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Celebrating Football Through
Photographs and Video
TheFA.com/Footballsafe
'Let’s make football safe – not sorry' Recommended Guidelines.
There has been much talk about who is
allowed to take pictures of children (under 18s) playing
sport and in particular what parents/carers are
permitted to do.
The
Football Association
has assured parents, carers, coaches, spectators,
players and local media that they encourage the taking
of appropriate images of children in football -
It is important you read on...
At the end of the day we want our
children to be safe, and as sad as it is, some people
don't feel quite the same way as we do. The Football
Association has identified many potential risks when our
children are exposed to people they don't know and
photography.
As a result of these risks,
The Football
Association has developed this guidance to help
AVOID
the following:
• The inappropriate use, adaptation or copying of
images for use on child abuse websites on the internet
(often incorrectly referred to as pornography sites)
• The
identification of children when a photograph is
accompanied by significant personal information that
will assist a third party in identifying the child. This
can lead, and has led, to children being ‘groomed’
• The
identification and locating of children in inappropriate
circumstances which include:
(i) where a
child has been removed from his/her family for their own
safety;
(ii) where
restrictions on contact with one parent following a
parental separation exist e.g. in domestic violence
cases;
(iii) in
situations where a child may be a witness in criminal
proceedings; or
(iv) other
safeguarding children concerns.
It’s
important to remember the majority of images taken are
appropriate and taken in good faith. If we take the
following simple measures we can help to ensure the
safety of children in football.
Common sense considerations to ensure
everyone’s safety
Do:
1. share The FA’s guidance on taking images with all
parents, carers and members when they join the club
2. ensure the club has parental consent to use a
player’s image if it is to be used in the public domain
e.g. club website or newspaper article. This is
essential in relation to point 3 below
3. ensure
that any child in your club who is under care
proceedings, is protected by ensuring that their image
is not placed in the public domain. This can be done by
using a Consent Form, so that parents/carers can
identify whether this applies to children in their care
4. focus on
the activity rather than the individual
5. ensure all those featured are appropriately dressed
(a minimum of vest or shirt and shorts)
6. aim to take pictures which represent the broad range
of youngsters participating safely in football e.g. boys
and girls, disabled people, ethnic minority communities.
Don’t:
1. publish photographs with the full name(s) of the
individual(s) featured unless you have written consentto
do so and you have informed the parents as to how the
image will be used
2. use player profiles with pictures and detailed
personal information on websites
3. use an image for something other than that which it
was initially agreed, e.g. published in local press when
initially produced for a clubhouse commemorative picture
4. allow images to be recorded in changing rooms,
showers or toilets – this includes the use of mobile
phones that record images.
Filming as a coaching aid
The FA
advises that coaches using videoing as a legitimate
coaching aid should make parents/carers and players
aware that this will be part of the coaching programme.
Care should be taken when storing the videos.
Celebrating Football Through Photographs
and Video
If you are concerned about the inappropriate use of
images please report this to your
CFA Welfare Officer or to
The FA Case Manager (contact details provided below).
Remember
• It’s not an offence to take appropriate
photographs in a public place even if asked not to do so
• No one has the right to decide who can and cannot take
images on public land
• If you have serious concerns about a possible child
protection issue relating to the recording of images
then call the Police. This action should only be taken
where you believe that someone may be acting
unlawfully or putting a child at risk
• The land or
facility owner can decide whether or not photography and
or videoing at football activities
will be permitted when carried out on private land.
However you need to make this known before allowing
individuals access to the private property. If they do
not comply then you may request that they leave
• Try not to use images that include individuals wearing
jewellery (as wearing jewellery whilst playing is
contrary to the Laws of the Game as well as being a
health and safety issue).
Commissioning professional photographers
and the local media
If you are
commissioning professional photographers or inviting the
press to cover a football activity, ensure
you and they are clear about each other’s expectations.
The key is to plan ahead and communicate early on.
• Provide a clear brief about what is considered
appropriate in terms of content and behaviour
• Inform them of your club’s commitment to safeguarding
children and young people. Establish who will hold
the recorded images and what they intend to do with
them, e.g. place on a website for sale, distribute thumb
nails to the club to co-ordinate sales
• Issue the
professional photographer with identification, which
must be worn at all times
Inform participants and parents or carers prior to the
event that a professional photographer will be in
attendance and ensure you have established that no under
18s will be compromised due to safeguarding children
concerns if their image is taken – remember this can be
done by using a Consent Form at the start of the season.
The FA's PDF Downloadable/Printable version is here.
To report
potentially unlawful materials on the internet please
contact:
The Internet
Watch Foundation
Email: report@iwf.org.uk
Telephone: 01223 237700
Fax the hotline: 01223 235921
www.iwf.org.uk
The FA’s Case Management Team
Email: case.management@TheFA.com
Telephone: 0207 745 4787
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