The safeguarding team at Clifton RFC are reviewing our policies and checking all our coaches and all those who come into contact with players younger than 18 for current DBS certificates.

DBS checks replaced CRBs (Criminal Records Bureau checks) and are used to look into a person's criminal record if they apply for certain jobs or voluntary positions, such as when working with children or fostering them.

The RFU DBS Policy has a few points worth highlighting:

Only those disclosures issued through the RFU will be accepted by the RFU
RFU processed DBS checks are free where the applicant is a volunteer
The disclosure must be applied for within 4 weeks of the individual being appointed to their role. During this period waiting for the completion of the DBS check an individual must be supervised by a DBS cleared individual
Your DBS disclosure number will not appear on GMS until approved by the RFU and as such you will not be shown as cleared to enable you to undertake your role in rugby

This Sunday, the Clifton Rugby safeguarding team are running a 'DBS clinic' from 9am.

Please prioritise this session and help the team by bringing your current DBS certificate with you.

You can take this opportunity to apply for or renew your DBS check too, you will need:

2 forms of photo ID (passport, driving licence etc)
Current utility bill (less than 3 months old)
Please ensure you name and address is the same on all documents

Again, I would like you to prioritise this session and treat this as urgent.

The Club will be holding several essential courses for those involved with the Mini & Junior sections:

Play It Safe
This course is for any volunteer or coach at a club who is working with or has responsibility for children and vulnerable adults within rugby.

By the end of the course participants will be able to –

Identify best practice and apply this within rugby
Know where to find support and guidance within the RFU
Identify signs and indicators of possible abuse and poor practice
State action to take if there is a concern or disclosure
Recognise their role in safeguarding and protecting children and vulnerable adults

The course lasts three hours and can be run in the evenings or at weekends at your club. It can be organised by the Constituent Body Safeguarding Manager, Club Safeguarding Officer or the Rugby Development Officer for your CB and costs £15 per delegate (this cost will be covered by Clifton RFC), which must be paid in full to the RFU before the course takes place. At the conclusion of the workshop, each delegate’s RFU record will be updated to show the accreditation.

In Touch
In Touch can be attended by any club officials, but is specifically targeted at Club Safeguarding Officers.

By the end of the workshop participants will be able to:

Define and explain the role and responsibility of an RFU Club Safeguarding Officer
Identify the roles of club members and officers to promote best safeguarding practice
Identify best practice when recruiting in the club
Apply the RFU Safeguarding Children Policy Guidance & Procedures and Safeguarding Toolkit
Manage concerns and disclosures
Provide an opportunity to share best safeguarding practice

The workshop is four hours long and can be run as a single workshop or as a pair of two-hour workshops in the evening or at the weekend.The workshop will be organised by the Constituent Body Safeguarding Manager or the Rugby Development Officer for your CB and is free to Club Safeguarding Officers. At the conclusion of the workshop, each delegate’s RFU record will be updated to show the accreditation.

The Club would like to have at least 1 safeguarding Officer for each age group. This would share the burden and make keeping records up to date etc much easier.

If you are interested, please contact the Club for more detail.

#CmonClifton @cliftonrugby

Wyn Tingley
Chairman
30 November 2016