Of Coaches & Paedophiles

[rowan]

Just didn't really care, more like it...

FA chairman Greg Clarke said football - and society as a whole - had a "total unawareness" of safeguarding children in the 1990s.

Speaking as police forces around the country investigate historical allegations from more than 20 former players said the sport and other institutions were "sleepwalking" rather than dealing with the problem.

Eight police forces are now looking into allegations of historical abuse in football.

There have been 250 reports made to police and more than 50 calls were made to an NSPCC hotline set up for sexual abuse victims in football in the initial hours of opening.

http://www.itv.com/news/story/2016-11-2 ... -in-1990s/

[onlynameleft]

Our club has suddenly decided that having 61 coaches who have never had a DBS is unacceptable because there is likely to be increased scrutiny of child coaching. As someone who has been crying out for us to sort out our safeguarding and insist everyone has a DBS for years I'm saddened that it has taken something like this for us to wake up but at least there's a positive that we might now do something.

Jesus, that's pretty bad. I suspect however that it's not unusual.

Really the RFU (and IRFU and others) should set up similar helpine but it's a very hard thing for a governing body to decide to invite that sortof attention but they should.

I suspect it's not unusual too. The system doesn't help though. I have 3 different enhanced DBS clearances because no governing body will accept a certificate from another. One of my fellow coaches has 6. For each one we have to go through a time consuming process of providing ID, having it verified in person and going through a checking process that in some cases we have to pay for either through the club or personally. I completely understand that having clearance might just mean you've never been caught but surely it can't be that hard to have a system where a single certificate is all that is required? All the checks are carried out to the same standard by the same organisation.

[Digby]

I haven't coached actively for a while, I think it might even have been CRB checks still when I stopped. But I've not encountered a club since around 2005 who wouldn't have someone doing CRB (now DBS) checks. So hopefully it's not too widespread that clubs aren't making even the most basic checks.

[onlynameleft]

I haven't coached actively for a while, I think it might even have been CRB checks still when I stopped. But I've not encountered a club since around 2005 who wouldn't have someone doing CRB (now DBS) checks. So hopefully it's not too widespread that clubs aren't making even the most basic checks.

We have a safeguarding officer and she collates the detail via the RFU and DBS but she relies on the co operation of the coaches which isn't always forthcoming, partly for the reason already explained. I very much doubt we are any worse than any other club at the same level, probably better than most. The difficulty has not been in communicating what is needed but in the lack of sanction for those who don't comply. I think as a club we need to look at preventing those who will not co operate from coaching but it's a very woolly system to be honest; the RFU governance and advice is a bloody minefield as to who needs one and who is recommended to have one. Our club policy is supposed to be that any coach or helper should have one but the 61 will include those who may turn up twice a season and never be alone with children.

[Digby]

I haven't coached actively for a while, I think it might even have been CRB checks still when I stopped. But I've not encountered a club since around 2005 who wouldn't have someone doing CRB (now DBS) checks. So hopefully it's not too widespread that clubs aren't making even the most basic checks.

We have a safeguarding officer and she collates the detail via the RFU and DBS but she relies on the co operation of the coaches which isn't always forthcoming, partly for the reason already explained. I very much doubt we are any worse than any other club at the same level, probably better than most. The difficulty has not been in communicating what is needed but in the lack of sanction for those who don't comply. I think as a club we need to look at preventing those who will not co operate from coaching but it's a very woolly system to be honest; the RFU governance and advice is a bloody minefield as to who needs one and who is recommended to have one. Our club policy is supposed to be that any coach or helper should have one but the 61 will include those who may turn up twice a season and never be alone with children.

It's not perfect as they'll be plenty you'd want flagged who'd never have gone onto the list, but the culture around this is changing. Those chasing on the admin side are getting less resistance is my experience, and those working with the kids are more expecting they need (and want) to get the clearance.

[rowan]

83 suspects and almost 100 clubs now under investigation in the UK: http://www.euronews.com/2016/12/09/doze ... se-inquiry

[Eugene Wrayburn]

My work currently takes me into the room where the football enquiry is being fielded. It's manic in there. They are going to need serious amounts of resource. It would be nice if the government could divert the money they (bizarrely) give to the FA and to increase the funds for the investigation.

[rowan]

My work currently takes me into the room where the football enquiry is being fielded. It's manic in there. They are going to need serious amounts of resource. It would be nice if the government could divert the money they (bizarrely) give to the FA and to increase the funds for the investigation.

I just wonder where this is all headed. Probably this is only the tip of the iceberg and paedophilia in sports could become one of the major issues of the next decade or so - until they clear it all up and implement the necessary measures to ensure its future prevention as much as possible. It's just a real shame it's taken so long to see the light of day.

[Eugene Wrayburn]

My work currently takes me into the room where the football enquiry is being fielded. It's manic in there. They are going to need serious amounts of resource. It would be nice if the government could divert the money they (bizarrely) give to the FA and to increase the funds for the investigation.

I just wonder where this is all headed. Probably this is only the tip of the iceberg and paedophilia in sports could become one of the major issues of the next decade or so - until they clear it all up and implement the necessary measures to ensure its future prevention as much as possible. It's just a real shame it's taken so long to see the light of day.

Things are much much better now than they ever have been. That doesn't mean that there will never be another assault - there certainly will- but the chances of preventing it are higher and the chances of catching those who do prey on kids are higher. Professional team sports have a particular problem as the scope for corruption is that much higher.

[Mellsblue]

I realize my avatar is wholly inappropriate for this thread.

No idea why, but sat at work today this post popped in to my head and I just sat at my desk giggling uncontrollably for a couple of minutes. Still my favourite ever post.

[kk67]

Our club has suddenly decided that having 61 coaches who have never had a DBS is unacceptable because there is likely to be increased scrutiny of child coaching. As someone who has been crying out for us to sort out our safeguarding and insist everyone has a DBS for years I'm saddened that it has taken something like this for us to wake up but at least there's a positive that we might now do something.

Jesus, that's pretty bad. I suspect however that it's not unusual.

Really the RFU (and IRFU and others) should set up similar helpine but it's a very hard thing for a governing body to decide to invite that sortof attention but they should.

I suspect it's not unusual too. The system doesn't help though. I have 3 different enhanced DBS clearances because no governing body will accept a certificate from another. One of my fellow coaches has 6. For each one we have to go through a time consuming process of providing ID, having it verified in person and going through a checking process that in some cases we have to pay for either through the club or personally. I completely understand that having clearance might just mean you've never been caught but surely it can't be that hard to have a system where a single certificate is all that is required? All the checks are carried out to the same standard by the same organisation.

You'd think one would be enough. How can there be 6 different agencies doing the same checks..?.
I've got a CRB from 2005 but despite 8 years of reffing age group, no one has ever asked me to provide it physically or electronically.

[onlynameleft]

Jesus, that's pretty bad. I suspect however that it's not unusual.

Really the RFU (and IRFU and others) should set up similar helpine but it's a very hard thing for a governing body to decide to invite that sortof attention but they should.

I suspect it's not unusual too. The system doesn't help though. I have 3 different enhanced DBS clearances because no governing body will accept a certificate from another. One of my fellow coaches has 6. For each one we have to go through a time consuming process of providing ID, having it verified in person and going through a checking process that in some cases we have to pay for either through the club or personally. I completely understand that having clearance might just mean you've never been caught but surely it can't be that hard to have a system where a single certificate is all that is required? All the checks are carried out to the same standard by the same organisation.

You'd think one would be enough. How can there be 6 different agencies doing the same checks..?.
I've got a CRB from 2005 but despite 8 years of reffing age group, no one has ever asked me to provide it physically or electronically.

There aren't though, there is only one Disclosure and Barring Service. That's where the madness lies. The problem is that all the governing bodies insist that only their own certificate will do for their sport when the checks are exactly the same. The change from CRB to DBS was supposed to address this but something seems to have gone wrong...although we are now up to date across the board and in future anyone without a current DBS (from the RFU) will be prevented from coaching or volunteering with the minis and juniors.

[Stones of granite]

I suspect it's not unusual too. The system doesn't help though. I have 3 different enhanced DBS clearances because no governing body will accept a certificate from another. One of my fellow coaches has 6. For each one we have to go through a time consuming process of providing ID, having it verified in person and going through a checking process that in some cases we have to pay for either through the club or personally. I completely understand that having clearance might just mean you've never been caught but surely it can't be that hard to have a system where a single certificate is all that is required? All the checks are carried out to the same standard by the same organisation.

You'd think one would be enough. How can there be 6 different agencies doing the same checks..?.
I've got a CRB from 2005 but despite 8 years of reffing age group, no one has ever asked me to provide it physically or electronically.

There aren't though, there is only one Disclosure and Barring Service. That's where the madness lies. The problem is that all the governing bodies insist that only their own certificate will do for their sport when the checks are exactly the same. The change from CRB to DBS was supposed to address this but something seems to have gone wrong...although we are now up to date across the board and in future anyone without a current DBS (from the RFU) will be prevented from coaching or volunteering with the minis and juniors.

It was modified in Scotland some years ago. Someone joining the PVG scheme run by Disclosure Scotland, only has to do the initial check once. Disclosure Scotland keep tabs on an ongoing basis, although how they do this is not entirely clear to me.
https://www.mygov.scot/pvg-scheme/the-pvg-scheme/

[rowan]

Wow, I remember this creep! Not sure I ever spoke to him personally, but I saw him in a few of those bars - a couple of which were involved in sponsoring the teams I played for in both rugby and local American football.

In 2012 Trevor Snowden - a prominent Wellington publican and rugby personality - was jailed for seven and a half years for historic sex offences against three teenage boys.

After he was locked up Dominion Post reporter Tim Donoghue spoke exclusively to his three victims who wanted to know why other high-profile Wellingtonians were able to turn a blind eye to his years of calculated abuse.

By then in their 40s the three men secured 17 historic sex charge convictions against Snowden - two of his victims, identified in the High Court at Wellington only as complainants A and B, were just 13 when Snowden began abusing them. The repeat offending continued until they were 18. The third man, complainant C, was 19.

They told the newspaper they were certain many had turned a blind eye to Snowden's "deviant activities".

"A lot of people in the hospitality trade, in the police force and in the rugby community knew he was dodgy back then. It was one of Wellington's worst-kept secrets. We were the ones left to pick up the pieces of our lives," complainant B said.

Complainant A was intimidated by Snowden's connections in Wellington business and sporting circles.

"He had many well-to-do friends, lawyers, high-ranking people in the police, All Black rugby players, wealthy people who thought he was the bee's knees. He befriended my parents but unbeknown to them he was sexually abusing their young boy who was too scared and intimidated to say anything.

Snowden, who was a well-known publican at such Wellington institutions as the Britannia, Clarendon, Southern Cross, Barretts, St George and Lord Nelson, then turned his attentions to complainant B in late 1981.

Complainant B said Snowden went on to sexually attack him at various locations around the capital over the next five years including the Southern Cross Hotel, and homes in Tinakori Rd, Thorndon and Messines Rd, Karori.

Snowden was released on parole in September last year after completing two-and-a-half years of his sentence.



http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/ca ... rs-of-News

[rowan]

This one hits pretty close to home, in fact. Quite a few people have been contacting me on Facebook to find out what I knew about the guy. But I never actually met him personally, which seems nothing short of a minor miracle, looking back on it now. I personally negotiated a sponsorship deal with the St George Hotel when he was manager but dealt exclusively with his assistant. Shocking, also, that he only served a couple of years for this. They ought to lock him up for life, by the sounds of it.