Statement of intent
We are committed to providing a caring, friendly and safe environment for all our members, so they can participate in football in a relaxed and secure atmosphere. Bullying of any kind is unacceptable at Brundall Bolts FSC. If bullying does occur, all Club members and parents/carers should be able to tell their Club about this and know that incidents will be dealt with promptly and effectively by the Club.
We are a restorative Club. This means that anyone who knows that bullying is happening is expected to inform a coach, Club Welfare Officer (CWO): Amy Gould or Daniel Smith, or any Committee member, so we can restore the behaviours.
We are committed to building kind and respectful relationships within our club, and restoring any relationships that have broken down.
What is bullying?
Bullying is the repetitive, intentional hurting of one person or group by another person or group, where the relationship involves an imbalance of power. It can happen face-to-face or through cyberspace, and comes in many different forms:
Verbal: Name calling, persistent teasing, mocking, taunting and threats.
Physical: Any form of physical violence, intimidating behaviour, theft or the intentional damage of possessions. This includes hitting, kicking and pushing.
Emotional: Excluding, tormenting, ridiculing, humiliation, setting people up and spreading rumours.
Cyberbullying: The misuse of digital technologies or communications to bully a person or a group, typically through messages or actions that are threatening and/or intended to cause offence, anxiety or humiliation. Examples of cyberbullying include:
- Abusive comments, rumours, gossip and threats made using digital communications and/ or technologies – this includes internet trolling.
- Sharing pictures, videos or personal information without the consent of the owner and with the intent to cause harm or humiliation.
- Hacking into someone’s email, phone or online profiles to extract and share personal information, or to send hurtful content while posing as that person.
- Creating dedicated websites that intend to harm, make fun of someone or spread malicious rumours.
- Pressurising someone to do something they do not want to such as sending a sexually explicit image.
We are committed to ensure our systems are being used appropriately and any online bullying will be dealt with swiftly and appropriately in line with the procedures detailed in this policy.
People can be targeted for any reason, but people who bully others often target ‘difference’ and bullying can be a form of wider discrimination. For example, bullying behaviour may be:
- Racist: Targeted at ethnicity, skin colour, and language, religious or cultural practices.
- Homophobic, biphobic and/or transphobic: Targeted at actual or perceived sexuality and/or gender.
- Sexual and/or sexist: Sexual and/or sexist behaviour that is intended to cause offence, humiliation or intimidation.
- Disablist: Targeted at an impairment or special educational need.
- Targeting any ‘difference’: Bullying behaviour can also be targeted at ‘looks’, weight and height, colour of hair, wearing glasses or braces, acne, psoriasis and eczema, scars, marks or conditions of the face or body, body odour, poverty, gifts and talents or family situation (e.g. divorce, bereavement, homelessness).
Everybody has the right to be treated with respect and no one deserves to be a victim of bullying. Individuals who are exhibiting bullying behaviours should be supported to understand the feelings behind them and the consequences of their actions.
We recognise our responsibility to respond promptly and effectively to issues of bullying.
If you are a player and feel bullied or unsafe or notice your teammate is being bullied:
1. Talk to someone about it
2. Telling an adult you trust or feel comfortable with is best such as one of the coaches, or your parents
3. Adults can work out a way to make things better
If you are a parent and worried that your child is subject to bullying behaviours at the club:
1. Inform the coach, Welfare officer or a member of the club committee
2. We will investigate the issue and devise a plan as appropriate
3. It may be something that can be resolved simply by a reconciliation with the support of the player’s coach(es).
However, in cases which cannot be resolved, or are of a serious nature we will escalate the incident further
PROCEDURE:
1. Potential bullying incidents can be reported to the player’s coach or Club Welfare Officer (CWO), Amy Gould (safeguarding@brundallfsc.co.uk) or a member of the Club Committee
2. Information gathering will be carried out to be clear about what is actually happening
3. Parents/carers may be informed and may be asked to come into a meeting to discuss the problem
4. We will devise a plan to restore the relationships so everyone feels safe, and respected; this may involve:
– support for the child who exhibits the negative behaviours to understand their actions and the impact it is having. We aim to turn the unkind/negative behaviours into kind/positive behaviours
– the child who has been subjected to the behaviours will also be thoroughly supported
5. However, if this process fails, we may need to refer the case to the Club committee
6. In cases of serious bullying behaviours, the incidents will be referred to the Norfolk FA Designated Safeguarding Officer (DSO) for advice and possibly to The FA Case Management Team
7. If necessary and appropriate, the police will be consulted
Recommended Club action
If the Club decides it is appropriate for them to deal with the situation they should follow the procedure outlined below:
- Reconciliation by getting the parties together. It may be that a genuine apology solves the problem.
- If this fails/is not appropriate, a small panel (composed from the Chairperson, Club Welfare Officer (CWO), Secretary, Committee members) should speak with the parent/carer and child alleging bullying to get details of the allegation. Notes should be taken for clarity, which should be agreed by all as a true account.
- The same persons should speak with the alleged bully and parent/carer and put the incident raised to them to answer and give their view of the allegation. Notes should again be taken and agreed.
- If bullying has in their view taken place, the individual should be warned and put on notice of further action i.e. temporary or permanent suspension if the bullying continues. Consideration should be given as to whether a reconciliation meeting between parties is appropriate at this time.
- In some cases the parent/carer of the bully or bullied player can be asked to attend training sessions, if they are able to do so, and if appropriate. Members of the Club Committee should monitor the situation for a given period to ensure the bullying is not being repeated.
- All coaches involved with both individuals should be made aware of the concerns and outcome of the process i.e. the warning.
In the case of adults reported to be bullying anyone within the Club under 18:
- The Norfolk FA Designated Safeguarding Officer (DSO) must be informed and will advise on action to be taken where appropriate. This may include action by The FA Safeguarding Team
- It is anticipated that in most cases where the allegation is made regarding a team manager, official or coach, The FA’s Safeguarding Children Education Programme may be recommended
- More serious cases may be referred to the Police and/or Children’s Social Care
Prevention
- Brundall Bolts Football club prides itself on the development of kind, respectful and positive relationships which are free of any bullying behaviours
- The Club will have a written constitution, which includes what is acceptable and proper behaviour for all members, of which the Anti-Bullying Policy is one part
- All Club members and parents/carers will sign to accept the constitution upon joining the Club.
- The Club Welfare Officer (CWO) will raise awareness about bullying and why it matters, and if issues of bullying arise in the Club, will consider meeting with members to discuss the issue openly and constructively
- we encourage bystanders to report poor and unacceptable behaviours to the coaches, CWO or committee members
Approved by the Brundall Bolts Committee on 30/11/2022
Date for review: 30/11/2023
