The Association and its sister organisations recently launched (September 2015) online version of Our Games - Our Code, the joint Code of Best Practice in Youth Sport. This Code has been agreed between the GAA, the Ladies Gaelic Football Association, the Camogie Association, GAA Handball Ireland and the Rounders Council of Ireland.
The Code replaces all previous Codes and is a mandatory Code of Best Practice for all Gaelic Games Associations in our work with underage players. It is a comprehensive good practice guidance publication and we are anxious that as many players, coaches, parents and other Club personnel have immediate access to its contents.
The Code is also available in Disc format (not printed) form the National Children's Office. For more information or a disc, please contact the GAA National Children's Officer, Gearóid Ó Maoilmhichíl at 01-8363222 or nationalchildrensofficer@gaa.ie.
Download a copy of Our Games - Our Code, the joint Code of Best Practice in Youth Sport(updated as of September 2015).
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The Gaelic Athletic Association is committed to creating and maintaining the safest possible environment for all young people who wish to participate in our Gaelic Games and activities. We will take all practicable steps to protect them from discernable forms of abuse, from harm, discrimination or degrading treatment and shall respect their rights, wishes and feelings.
We do this by:
Recognising that all children have the right to be protected from harm.
Ensuring that all of our coaches and volunteers are carefully recruited and selected and that they accept responsibility for ensuring the well-being of children in their care.
Responding swiftly and appropriately to protect the welfare of children who participate in our games and related activities.
Providing parents and children with the opportunity to voice any concerns that they may have.
Appointing Children’s Officers in each of our Clubs and at County Board level.
Appointing a National Children’s Officer to oversee the implementation of good child protection and welfare practices within the Association.
Appointing a Designated Person in each Club and County who will liaise with the statutory authorities as appropriate.
Appointing a National Designated Person to assist in the processing of child protection and welfare matters.
Ensuring that all allegations of abuse of young people are confidentially dealt with in accordance the Association's Guidelines for Dealing with Allegations of Abuse (Fourth Edition 2009) and with statutory guidelines and relevant legislation.
Reviewing the effectiveness of our Child Protection procedures and policies on an ongoing basis.
Ensuring that members, coaches, team mentors, administrators, parents/guardians and spectators sign up to and adhere to our Code of Behaviour.
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20/12/2016 An information note from the GAA on Child Protection
In the last few weeks, reported incidents of abuse suffered by young people in sport in Britain remind us of the importance of constant vigilance in the implementation of our GAA child welfare and protection procedures, in accordance with legislative requirements.
The GAA has developed guidance and procedures for members and staff who may have grounds for concern about the possible abuse or neglect of children involved in our activities. In doing so we have published the GAA Guidelines for Dealing with Allegations of Abuse, a Code of Best Practice in Youth Sport and a Code of Behaviour (Underage) all of which directs us in our work. In addition to these policy documents each Club and County is required to appoint a Children’s Officer and a Designated Liaison Person (DLP) who can advise and oversee this work at local level.
Additional child safeguarding information and directives are available on http://www.gaa.ie/the-gaa/child-welfare-and-protection/. No member of the Association should delay in reporting their concerns about a child's safety and wellbeing.
Our procedures also require that if we are aware of or may have received reports that a member of the Association may have been in any way involved in inappropriate actions(s) against a child or fellow adult then such matters should also be reported to the appropriate DLP so that such concerns can take place. It is not unusual for any person to be unsure whether a concerns merits formal reporting or not know how to make a report. The DLP will advise on all such matters and will direct any member or staff person to the appropriate authority. In all such instances, we request that, in addition to the completion of a statutory form for reporting alleged abuse, the GAA internal reporting form is also completed as part of our own safeguarding procedures.
Reporting Child Welfare concerns or allegations of abuse in the Republic of Ireland Tusla – the Child and Family Agency, is the dedicated agency responsible for improving wellbeing and outcomes for children in the Republic of Ireland. The GAA has developed a policy of interagency cooperation with the Child and Family Agency and it is to them that we report our concerns about a child’s welfare.
Such reports may be made by individual members of the GAA or by our DLPs on their behalf or on behalf of the Association and all such reports are made on the Tusla Standard Report Form. If a child is perceived to be in danger and we cannot contact Tusla we pass on our concerns to an Garda Síochána. All such reports must also be made to the GAA on our internal reporting form
Should any member of the Association wish to speak to the Designated Liaison Person at national or provincial level they may contact:
Croke Park: Gearóid Ó Maoilmhichíl nationalchildrensoffice@gaa.ie Tel: 0035318658675
Child Welfare is a responsibility for us all and it is important that you bring the contents of this circular to the attention of your clubs.
Le dea mhéin,
Páraic Ó Dufaigh/Gearóid Ó Maoilmhichíl
Ard Stiúrthóir/Child Welfare Manager
