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click here for The RFU's Safeguarding Web Pages
click here for Hampshire RFU Safeguarding Web Pages
In line with Government policy, the RFU have
announced that Society Referees
no longer require a CRB Disclosure check with
immediate effect. Therefore HRURS will no longer be making disclosure
applications, as the RFU & CRB will reject them. Please note that those involved
with their Clubs in other supervisory roles may still need the CRB check, and
should discuss any RFU CRB renewal with their club.
All Society Referees are reminded that they
should take great care to avoid any compromising situations with players Under
18 years old. For example NEVER change with U18 players, do not enter any
communal shower areas without an adult club chaperone, and do not offer
transport lifts (however well intentioned) to U18 players.
RFU Announcement October 2011
Recent
Government review, carried out by Sunita Mason, into the CRB and vetting
processes in place throughout England recommended that CRB checks were scaled
back to common sense levels. As such, the CRB themselves have monitored and
assessed many of the roles declared on applications submitted.
The CRB have been working with several sports, including the RFU, on the role of
match officials/referees. As a result the CRB Policy Team have confirmed that
the role of a match official or referee does not meet the eligibility criteria
for enhanced CRB clearance. In order to be eligible for enhanced CRB
clearance the role itself must be a Regulated Activity. The definition of
Regulated Activity is as follows –
“Any activity which involves contact with children or vulnerable adults and is
of a specified nature (e.g. teaching, training, care, supervision, advice,
treatment or transport) frequently, intensively and/or overnight.”
To meet the threshold for “frequent” or “intensive” the individual must carry
out the role at least once a week or more, or four times in a month or more.
CRB checks are not required for adults who are simply “around” children in a
club environment – only for those who hold a role that meets the Regulated
Activity threshold set out above.
The role carried out by a Society Referee would be to ensure that the laws of
rugby are adhered to. The supervision of players and vulnerable persons would be
the responsibility of the respective team coaches/managers. This would mean
that even if a referee or match official meets the frequency test, he or she
would not meet the eligibility test as they would not be deemed to be in a
"supervisory" role for these purposes. If the individual is a Club Referee, they
may also hold another role within the club e.g. coach, assistant coach etc. If
this is the case they can be CRB checked so long as this role meets the
Regulated Activity definition. In this scenario the eligible position must be
used on the CRB application.
Should you have any concerns or issues regarding
Child Welfare or Safeguarding please contact Paul Burton (Chairman) or Mike
Priestley (Society Safeguarding Officer), or the Club's Safeguarding Officer
where you are refereeing on the day, if it is am immediate issue.
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