Player Protection

SYFA Tip
This section should be read in conjunction with the SYFA Player Protection Policy which can be downloaded from the SYFA website where all information on Player Protection is available.

The provision of football for both players and officials should be free from abuse regardless of race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national, ethnic or social origin, property, disability, birth or other status.

It is also incumbent on the Association to provide a fun and safe environment for all participating players and officials.  Safety must be provided from neglect, verbal and physical abuse, sexual and emotional abuse and bullying. By the implementation of good practice and this policy, we hope to provide a safe, caring environment for both players and officials to flourish.

The SYFA is fully committed to and recognises the importance of the volunteer sector without whom it would be impossible for football to function at grassroots level in Scotland.

Part V of the Police Act 1997 is aimed at helping employers and voluntary organisations assess the suitability of applicants for particular posts and to make safer recruitment decisions in relation to positions of trust by widening access to criminal record information. To this end, the Act provides for the issue of criminal conviction certificates, criminal record certificates, and enhanced criminal record certificates. In Scotland, Disclosure Scotland will issue these certificates. In practice, the certificates will be known as Basic, Standard and Enhanced Disclosures.

The Act also provides for a Code of Practice to be published by Ministers governing the use of all information issued in respect of Standard and Enhanced Disclosures. The Code requires all recipients of such Disclosure information to comply with the Code and to use that information properly and fairly. Where conviction or other information is revealed as part of the Disclosure process, that information must not be used to unfairly discriminate against individuals when considering them for positions.

Employers and others who make use of the Disclosure scheme are expected to have a written policy on the recruitment of such individuals. The Policy may be given to applicants for positions where a Disclosure is requested, and to ensure that any body or individual, at whose request applications for Standard and Enhanced Disclosures are countersigned, has such a written policy.

The Protection of Children (Scotland) Act 2003 aims to improve safeguards for children by preventing unsuitable people from working with them.

The Act provides for Scottish Ministers to keep the Disqualified from Working with Children List.

The Scottish Youth FA has a legal duty to make a referral to Scottish Ministers if an individual working with players harms a child or puts a child at risk of harm AND is dismissed or moved away from access to children as a consequence.  In addition, a person working with players who harms a child or puts a child at risk of harm AND would have been dismissed if they had not resigned, retired, been made redundant or left at the end of a temporary contract, must also be referred to Scottish Ministers. The Scottish Youth FA will have committed an offence if it fails to make referrals to the list where the criterion for making referrals has been met. The List will include those convicted of an offence against a child, when the court considers them to be unsuitable to work with children.

Those who have been fully listed by the Scottish Ministers will commit a criminal offence if they apply to or work with children. It will be an offence for an organisation to knowingly employ a person to work with children if that person has been fully listed by the Scottish Ministers. The fact that someone is on the List, either fully listed or provisionally listed, will be released as part of a Disclosure Application available from Disclosure Scotland.

The List helps to strengthen the safeguards already in place to protect children.

To view this complete document, Please click on the following link:   Player Protection 

SYFA Tip
This section should be read in conjunction with the SYFA Player Protection Policy which can be downloaded from the SYFA website where all information on Player Protection is available.