HEADINGTON YOUTH FC
COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE AND POLICY
In the event that any member or parent of a member feels that they have suffered discrimination, victimisation or harassment, or that the Headington Youth FC’s policies, rules or codes of conduct have been broken should follow the procedures set out below.
In the first instance, we would hope that any issues could be dealt with informally with the matter being raised in the first instance with the member’s coach by the member parent/complainant at an appropriate time (ie not at or during a match or in front of the players). Should the matter not be resolved informally, not be appropriate for informal discussion (in particular should it involve an issue of child welfare), then the matter should be reported to the Club Welfare Officer.
1. They should report the matter in the first instance to the Club Welfare Officer (CWO), an Assistant Welfare Officer or another HYFC Club Officer (email welfare.complaintshyfc@gmail.com).
2. Their written report should include:
i. Details of what, when, and where the occurrence took place. ii. Any witness statement and names. iii. Names of any others who have been treated in a similar way. iv. Details of any former complaints made about the incident, date, when and to whom made. v. A preference for a solution to the incident.
3. The Club Committee (or designated Sub-Committee) will sit for any hearings that are requested.
4. The Club Committee (or designated Sub-Committee) will have the power to:
i. Warn as to future conduct; ii. Suspend from membership; iii. Remove from membership; any person found to have broken the Club’s Policies or Codes of Conduct.
· Once a complaint has been received, HYFC will acknowledge your complaint in writing within a reasonable time (given that all committee Members are volunteers, we aim to respond within 48 hours, but cannot guarantee this).
· HYFC will advise you of any further information required, or ask for the completion of the complaints form if not done already.
· HYFC will advise if information is required from a third party and, if appropriate, seek permission from you to obtain this from the third party.
· HYFC will indicate the next steps and timescales involved in resolving your complaint.
· HYFC assure you that all complaints are dealt with in confidence and information is only shared on a ‘need-to-know’ basis, eg for serious child safeguarding concerns, where the Club has a legal duty to disclose these concerns to the relevant statutory agencies. The HYFC will seek to act within 7-14 days to liaise with both parties in order to seek a swift resolution. In this process we will give the party at the receiving end of the complaint a fair opportunity to respond to the complaint. Once a resolution has been reached, then HYFC will summarise this in writing and share with both parties involved.
· HYFC strives to resolve all complaints within 4-6 weeks of receipt of the initial complaint in writing. Where this is not possible an update will be provided to the complainant as to the reasons for the longer timeframe.
· HYFC anticipate that most complaints can be dealt with effectively and fairly through this process of information resolution.
Escalation Procedure Outside of the Club
If the complainant feels that the issue has not been dealt with satisfactorily they can refer their complaint, within 14 days of the Club’s decision, with reasons for their continued dissatisfaction to the Oxfordshire FA:
The Oxfordshire Football Association Education
Safeguarding & Referee Support Manager Oxfordshire Football Association
Unit 4, Witan Park
Station Lane
Witney
Oxon
OX28 4FH
Email: safeguarding@OxfordshireFA.com
Escalation Procedure Outside of the Club
If the complainant is still unhappy with the decision, they can write to The FA, which is the governing body for the game in England and is primarily responsible for all regulatory aspects of the game:
Customer Relations
The Football Association
Wembley Stadium
PO Box 1966
London
SW1P 9EQ
Telephone: 0800 3890699 (Mon – Fri 9:00am – 5:00pm)
COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE AND POLICY
In the event that any member or parent of a member feels that they have suffered discrimination, victimisation or harassment, or that the Headington Youth FC’s policies, rules or codes of conduct have been broken should follow the procedures set out below.
In the first instance, we would hope that any issues could be dealt with informally with the matter being raised in the first instance with the member’s coach by the member parent/complainant at an appropriate time (ie not at or during a match or in front of the players). Should the matter not be resolved informally, not be appropriate for informal discussion (in particular should it involve an issue of child welfare), then the matter should be reported to the Club Welfare Officer.
1. They should report the matter in the first instance to the Club Welfare Officer (CWO), an Assistant Welfare Officer or another HYFC Club Officer (email welfare.complaintshyfc@gmail.com).
2. Their written report should include:
i. Details of what, when, and where the occurrence took place. ii. Any witness statement and names. iii. Names of any others who have been treated in a similar way. iv. Details of any former complaints made about the incident, date, when and to whom made. v. A preference for a solution to the incident.
3. The Club Committee (or designated Sub-Committee) will sit for any hearings that are requested.
4. The Club Committee (or designated Sub-Committee) will have the power to:
i. Warn as to future conduct; ii. Suspend from membership; iii. Remove from membership; any person found to have broken the Club’s Policies or Codes of Conduct.
· Once a complaint has been received, HYFC will acknowledge your complaint in writing within a reasonable time (given that all committee Members are volunteers, we aim to respond within 48 hours, but cannot guarantee this).
· HYFC will advise you of any further information required, or ask for the completion of the complaints form if not done already.
· HYFC will advise if information is required from a third party and, if appropriate, seek permission from you to obtain this from the third party.
· HYFC will indicate the next steps and timescales involved in resolving your complaint.
· HYFC assure you that all complaints are dealt with in confidence and information is only shared on a ‘need-to-know’ basis, eg for serious child safeguarding concerns, where the Club has a legal duty to disclose these concerns to the relevant statutory agencies. The HYFC will seek to act within 7-14 days to liaise with both parties in order to seek a swift resolution. In this process we will give the party at the receiving end of the complaint a fair opportunity to respond to the complaint. Once a resolution has been reached, then HYFC will summarise this in writing and share with both parties involved.
· HYFC strives to resolve all complaints within 4-6 weeks of receipt of the initial complaint in writing. Where this is not possible an update will be provided to the complainant as to the reasons for the longer timeframe.
· HYFC anticipate that most complaints can be dealt with effectively and fairly through this process of information resolution.
Escalation Procedure Outside of the Club
If the complainant feels that the issue has not been dealt with satisfactorily they can refer their complaint, within 14 days of the Club’s decision, with reasons for their continued dissatisfaction to the Oxfordshire FA:
The Oxfordshire Football Association Education
Safeguarding & Referee Support Manager Oxfordshire Football Association
Unit 4, Witan Park
Station Lane
Witney
Oxon
OX28 4FH
Email: safeguarding@OxfordshireFA.com
Escalation Procedure Outside of the Club
If the complainant is still unhappy with the decision, they can write to The FA, which is the governing body for the game in England and is primarily responsible for all regulatory aspects of the game:
Customer Relations
The Football Association
Wembley Stadium
PO Box 1966
London
SW1P 9EQ
Telephone: 0800 3890699 (Mon – Fri 9:00am – 5:00pm)