Safeguarding & Welfare

The safety and welfare of our players is our highest priority at Saddleworth FC. We adhere to The FA's safeguarding policies to ensure every child enjoys football in a safe and supportive environment. Our Safeguarding Policy protects players from abuse, harm, or neglect. All adults involved with our club must be aware of and comply with our safeguarding practices, including coaches, volunteers, parents, and spectators.

Key principles of our Safeguarding Policy include:

Child-Centred Approach: Prioritising the needs and welfare of children in all decisions.
Zero Tolerance: No tolerance for abuse or exploitation. All concerns are taken seriously and acted upon promptly.
Training and Awareness: Regular safeguarding training for all coaches, staff, and volunteers.
Safe Recruitment: Stringent recruitment procedures, including DBS checks, for all individuals working with children.
Code of Conduct: A comprehensive Code of Conduct promoting respect, integrity, and accountability.
Open Communication: Encouraging children to speak up about concerns and maintaining clear communication channels for parents and guardians.

If you have any concerns regarding a player's safety or welfare, please contact our Welfare Officer or Greater Manchester FA Safeguarding. Your cooperation is vital in maintaining a safe environment for our players.

Prioritising Club Welfare

Behaviour & Discipline

EMJFL Traffic Light System

At the East Manchester Junior Football league (EMJFL) AGM in July, a new traffic light system was introduced for coaches, parents and other supporters.

Sadly, discipline issues are on the rise, and whilst the referee can handle incidents with players on the pitch, the league is seeing more issues of it.

Therefore the traffic light system will work as follows:

Every club starts the season on "green"
The red/amber/green rating is for each club as a whole, not one individual team
If there is an incident that a person of authority reports to the league, the club is now in "amber"
If there are two or more incidents reported to the league, the club is now in "red" and must attend a meeting with the league to explain the situation
The ultimate punishment is that the club or an individual team may be removed from the league

EMJFL feel that they have to make a stand, and are putting the emphasis on the clubs to try to avoid disciplinary matters. Whilst we have not seen any such issue with our teams for many years, and appreciate the respect you all show, we are obliged to follow
this system. Therefore we will treat each team with the same traffic light rating.

The AGM also covered new rules for 2024/25, such as a change to the sin bin rule where a sin bin plus a yellow card equal a red, and clarity on the kick-in law for younger age groups. These alterations will be explained to each of our coaches.

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact our Chairperson or our Welfare Officer.