KICKPHOTO
Official Photographers of the England Rugby Football Schools Union

Child Welfare and our guarantee to you

All our photographers are cleared and certified by the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) as appropriate persons  to be working with children. Please do check that other photographers also hold and show CRB certificates.

 We wholeheartedly endorse and support this guidance policy issued by the RFU
THE WELFARE OF YOUNG PEOPLE IN RUGBY UNION
“The welfare of all children and young people is paramount” 

Appendix 9 of this policy deals with Photographic Images and this excerpt follows.

The full policy is available from:
The Rugby Football Union Equity, Welfare & Medical Manager
Mr Steve Farr stevefarr@rfu.com or ourselves at KICKPHOTO (info@kickphoto.co.uk)   

 A guidance policy issued by the RFU
THE WELFARE OF YOUNG PEOPLE IN RUGBY UNION
APPENDIX 9

PHOTOGRAPHIC IMAGES
(INCLUDING THOSE TAKEN BY MOBILE TELEPHONES) 

RFU/W Best Practice Guidelines 

The Rugby Football Union and the Rugby Football Union for Women recognises that publicity and pictures of young people enjoying rugby are essential to promote the sport and a healthy lifestyle. To facilitate this it is therefore essential that the following principles and rules should be observed. 

These Best Practice Guidelines have been developed to provide clubs schools and Constituent Bodies with advice and guidance on the use of images of young people.  It is recommended that this is adopted by clubs and Constituent Bodies and the Eight Golden Rules outlined in these guidelines below are made available to as many people as possible.  The whole policy is available at www.rfu.com 

Any change to these guidelines will be notified via the RFU/W website and in any relevant publications.  Please remember that the safety and enjoyment of young people is paramount in all your activities and the Best Practice Guidelines has been designed to help you in this. 

The RFU/W is committed to providing a safe and enjoyable environment for young people. Implicit in this is the commitment to ensure that all publications, resources and media represent participants appropriately and with due respect.  By adopting the points outlined in these guidelines you will be putting in place the best possible practice to protect young people wherever photographs or recorded images are taken and stored. 

The eight golden rules that will ensure compliance with the policy on photographic images are as follows.

1.       Ensure parents/guardian/young person have granted their consent for the taking and publication of photographic images and have signed and returned the Parent/Guardian and Young Person Permission Form. It is strongly recommended that the relevant form (See page 38) is incorporated into the annual club registration form and will therefore only need to be completed once a year 

2.       All young people must be appropriately dressed for the activity taking place. 

3.       Photography or recording should focus on the activity rather than a particular young person and personal details which might make a young person vulnerable, such as their exact address must never be revealed. 

4.       Where an individual has achieved success in the game (eg when selected for representative side or showing triumph over adversity) permission must be gained from parent/guardian and young person to use photographs/recordings and relevant details..

5.       Where possible, to reflect the RFU/W Equity Policy photographs/recordings should represent the diverse range of young people participating in rugby. 

6.        Anyone taking photographs or recording at any rugby event must have a valid reason for doing so and seek the permission of the organisers/persons in charge. 

7.        They should make themselves known to the event organisers/persons in charge and be able to identify themselves if requested during the course of the event.  

8.      All concerns regarding inappropriate or intrusive photography should be reported in confidence to the RFU Child Protection Manager via the Rugby Club or Constituent Body Welfare Manager.