Photographing & Filming of Children

It’s important to remember the majority of images taken are appropriate and taken in good faith.

If we take the following measures we can help to ensure the safety of children in football.

DO:

1. Share The FA’s guidance on taking images with everyone who becomes a club member (officials, parents/carers);
2. Ensure the club has written parental consent to use a player’s image in the public domain e.g. on the club website, Facebook page or in a newspaper article. This is essential in relation to point 3 below;
3. Ensure that any child in your club who is under care proceedings where there are legal restrictions, is protected by ensuring their image is not placed in the public domain. This can be done by using The FA’s Club Annual Membership Information and Consent Form. See Guidance Notes 8.2 for this form;
4. Ensure all those featured are appropriately dressed (a minimum of vest or shirt and shorts);
5. Aim to take pictures which represent the broad range of youngsters participating safely in football e.g. boys and girls, disabled people, ethnic minority communities;
6. Advise parents/carers and spectators that there can be negative consequences to sharing images linked to information about their own or other people’s children on social media (Facebook, Twitter) – and that care should be taken about ‘tagging’;
7. Establish procedures to respond to and manage any concerns, including clear reporting structures and a system to contact the Police when necessary.
DON’T:
1. Publish photographs with the full name(s) of the individual(s) featured unless you have written consent to do so and you have informed the parents/ carers as to how the image will be used;
2. Use player profiles with pictures and detailed personal information online;
3. Use an image for something other than that which it was initially agreed, e.g. published in local press when initially produced for a clubhouse commemorative picture;
4. Allow images to be recorded in changing rooms, showers or toilets – this includes the use of mobile phones that record images;
5. Include any advertising relating to alcohol or gambling in photographs of children.

REMEMBER

• It’s not an offence to take appropriate photographs in a public place even if asked not to do so;
• No-one has the right to decide who can and cannot take images on public land;
• If you have serious concerns about a possible child protection issue relating to the recording of images then call the Police. This action should only be taken where you believe that someone may be acting unlawfully or putting a child at risk;
• The land or facility owner can decide whether or not photography and or filming at football activities will be permitted when carried out on private land. However you need to make this known before allowing individuals access to the private property. If they do not comply then you may request they leave;
• Try not to use images that include individuals wearing jewellery (as wearing jewellery whilst playing is contrary to the Laws of the Game as well as being a health and safety issue);
• That swimming as a social activity for football clubs presents a higher risk for potential misuse than football, so images should: – Focus on the activity rather than a particular child; – Avoid showing the full face and body of a child – instead show children in the water, or from the waist or shoulders up; – Avoid images and camera angles that may be more prone to misinterpretation or misuse than others. If you are concerned about the inappropriate use of images please report this to your County FA Designated Safeguarding Officer or to The FA Safeguarding Team via Safeguarding@TheFA.com. Click here for a full list of key contacts at County FAs.