Ballinascarthy GAA Club is fully committed to creating and maintaining the safest possible environment for all young people who participate in our activities. We do our utmost to take all practicable steps to safeguard children from any discernible forms of abuse, harm, discrimination or degrading treatment and we respect their rights, wishes and feelings. Ballinascarthy has, as required under the GAA Our Games – Our Code Guidelines, a designated Children's Officer (details below) whose appointment is central to the Clubs policy on Child Welfare. 

Children's Officer: Gillian McCarthy ChildrensOfficer.ballinascarthy.cork@gaa.ie  

Concerns

If you are –

  • a Juvenile/underage member who is worried about your treatment within the Club
    OR
  • an adult member or parent who has concerns about the welfare of a child

you are urged to contact the Children's Officer. You can be assured you will be dealt with professionally and in the strictest confidence.

It is now GAA Policy that all coaches/managers & mentors involved with any team under the age of 18 years have three qualifications.

· GAA Child Protection in Sport Awareness Workshop (Safeguarding 1)

· At least Foundation Level 1 GAA Coaching Course

· GAA Garda Vetting


Please note:

The 3-year window, within which a person was permitted to renew their Child Safeguarding Training, by either attending another face-to-face workshop or undertaking the online safeguarding refresher has been temporarily extended to five years. This three to five-year extension is until the end of June 2021. This means that if a person, who successfully completed the face-to-face training after 2015, does the online refresher before the end of June this year, they will be covered for another 3 years. Otherwise, they may be required to undertake the original CS1 training course again. See link hereunder in respect of the online refresher course -

https://learning.gaa.ie/safeguardingrefresher


In addition 

the GAA has just published good practice guidance for online coaching of children -

https://www.gaa.ie/api/pdfs/image/upload/autgrbu6azdjl4tr0gbf.pdf


It is GAA policy that all active club members would have at least undergone the Safeguarding 1 training and the Garda Vetting.

The "GAA Code of Behaviour (Underage)" (see below together with other relevant information) complements the Irish Sports Council (ISC) Code of Ethics and "Our Games Our Code – Code of Best Practise when working with underage players".

The Code of Behaviour addresses the minimum appropriate levels of behaviour, practice and conduct required from our Young Players, Coaches, Supporters, Parents/Guardians, Referees and Clubs.

This code aims to ensure that young people and children who play our games receive the best possible care, attention and protection while participating in our Gaelic Games.

The club requests all underage coaches, parents/guardians and players to read the Code of Behaviour document.

For more information, please contact the Children's Officer.