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Childrens Officer Training
The welfare and the protection of young people is the concern of all adults at all times, irrespective of their role within the organisation. Each club and organisation must accept this as part of their responsibility and duty to care for young people.
The prevention and detection of child abuse depends on the collaborative effort of everyone concerned. In order to achieve this, the Irish Sports Council (ISC) in conjunction with the Sports Council of Northern Ireland delivers a 6-hour training module for leaders within sports clubs. Childrens Officer training is for those adults who are nominated as the Club’s Children Officer involved in the organisation of sport for young people.
Who should attend
Club leaders must undertake the Basic Awareness (3 hour) course prior to the Children’s Officer training. Any leader / coach may attend the Basic Awareness course but only those nominated by their club as the specific Children’s Officer should attend Children’ Officer training.
Recommendations from the Irish Sports Council is that every club involved with children and young people should appoint a Children’s Officer.
The Children’s Officer should be child centred in focus and should have as their primary aim the establishment of a child centred ethos within the club. They are the link between the children and the adults in the club and also take responsibility for monitoring and reporting to the Club Management Committee on how club policy etc. impacts on children and their Sports Leaders.
The Children’s Officer should have the following functions:
- To promote awareness of the Code of Ethics and Good Practice for Children’s Sport in Ireland within the club and particularly among the children and their parents/guardians. This could be achieved by the production of information leaflets, the establishment of children’s/age-group specific notice boards and by regular information meetings for the children and their parents/guardians.
- To influence policy and practice within the club in order to prioritise children’s needs.
- To provide an accessible resource to children through the creation of forums.
For details on upcoming Code of Ethics Awareness and Children’s Officer Training, see the Course/Events page of our website.