9 Deireadh Fómhair
Cill Chainnigh
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© GAA
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Child Welfare and Protection Committee
Child Welfare & Protection Appeals Committee
Child Welfare Training Committee
National Children’s Office
Designated Persons Club/County
Children's Officer Club/County
GAA Child Welfare Training
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Child Protection Awareness Course GAA/ISC
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Designated Persons Training (GAA/ISC)
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Children's Officer Training
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Anti Bullying Training
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Designated Person Training (GAA/ISC)
We want our underage players to benefit
from and participate in our Gaelic
Games in a SAFE and ENJOYABLE
environment where our Games are
conducted in a spirit of
FAIR PLAY
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© GAA
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National Vetting Bureau (Children and
Vulnerable Persons) Act 2012
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Criminal Justice - Withholding of Information
on Offences Against Children & Vulnerable
Persons Act
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Children First Bill
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AccessNI – amendments
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Our Games - Our Code
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GAA national approach and strategy
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GAA Code of Best Practice in Youth Sport
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Joint Code of Behaviour
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Training strategy
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National Children's Office & services
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Appointment of Children's Officers - Club and County
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Appointment of Designated Persons – Club and County
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Children's Officer and a Designated Person at club/county
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National Committee structures and supports
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- Code of Best Practice & Joint Code of Behaviour
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- Guidelines for dealing with allegations of abuse
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- Child Welfare & Protection Committee
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- Child Welfare & Protection Appeals Committee
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Rule 1:13 re codes, child welfare and Code of Behaviour
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Establishment of a National Children's Office
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Appoint Children's Officers & a Designated Persons at both
Club and County level
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Establish the roles and provide supports
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CO & DP will replace any existing roles or title
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Annual seminars/conferences to update and up-skill
appointed officers
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Provide a realistic time frame to deliver all
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National Children’s Office as a support initiative
© GAA
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Previous guidelines & reporting procedures required
reviewing to fully comply with national guidelines/legislation
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Legal review and views of statutory and sports bodies
received by GAA
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Guidelines act as an directive to all units of the GAA at local,
county and national level
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Compliant with legal requirements and national guidelines
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 GAA Guidelines are Mandatory
 Designated Person appointed at
Club and County level
 Supported by national structures
 Guidelines act as a directive
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Guidelines that are mandatory outlining the following:
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How we may respond to and record disclosures
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Reporting allegations or concerns
- To statutory authorities
- Within the Association
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Interim action within the GAA
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Endorsed by Irish Sports Council, HSE, NSPCC and our
own legal advice
© GAA
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GAA Guidelines for Dealing with Allegations of Abuse
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GAA Code of Best Practice (Ladies Football/Camogie)
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Joint Code of Behaviour
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Children First
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Our Duty to Care
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Legal and moral responsibilities
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 What
is required to be a Designated Person?
 What
makes a person suitable?
 How
 To
should a Club and County choose their DP?
whom are they answerable?
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Club and County Designated Person
Roles…………
Responsibilities……………….
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 Receive
allegations or concerns
 Responding
to disclosures
 Recording
 Reporting
 Not
reporting ….
 Follow
 Who
up …..
needs to know?
© GAA
Allegation of child abuse received by
Club Designated Person
If not reported to
Statutory Authority record
decision. Inform person
who made allegation.
Monitor situation
Refer to Co Designated Person- Consult informally
with statutory authorities and Provincial/National DP
Reasonable grounds for
concern established
Report to statutory authorities and to
National Designated Person
Report to National
Designated Person
Inform person against whom allegation
has made and invoke debarment order
National Designated person reports to GAA Child Welfare and Protection Committee.
Following consideration outcome communicated to alleged perpetrator, statutory
Authorities, Club and County Designated Persons and others as appropriate
© GAA
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Who can invoke a debarment order?
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What does it mean and how can it be issued?
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What is reasonable grounds for concern?
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How do we contact the HSE or the Gardaí?
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What if a ‘case’ is not referred to the authorities?
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Do we deal differently with staff and volunteers?
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What happens if a case is not proven?
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What happens when a debarment order is lifted?
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