Fáilte Romhat – Welcome to Armagh Safeguarding site where you can access the resources and information you need to ensure that your club creates and maintains the safest possible environment in which our children and young people can participate in our Gaelic Games and Activities.
The Association and its sister organisations launched (April 2022) an online version of Code of Behaviour (Underage), the joint Code of Best Practice in Youth Sport. This Code has been agreed between the GAA, the Ladies Gaelic Football Association, the Camogie Association, GAA Handball Ireland and the Rounders Council of Ireland.
The Code of Behaviour replaces all previous Codes and is a mandatory Code of Best Practice for all Gaelic Games Associations in our work with underage players. It is a comprehensive good practice guidance publication and we are anxious that as many players, coaches, parents and other Club personnel have immediate access to its contents.
The Gaelic Athletic Association is committed to creating and maintaining the safest possible environment for all young people who wish to participate in our Gaelic Games and activities. We will take all practicable steps to protect them from discernible forms of abuse – from harm, discrimination or degrading treatment and shall respect their rights, wishes and feelings.
It is the responsibility of each club to ensure that they comply with all Safeguarding Regulations as set down by the GAA. Each club must appoint a Children’s Officer who will take the lead in overseeing that all regulation is followed.
Key requirements for each club include:
- Appoint a Children’s Officer and Designated Liaison Person.
- Each club must have a Safeguarding Statement and Risk Assessment. This is completed every two years and forwarded to Croke Park. It was last completed in June 2021 and will be due again in June 2023. See Section 1.
- Ensure that all policy and practice is in line with the Code of Behaviour. See Section 2.
- Appoint a Code of Behaviour Hearings Committee to deal with issues arising out of complaints made to the Children’s Officer – Section 3.
- Ensure all those who are working with young people are vetted. The process will soon be completed within the New Foireann System but for now please follow as per advice at Section 4.
- Ensure the Appropriate Safeguarding Training is completed by different personnel. See Section 5.
- Completion of Sport Ireland Safeguarding Audit. See Section 6.
- Ensure the Children’s Officer use the designated email childrensofficer@ – See Section 7.
For further details on any Safeguarding matters, contact the Ard Mhacha GAA Children’s Officer, Gary Farrell on childrensofficer.armagh@gaa.ie
Section 1: Safeguarding Statement
Our Safeguarding Statement can be downloaded here
Section 2: Code of Behaviour
The Association and its sister organisations recently launched the updated online version of Code of Behaviour (Underage). This Code has been agreed between the GAA, the Ladies Gaelic Football Association, the Camogie Association, GAA Handball and GAA Rounders.
The Code replaces all previous Codes and is a mandatory Code of Behaviour for all Gaelic Games Associations in our work with underage players. It is a comprehensive good practice guidance publication and we are anxious that as many players, coaches, parents and other Club personnel have immediate access to its contents.
Section 2 Child Safeguarding Risk Assessment & Child Safeguarding Statement
Section 3 Maintaining Good Practice & Behaviour
Section 4 Dealing with Alleged Breaches of the Code of Behaviour
Section 5 Recruitment & Selection of Coaches, Supervisors & other Volunteers
Section 7 Club & County Children’s Officer
Section 8 Club & County Designated Liaison Person
Section 9 Organising Club Activities for Underage Players
Section 11 Dealing with Allegations or Concerns of Abuse
Section 3: Code of Behaviour Hearings Committee
A Code of Behaviour Hearings Committee will deal with issues arising out of complaints made to the Children’s Officer. This should have at least three members and be reflective of all codes within the club. The Children’s Officer cannot be a member of this committee but should assist them in their roles and responsibilities.
Section 4: Access NI
In order to comply with legislation in the 6 Counties and the rules of the Association, all persons working with children or young people in a voluntary or paid capacity, must be vetted prior to commencing their role. Those who are involved in the management of individuals appointed to work with children or young people in your club must also be vetted.
Vetting is carried out by Access NI for individuals in clubs in Antrim, Armagh, Derry, Down, Fermanagh and Tyrone, where they return criminal history information on the applicant. This enables Ulster GAA to make more informed recruitment decisions in relation to the suitability of the applicant for the role. Ulster GAA process applications for vetting checks free of charge, for our Volunteers at a clubs request.
We remind all clubs that they should not permit anyone to work with their children or young people in the Club until they have been suitably Vetted and approved for their role. The simple process is as follows:
- Applicant fills out the Online Application Form
- Club Officers signs ID Document Copies and forwards same to Ulster GAA
- Ulster GAA approve the form and the ID and send to Access NI
- Access NI Process the form and issue the Disclosure Certificate directly to the applicant
- Ulster GAA write to the applicant to confirm their vetting acceptance
- If there is information on your Certificate, Ulster GAA will write out to you requesting sight of the certificate in hard copy in its original form, it is vital that you send this on as soon as possible.
- Ulster GAA risk assess all Enhanced Disclosure Certificates that contain information, where there are areas of concern, we will contact the applicant directly and meet with them to discuss before any decision with regard to their suitability for the position applied is made.
- Where required, Ulster GAA will meet with club officers to discuss any areas of concern.
Applicants have the right to appeal any decision made by Ulster GAA in relation to their suitability for the position applied.
Applicant instructions are outlined on the attached cover form with further information available in the Ulster GAA AccessNI E-Vetting Guidance Document. Nominated Officers should ask applicants to go to www.nidirect.gov.uk/apply-for-an-enhanced-check-through-a-registered-body to register and complete their vetting application. Once the applicant has been completed and submitted their application, please ask them to record their 10 digit case tracking reference number onto their cover form and attach copies of ID and return it to the nominated officer. This cover form must then be forwarded to Ulster GAA via the Club Nominated Officer.
The club nominated officer is someone nominated by the club to oversee this process including verifying all documentation. This could be the Children’s Officer or any other appropriate person.
Section 5: Safeguarding Training
All members of the GAA who work with children and young people in the association and who sit on GAA committees are required to complete the GAA Safeguarding children and young people in sport workshop. It is then recommended to complete a refresher course after 3 years.
This is an interactive, fully certified and accredited 3 hour workshop delivered by tutors who have been trained and approved by Sport NI or Sport Ireland and the Association as required.
Participants will leave the course with a wide range of knowledge and information to assist their club in creating and maintaining the safest possible environment in which our children and young people can participate in Gaelic games and activities. The course has the following learning outcomes for participants:
- Understand the background to safeguarding children and young people in sport.
- Identify best practice procedures to safeguard children and young people in sport.
- Understand the different categories of child abuse.
- Identify the signs of abuse.
- Act if abuse is suspected – Report to relevant person
This course is a mandatory requirement for anyone working with children or young people in the association and must be completed prior to commencement of their position in the club. It is an excellent resource that assists clubs and individuals in the vital area of safeguarding and will help to ensure that clubs have the appropriate safeguarding policies and procedures in place so that they are compliant with both legal and best practice requirements in this area.
Safeguarding 1 must be completed by all coaches and mentors involved with underage teams/players. To organise a course in your club please contact our Games Development Manager, Denis Holywood at denis.holywood.gm.armagh@gaa.ie
Safeguarding 2 and Safeguarding 3 must be completed by the Club Children’s Officer and the Club’s Designated Liaison Person respectively. To receive this training please contact the County Children’s Officer at childrensofficer.armagh@gaa.ie
Section 6: Sport Ireland Safeguarding Audit
The Sport Ireland Self-Assessment Safeguarding Audit is the first such audit from Sport Ireland and every sports organisation in Ireland is obliged to participate.
The timescale for completing the audit is anytime between 17th January and 28th February 2022. It’s important to note that the audit consists of 8 sections, each with a number of questions. Each club has, by now, received a list of personnel who are vetted and who have attended child safeguarding training, which will help in the completion of the audit.
GAA Clubs must recognise that completing the audit is a mandatory requirement and that non-completion could deem a club to be safeguarding non-compliant with obvious consequences thereafter.
Section 7 Designated Children’s Officer Email
Instructions for Email Setup for Children’s Officers:
- The secretary must submit the request and be logged in with their specific GAA club account otherwise it will not work.
- The club secretary clicks on the link to request the official GAA children’s officer email address. Please note that the secretary cannot pass on the link and must be using their official GAA secretary email address when opening the link.
- The club secretary’s clicks on the link and clicks on the submit button on the online form. Reset account here using this link https://crokepark-998234a8a26c81.sharepoint.com/sites/O365AccReq/FlowForma/Lists/Forms/NewForm.aspx?FlowId=12&IsDlg=1
- A few days later the club secretary should receive an email with the username (childrensofficer.club.armagh@gaa.ie) and temporary password.
- The club secretary can then pass this information onto their Club Children’s Officer who can log in to their official email address.
- If there are issues regarding password then the club secretary can email mail.support@gaa.ie to request a new temporary password.
Additional Links
Please see additional links to Ulster GAA Resources
- Tackling Bullying
https://ulster.gaa.ie/safeguarding/tackling-bullying/
- Useful Resources