Volunteer role

Welfare & Safeguarding Officer

The person anyone can go to — player, parent or volunteer — if they are worried about a child or an adult at risk.

← All volunteer roles

Role purpose

The Welfare & Safeguarding Officer helps ensure that children, young people and adults at risk are safe, supported and able to enjoy their rugby in a positive environment. The role has been developed in line with Rugby Football League safeguarding guidance and requirements.

The RFL identifies the Club Welfare Officer as the person with primary responsibility for managing and reporting safeguarding concerns, and for putting procedures in place to safeguard children. Safeguarding, however, remains everyone’s responsibility across the club.

Key responsibilities

  • Act as the first point of contact for safeguarding and welfare concerns within the club.
  • Ensure concerns are taken seriously, recorded appropriately and reported through the correct process.
  • Follow the RFL Safeguarding Policy and relevant club safeguarding procedures.
  • Liaise with the RFL Safeguarding Team, league welfare officers and external agencies where required.
  • Provide advice and support to coaches, team managers, volunteers, players and parents or carers.
  • Promote good safeguarding practice throughout the club.
  • Ensure volunteers who require DBS checks have the appropriate checks in place.
  • Support the club in ensuring relevant volunteers complete required safeguarding training.
  • Promote the RFL Codes of Conduct and safeguarding standards.
  • Help ensure parents and carers know how to raise a safeguarding concern.
  • Maintain appropriate confidentiality and safeguarding records.
  • Promote an environment where children and young people feel safe to speak up.
  • Support the club in responding to bullying, poor practice, discrimination or welfare concerns.
  • Ensure safeguarding is considered across training, matches, festivals, tours, events and other club activities.
  • Work with the club committee and leadership team to continually improve safeguarding standards.

The RFL specifically states that a Welfare Officer should not investigate, or make decisions about, allegations of abuse themselves. The responsibility is to follow the RFL reporting procedures and refer concerns to the appropriate safeguarding professionals or agencies.

Qualifications & requirements

  • Hold a current Enhanced DBS through the RFL.
  • Be registered with the RFL.
  • Complete the RFL Safeguarding & Protecting Children (SPC) course.
  • Complete Time to Listen (TTL) training through the current RFL-approved route.
  • Keep required safeguarding training up to date.
  • Know how and when to report a safeguarding concern.

The RFL currently states that the SPC qualification is renewable every three years, and that Welfare Officers should complete Time to Listen training.

Working with our rugby sections

The Welfare & Safeguarding Officer works across our Junior, Pantheresses and other rugby sections, supporting coaches, team managers, first aiders, touchline managers and other volunteers.

The role needs to be visible and accessible, so that players, parents, carers and volunteers know who they are and how to contact them.

Safeguarding is not one person’s job

The Welfare Officer is not responsible for safeguarding alone. Every coach, volunteer, parent, spectator and club official has a responsibility to help keep people safe. The Welfare Officer provides the knowledge, support, reporting route and oversight that lets the club meet those responsibilities.

If you see something, hear something or have a concern — speak up. No concern should be ignored or simply dealt with informally.

Fancy it?

You do not need to have it all worked out. Tell us you are interested and we will talk it through — including the training and the DBS.

I want to volunteer