Kent FA achieve Silver Safe Quality Mark for Safeguarding
We are thrilled to announce that we have achieved the Silver Safe Quality Mark for safeguarding.
This pioneering standard, led by Safeguarding Fundamentals (SGF), is dedicated to ensuring the safety and well-being of children, creating safer environments for them to thrive.
Who are Safeguarding Fundamentals?
Safeguarding Fundamentals (SGF) provides organisations, clubs, and leagues with a framework to ensure their participants (and staff) are kept safe from harm. SGF are dedicated to enhancing the safety and well-being of children across various sectors. Founded by senior barrister Antonia Noble and former England international footballer Paul Stewart, the organisation offers the Safeguarding Fundamentals Quality Mark, a pioneering standard aimed at transforming child safety practices. This quality mark is relevant for any setting, business, school, charity, or individual working with children, including choirs, church groups, children's activities, scouts, brownies, sports clubs, and drama clubs. Paul Stewart's personal journey from a survivor of childhood abuse in football to an advocate imbues Safeguarding Fundamentals' mission with profound authenticity and first-hand experience. The Safeguarding Fundamentals Quality Mark is not just a certification; it is a commitment to great practice in safeguarding.
What are the Silver Safe Quality Mark requirements?
The Silver Safe Quality Mark consists of a number of requirements that need to be met to obtain this quality mark which include:
- Requirement 1 – you must have a safeguarding policy
- Requirement 2 - simple but effective safeguarding systems
- Requirement 3 - your organisation needs a named welfare officer
- Requirement 4 - code of conduct
- Requirement 5 - safe recruitment practices
- Requirement 6 - all staff and volunteers must be trained to an appropriate level
- Requirement 7 - reassure parents or another responsible adult
- Requirement 8 - listening to children and empowering them to express their views
The Silver Quality mark gives a benchmark which enables organisations to understand areas of safeguarding strength and weakness.
You can find out more about the mark on safeguardingfundamentals.com
Free SGF event next week
As we get ready to launch a new partnership with Safeguarding Fundamentals (SGF), join us on Tuesday, 11 February (7pm-8:30pm), where Safeguarding Fundamentals Director and former England International Paul Stewart will be joining us at Kent FA headquarters, sharing his personal experiences about the importance of the mark and learn how your club, league, and facility provider can get involved.
This innovative collaboration aims to spearhead safeguarding practices making the Kent a no-go area for child abuse or exploitation. Safeguarding Fundamentals will play a pivotal role in supporting the County FA’s efforts to enhance safeguarding standards within Kent clubs and leagues through education, support and a new safeguarding standards quality mark.