN’S RIGHTS POLICY STATEMENT

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Bathgate Thistle Community Football Club is fully committed to embedding a rights-based approach in Scottish football. We recognise and work within the general principles of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) for the best interests of the child, non-discrimination, participation as well as survival and development.

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For the purposes of this policy a child is recognised as someone under the age of 18 years. This policy applies to all children regardless of age, gender, sexual orientation, disability, race, religion, socio-economic status or family circumstance.

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Bathgate Thistle Community Football Club will:

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· Respect the rights of children as paramount.

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· Provide opportunities for every child interested to play football to gain a positive experience.

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· Include and involve children in decision making, providing opportunities for children to be heard.

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· Promote and implement policies and procedures to safeguard the wellbeing of children and protect them from abuse, ensuring they know what to do and who they can speak to if they need help.

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· Promote and implement policies and guidelines to prevent and respond to bullying, ensuring they know what to do and who they can speak to if they need help.

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· Require members of staff and officials to adopt and abide by this policy.

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· Train, support and supervise its members  and officials to adopt best practice in embedding children’s rights in Scottish football and promoting, protecting and respecting these rights to children.

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· Respond to any concerns raised where a child’s rights are being denied in Scottish football.

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· Regularly monitor and evaluate the implementation of this policy, these procedures and associated safeguards in developing our child-rights based approach and include children’s views in this process.

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Review

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This policy and associated policies, procedures and safeguards will be regularly reviewed and will include children’s participation and feedback on the content and actual experience of implementation as part of the review:

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· In accordance with changes in legislation and guidance on children’s rights or following any changes within the Scottish Youth FA.

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· Following any issue or concern raised about children’s rights being denied within the Scottish Youth FA.

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· In all other circumstances, at least every three years.

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Bathgate Thistle Community Football Club

Executive Committee