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Bernice Jones Moore (Man O War) is the Dublin Children's Officer. 

She may be contacted by email: childrensofficer.dublin@lgfa.ie 

Child Welfare and Protection/Cúram agus Cosaint Páistí

Code of Behaviour (Underage) https://ladiesgaelic.ie/lgfa-hub/clubs/child-welfare-protection/code-of-behaviour/

This Code has been agreed between the Ladies Gaelic Football Association, the GAA, the Camogie Association, GAA Handball Ireland and GAA Rounders.

The Code replaces all previous Codes and is a mandatory Code of Behaviour 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 LGFA National Children’s Officer, Paula Prunty at 01-8363156 or Paula.Prunty@lgfa.ie

The Ladies Gaelic Football 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 wellbeing 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 (nationaldlp@lgfa.ie) 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 with 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.

Guidance for Dealing with & Reporting Allegations or Concerns of Abuse

The newly published Guidance for Dealing with & Reporting Allegations and Concerns of Abuse, which applies to all of our Gaelic Games Associations, was launched at the GAA Annual congress and it is a much-welcomed publication. It is an All-Ireland document in that the guidance given applies equally to both the jurisdiction covered by Tusla and by the HSC Gateway teams.

The aim of this publication is to provide us all with a guidance document to deal with allegations or concerns of abuse as made known to us and to advise and direct us on how we may without any undue delay report such matters to the relevant statutory authorities.

The publication is now available online CLICK HERE

and it is a must read and a reference booklet for Designated Liaison Persons (DLP) and for Children’s Officers.

The Guidance is packed with very useful information including:

– the role of the DLP, such as the role of the DLP

– our statutory obligations in all jurisdictions

– our Policy & Practice in recording and reporting

– child safeguarding structures in independent, amalgamated or combined teams

– clear direction on how to specifically deal with allegations/concerns, how to impose a debarment and how to report without delay to the relevant statutory authority and to the Association’s

   National DLP

– contact details for both Tusla and Gateway Teams

The Guidance for Dealing with & Reporting Allegations and Concerns of Abuse should be downloaded and placed on every Club and County website for members and parents to read.