Policies & Procedures

Every child and young person who plays for Grimsby United has the right to enjoy football in a safe environment, free from harm.

• All coaches, managers and committee members working with under-18s hold an in-date FA DBS check (renewed every three years).
• All youth team staff complete FA Safeguarding Children and FA Introduction to First Aid in Football, and refresh every three years.
• The club appoints a qualified Club Welfare Officer who completes the FA Welfare Officer workshop.
• Concerns are recorded and referred to the County FA Designated Safeguarding Officer, and to police or children's social care where a child may be at risk.
• No adult should be alone and unobserved with a child. One-to-one coaching happens in sight of others with parental consent.

If something doesn't feel right, report it. It is never your job to investigate.

• Step 1 — Make sure the child is safe. If there is immediate danger, call 999.
• Step 2 — Tell the Club Welfare Officer the same day (details below). Write down what you saw or were told, using the child's own words, with the date and time.
• Step 3 — The Welfare Officer refers to Lincolnshire FA Safeguarding, and to the NSPCC Helpline (0808 800 5000) or children's social care where needed.
• Step 4 — Information is shared only with those who need to know. The person raising the concern is kept informed of the outcome as far as confidentiality allows.

Bullying of any kind — physical, verbal, emotional, cyber or exclusion — is unacceptable at Grimsby United.

• Bullying reported to any coach is passed to the Club Welfare Officer and treated as a welfare concern.
• Both the person bullied and the person bullying are supported; sanctions can include warnings, suspension or removal from the club.
• Online bullying between teammates is treated exactly as seriously as face-to-face bullying.

Clear procedures for the two most common matchday welfare incidents.

• Missing child: search the immediate area, inform the Welfare Officer and the parent, and call police if the child is not found within 20 minutes.
• Late collection: two members of staff stay with the child, in an open area, until a parent or emergency contact arrives. Staff never take a child home alone.
• Repeated late collection is discussed with the family and recorded.

Sensible boundaries that protect children and adults alike.

• Adults do not change or shower at the same time as children.
• Mobile phones, cameras and smart watches with cameras are not used in changing areas.
• Mixed-gender teams have separate changing provision and supervision from adults of the appropriate gender.
• Away trips and tournaments require written parental consent, a named lead and appropriate adult-to-child ratios.

Signing on with the club means signing up to the Respect codes for players, spectators, coaches and match officials.

• Spectators stay behind the Respect line, on the opposite side to coaches and substitutes.
• Referees — including young referees — are supported, never abused. Dissent is a club matter as well as a league one.
• Coaches encourage, they do not shout instructions over the whole game.
• Breaches are dealt with by the committee: a quiet word, a written warning, a touchline ban, then removal from the club.

Grimsby United is committed to football for everyone, in line with The FA's Equality Policy and the Equality Act 2010.

• We will not tolerate discrimination on the grounds of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity.
• Discriminatory abuse at any Grimsby United activity is reported to the league and County FA and can result in immediate removal.
• We actively welcome disabled players, female players and players from every background, and we adapt sessions so nobody is left out.
• Cost is never a reason a child can't play — speak to the committee in confidence about subs support.

Racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, ableism and faith-based abuse have no place here.

• Report incidents to your coach, the Club Secretary or the Welfare Officer on the day where possible.
• Incidents are reported to Lincolnshire FA and, where appropriate, to Kick It Out.
• Witnesses and victims are supported through the process; retaliation against a reporter is itself a disciplinary matter.

A clean, family-friendly environment at all club activity.

• No alcohol on the touchline at junior or youth fixtures and training.
• No smoking or vaping within sight of children at any club activity.
• Coaches do not manage or coach under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Photos celebrate the club — but only with permission, and never in a way that puts a child at risk.

• Written parental consent is taken at registration for any photography or video of under-18s.
• Consent can be withdrawn at any time by emailing the club; images are removed as soon as we can.
• Children are never named alongside a photo with any personal detail beyond a first name.
• No photography or filming in changing rooms, toilets or medical areas.
• Anyone wishing to film a session must identify themselves to the coach first.

Adults and children communicate through open, parent-visible channels only.

• Coaches do not message under-18s privately; all communication goes to parents or an open team group that includes a parent.
• No coach should be personally connected on social media to a child they coach.
• Club channels are moderated. Abusive, discriminatory or defamatory comments are deleted and reported.
• Team results and content should never criticise individual children, opposition players or match officials.

We collect the minimum information we need to run the club safely.

• Registration data (name, date of birth, contacts, medical notes) is used only for team administration, safeguarding and FA/league registration.
• Data is stored securely, shared only with the league, County FA and The FA as required, and never sold.
• Records are kept for the period required by The FA and then securely destroyed.
• You can request a copy of your data, correction or deletion by emailing the club secretary.