• It is not the responsibility of the Coach, Captain or Team Manager to transport, or arrange to transport, the children to and from the club or match.

• The Club will make available all planned fixtures or competitions at the beginning of the season to provide parents /carers with an opportunity to make appropriate arrangements.

• The Club will ensure permission from parents/carers is given for children to participate in all competitions and away fixtures/events.

• Parents/carers should arrive shortly before the time agreed for the event and it is their responsibility to ensure that a Coach or Club staff member is aware their child is present particularly if the parent /carer is not staying for the event.

• Parents/carers should arrive before the end of an event and are responsible for collecting their child and ensuring that the Coach or Club staff member is aware that they have collected their child.

• Parents/carers who knowingly are going to be late delivering or collecting their children must take reasonable steps to inform the Coach/Team Manager/Captain as soon as possible, so suitable arrangements can be made. In the case of no such communication the Coach or Team Manager will take reasonable steps to contact the parent/carer to make alternative arrangements.

• Parents/carers are advised that when arranging lifts for their children with third parties, it is their responsibility to check that appropriate and up to date insurances and licensing documentation is held by the owner/driver of the vehicle.

• Best practice is to avoid transporting a child alone, but the Club recognises that in some circumstances it is an essential part of a child’s participation in training and competition.
If all alternatives have been exhausted and an adult has to transport a child there are a number of safety measures that need to be in place to minimise the risk:

1. The driver like all Coaches/volunteers who have access to children should hold a current ECB vetting check (DBS)
2. Parents should be informed of the person who will be transporting their child, the reasons why and how long the journey will take.
3. A person other than the planned driver should talk to the child about transport arrangements to check they are comfortable about the plans.
4. The driver must ensure that they have insurance to carry others, particularly if they are in a paid position or claiming expenses.
5. The driver should attempt to have more than one child in the car.
6. When dropping children off after a match or training session Coaches / volunteers should alternate which child is dropped off last. Ideally two children would be left off at an agreed point i.e. one of their family homes.
7. The person who drops children home should be alternated; this would reduce the risk of any one individual from always being alone with the child.
8. The driver should have a point of contact and mobile phone should they break down.
9. Ensure that children are aware of their rights and they have someone to turn to or report any concerns they may have. If a culture of safety is created within the Club then the child is more likely to talk to another person if they are feeling uncomfortable about a situation.
10. Children should wear seatbelts at all times. The following is guidance on the new seat-belt law introduced in September 2006. For more information please visit www.roadsafetyni.gov.uk