1. Introduction

Since its establishment in 2019, the International Blind Football Foundation (hereinafter the “IBF Foundation”), as an international NGO, has been working to support visually impaired people around the world, with the mission of “brings together people, companies and organisations as well as their respective knowledge to create solutions for issues surrounding visual impairment.” The visually impaired people directly and indirectly supported by the IBF Foundation often suffer from social disadvantages in addition to physical and functional disabilities, and the IBF Foundation takes an approach to these physical, functional and social disadvantages. The IBF Foundation takes an approach to these physical disabilities, functional disabilities and social disadvantages. In order to ensure the safety of children and young people with visual impairments, who are the most vulnerable group of socially disadvantaged people, the IBF Foundation has established the Children and Youth Safeguarding Policy (hereinafter the “Policy”) to ensure that children and young people are not put at risk in its activities and in activities supported by the IBF Foundation.

2. Purpose

The purpose of this Policy is to protect people, particularly children, at risk adults and beneficiaries of assistance, from any harm that may be caused due to their coming into contact with the IBF Foundation. It is also to prevent children and young people in particular, who are the beneficiaries of assistance, from being subjected to any harmful behaviour through their contact with persons (beneficiaries) from the organisations supported by the IBF Foundation. This includes harmful acts arising from:

• the conduct of staff or personnel associated with the IBF Foundation, and
• the design and implementation of the IBF Foundation’s programmes and activities.

3. What is safeguarding?

Safeguarding means protecting peoples' health, wellbeing and human rights, and enabling them to live free from harm, abuse and neglect. In our sector, we understand it to mean protecting people, including children and at-risk adults, from harm that arises from coming into contact with our staff or programmes. Further definitions relating to safeguarding are provided in 12. Glossary of Terms below.

4. Scope

• All staff contracted by IBF Foundation,
• Associated personnel whilst engaged with work or visits related to the IBF Foundation, including but not limited to the following: consultants; volunteers; contractors; programme visitors including journalists,
  celebrities and politicians,

5. Policy Statement

The IBF Foundation believes that everyone we come into contact with, regardless of age, gender identity, disability, sexual orientation or ethnic origin has the right to be protected from all forms of harm, abuse, neglect and exploitation. The IBF Foundation will not tolerate abuse and exploitation by staff or associated personnel.
This Policy will address the following areas of safeguarding child safeguarding, adult safeguarding, and protection from sexual exploitation and abuse.
This Policy includes Protection against sexual exploitation and abuse (PSEA) for children and young people, although other separate guidance and procedures may be required.
The IBF Foundation commits to addressing safeguarding throughout its work, through the three pillars of prevention, reporting and response.

6. Responsibilities of the IBF Foundation

IBF Foundation will

• ensure all staff have access to, are familiar with, and know their responsibilities within this policy,
• design and undertake all its programmes and activities in a way that protects people from any risk of harm that may arise from their coming into contact with IBF Foundation. This includes the collection and disclosure of personal data in the programme,
• implement stringent safeguarding procedures when recruiting, managing and deploying staff and associated personnel,
• ensure staff receive training on safeguarding at a level commensurate with their role in the organization, and
• follow up on reports of safeguarding concerns promptly and according to due process.

7. Responsibilities of the IBF Foundation staff

The IBF Foundation staff (hereinafter the “Staff”) and associated personnel must not:

• engage in sexual activity with anyone under the age of 18,
• sexually abuse or exploit children,
• subject a child to physical, emotional or psychological abuse, or neglect, or
• engage in any commercially exploitative activities with children including child labour or trafficking.

In addition, the Staff and associated personnel have the following obligations:

• prevent safeguarding violations and create and maintain an environment of compliance with safeguarding guidelines, and
• to discuss and report any concerns or suspicions of safeguarding violations by the Staff or stakeholders to the relevant member of the Staff.

8. How to report a safeguarding concern

The Staff who have concerns, concerns or reports about safeguarding should consult or report them promptly to the safeguarding officer or a senior manager. If the Staff feel uncomfortable about consulting/notifying a Safeguarding Officer or a senior manager (e.g. they feel that the consultation/reporting will not be taken seriously or that the person may be involved in the matter), they may inform a manager or HR representative further up the ladder. The Staff member who consulted or reported the matter will be appropriately protected.
The IBF Foundation also receives complaints from external parties, including the general public, partner organisations and public authorities. For consultation and reporting of doubts, ：reporting_desk@ibffoundation. football

9. Response

The IBF Foundation will follow up safeguarding reports and concerns according to policy and procedure, and legal and statutory obligations (see 11. Procedures for reporting and response to safeguarding concerns procedures).
The IBF Foundation will apply appropriate disciplinary measures to the Staff found in breach of policy.
The IBF Foundation will offer support to survivors of harm caused by staff or associated personnel, regardless of whether a formal internal response is carried out (such as an internal investigation). Decisions regarding support will be led by the survivor.

10. Confidentiality

It is essential that confidentiality in maintained at all stages of the process when dealing with safeguarding concerns. Information relating to the concern and subsequent case management should be shared on a needto- know basis only, and should be kept secure at all times.

11. Procedures for reporting and response to safeguarding concerns procedures

Defined in the 'IBF Foundation Safeguarding Compliance Procedures'.