Our policies

At Stour Wanderers FC, we follow The FA’s recommended Anti-Bullying Policy to make sure everyone feels safe, included, and respected.

Bullying is not tolerated — this includes physical, verbal, emotional, or online abuse.
Examples include name-calling, threats, exclusion, spreading rumours, unwanted contact, or discrimination.

What we do:

• Take all concerns seriously and act quickly

• Talk with everyone involved fairly and respectfully

• Try to resolve issues calmly

• Take stronger action if bullying continues

• In serious cases, involve The FA, police or social services

We prevent bullying by:

• Setting clear behaviour expectations

• Training coaches and welfare officers

• Keeping communication open with players and parents

Read our full Anti-Bullying Policy

At Stour Wanderers FC, every player is held to high standards of behaviour. This Player Code of Conduct follows FA guidance and sets out what we expect from you on and off the pitch.

You’ll find rules about:

• Respecting teammates, opponents, coaches, officials, and spectators

• Acting with integrity (no cheating, no abusive language)

• Behaving safely and responsibly

• Accepting decisions by referees, even if you disagree

• Setting a positive example on conduct, effort, and sportsmanship

Together, these principles help us make our club a fair, enjoyable, and respectful place for everyone.

Read our full Player Code of Conduct

At Stour Wanderers FC, our coaches and match officials play a vital role in making football fair, fun and safe. This Coaches & Officials Code of Conduct follows FA guidance and lays out the behaviour we expect from everyone in these roles.

It covers:

• Treating all players, parents, and fellow officials with respect

• Encouraging fair play, positive attitudes and good sportsmanship

• Being professional in decisions, communication, and conduct

• Upholding rules, integrity and the spirit of the game

• Acting as positive role models both on and off the field

Read our full Coaches and Officials Code of Conduct

At Stour Wanderers FC, we value the role of parents and supporters in creating a positive, encouraging atmosphere. This Parents & Spectators Code of Conduct uses FA guidelines to explain what behaviour we expect from everyone watching the games.

You’ll find expectations on:

• Supporting players, coaches, and match officials respectfully

• Avoiding criticism, insults, or abusive language

• Encouraging fair play and good sportsmanship

• Respecting decisions made by referees and club officials

• Acting responsibly and being a positive role model

Read our full Parents and Spectators Code of Conduct

At Stour Wanderers, volunteers are a big part of making things run smoothly. To keep everyone safe, especially children, we follow The FA’s Safer Recruitment rules.

How We Recruit Volunteers:

• We make sure we know who is applying. They apply in writing and tell us about their experience.

• We speak to them in person (a short chat or interview).

• We ask for references (people who can say they are safe and responsible).

• We make it clear that working with children is a position of trust.

Checks and Training:

• Volunteers must complete a Criminal Record Check (DBS) if they are working directly with children.

• They must complete the appropriate FA Safeguarding oniline training course.

• They must complete the FA First Aid online training course.

• Managers also need to complete their Level 1 Coaching Course (online).

Ongoing Support and Supervision:

• We make sure volunteers know who to go to if they have concerns – usually our Welfare Officer.

• We regularly check in with volunteers and make sure they are still suitable for their role.

At Stour Wanderers FC, we use The FA’s guidance on Respect & Equality to make sure all participants feel welcome, safe, and treated fairly.

• No discrimination or unfair treatment – we will NOT treat anyone less favourably because of age, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, religion, disability, or background.

• No harassment, bullying or abuse – whether it’s verbal, physical or otherwise — will be tolerated.

• Fairness and respect for all – we commit to giving everyone equal opportunities to take part.

• We act on complaints – any claims of discrimination will be investigated promptly, and sanctions applied when needed.

• Positive awareness & training – we aim to raise awareness, provide training, and continuously improve how we promote equality across the club.

Read our full Respect and Equality Policy

At Stour Wanderers FC, keeping everyone safe is really important to us – whether you’re a player, coach, parent, or visitor.

We follow clear Health & Safety rules to make sure our pitches, training sessions, and events are safe places for everyone.

Here’s what we do:

• Check for risks and fix problems quickly.

• Make sure first aid is always available.

• Train our coaches and volunteers to work safely.

• Have clear plans for emergencies.

• Ask everyone to behave responsibly and look out for each other.

Read our full Health and Safety Policy

We make sure our club is fully insured every season, as required by The FA.

What we’re covered for:

• Public Liability Insurance

This protects the club and everyone involved if someone is injured or property is damaged during a club activity.

• Personal accident insurance

All our players, coaches, and volunteers are covered if they get injured during matches, training, or other club events.

• What you need to know

Our insurance is renewed each season as part of our FA affiliation.

All teams are covered under the current policy.

We keep copies of the insurance documents and can share them if needed.

Reporting an injury or incident

If something happens at a match or training session.

Let your coach or the club’s welfare officer know straight away.

We want everyone at our club to have a safe, respectful, and enjoyable experience. If something’s not right, we want to hear about it and put it right.

What’s the difference between a complaint and a welfare concern?

Complaint – Something to do with how the club is run, behaviour at training or matches, or how someone has been treated (e.g. unfair selection, poor communication, or issues with a coach or volunteer).

Welfare concern – Something more serious that affects a person’s safety or wellbeing. This includes bullying, discrimination, abuse, or anything that could harm a child, young person, or adult.

If your concern is about someone’s safety or wellbeing, speak to the Club Welfare Officer straight away. Welfare concerns are treated seriously and confidentially.

How to make a complaint

Talk to the Team Manager or Coach

If it’s safe and appropriate, speak to the team manager or coach first. Many issues can be sorted quickly with a conversation.

Contact the Club Secretary or Chairperson

If you’re not happy after speaking to the coach – or you don’t feel comfortable doing so – contact the Club Secretary or Chairperson.

You can do this by email.

Review and response

The club will endevour to:

• Acknowledge your complaint within 7 days.
• Investigate fairly and confidentially.
• Aim to respond within 21 days.

If you’re still not satisfied, you may contact Suffolk FA for further support.

Just a reminder that our committee members, managers, and coaches all volunteer their time, so we appreciate your patience and flexibility with their availability.