ABUSE: a form of maltreatment of a child or vulnerable adult. Somebody may abuse or neglect a child or vulnerable adult by inflicting harm or by failing to act to prevent harm. Children / vulnerable adults may be abused in a family or in an institutional or community setting by those known to them or, more rarely, by others. Abuse can take place wholly online, or technology may be used to facilitate offline abuse. Children / vulnerable adults may be abused by an adult or adults or by another child or children.

Forms of abuse:

• Physical Abuse
• Neglect
• Sexual Abuse
• Child Sexual Exploitation including grooming
• Emotional abuse
• Domestic Abuse
• Bullying and Cyber Bullying
• Child Trafficking including modern slavery
• Female Genital Mutilation
• Radicalisation and Terrorism

For further information and definitions of abuse see:

NSPCC definitions and Signs of Child Abuse

https://learning.nspcc.org.uk/media/1188/definitions-signs-child-abuse.pdf

All Club Welfare Officers and club members are advised to maintain an attitude of:

‘It could happen here’ where Safeguarding is concerned.

When concerned about the welfare of a child or vulnerable adult, all Club Welfare Officers and club members should always act in the best interests of the child or vulnerable adult.

When incidents/ concerns are reported it is vital that this is recorded on the form at Appendix C of this document. In safeguarding terms the mantra is always record verbatim with no opinions offered as to what may have occurred.

Confidentiality must be maintained at all times. In certain cases it may not be appropriate to report concerns to the parent or carer. Always seek advice from the Club Welfare Officer or contact the BMFA Welfare Officers