Children First Act 2015

The Children First Act 2015 has now fully commenced and all clubs must display their Safeguarding Statement on their club noticeboard for all to see. Thank you to all clubs who have complied. If you have not yet done so, please download the Athletics Ireland Risk Assessment and Safeguarding Statement and sign and display the statement on your club notice board. Don’t forget to minute you have done this at your next club meeting. Please email kieronstout@athleticsireland.ie to confirm your club has done so.

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD YOUR RISK ASSESSMENT DOCUMENT

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD YOUR SAFEGUARDING STATEMENT

Athletics Ireland are delighted to provide you with supporting documentation and instructions on how your club can comply with the Children First Act 2015 by March 11th. This is a mandatory process that all organisations providing services to children must complete. The following are the four steps to compliance:

STEP ONE - REVIEW THE RISK ASSESSMENT DOCUMENT

The risk assessment has been pre-populated for you to review at your club meeting.
Each risk identified has been ranked and any supporting policies and guidance indicated.
You can include other risks of potential harm that are specific to your club.
After you review your Risk Assessment, minute it at your meeting and get your Chairperson and Children’s Officer to sign and date it.

STEP TWO - YOUR CHILD SAFEGUARDING STATEMENT

When step one is completed review your Child Safeguarding Statement and sign and date the document.

STEP THREE – DISPLAY YOUR CHILD SAFEGUARDING STATEMENT

As per Section 11 of the Children First Act 2015, you are required to display your Child Safeguarding Statement in a prominent place in your club (notice board, public area etc).
We suggest that you also distribute your signed Child Safeguarding Statement to all parents by mail/email/web or social media on an annual basis.
If you do not have a premises or website/social media page to display and distribute your Child Safeguarding Statement, you should display it at your events as a temporary sign or poster. 

STEP FOUR - CONFIRMATION OF COMPLIANCE TO ATHLETICS IRELAND

Please send a one line email to kieronstout@athleticsireland.ie to advise that steps 1 to 3 have been completed.

It is the responsibility of every club, county and regional board to comply with the Children First legislation by completing the above steps.