The RFU welcomes the taking of appropriate images of children in rugby clubs and has developed guidance for parents/carers and the children’s workforce, which is available in the Safeguarding Toolkit, to enable suitable photographs to be taken celebrating the core values of the sport.

There are risks associated with the use of photographic images. RFU Guidance on photographic images and professional photography is based on common sense. Clubs are advised to ensure that everyone is fully aware of, and complies with, the guidance. The key principle is that clubs should ensure they obtain parental consent for photographs to be taken while a child is either at the club or at away fixtures.

Sharing of Electronic Material/Media

Clubs and CBs should be made aware of the advice contained in the Cyber-Guidance, available in the Safeguarding Toolkit. Websites can be a positive way to communicate with children. However, there are risks associated with internet usage. Rugby clubs are legally responsible for their website content and there should be nothing included which could harm a child, directly or indirectly. It is important to note that it is not acceptable to share sexually explicit or inappropriate material via any form of media with children; such behaviour may constitute a criminal offence. The online environment is ever-changing; therefore, the guidance is reviewed as necessary.

Whilst the policy above refers to electronic material clubs may put on websites the use of Veo cameras in recent seasons has increased and the RFU policy has yet to catch up. We should interpret the essence of the policy regarding “Sharing electronic material/media…that could harm a child directly or indirectly” to therefore include sharable video content.

With that in mind the club has introduced the following policy.

Any Age Grade team wishing to use the Veo camera must ask permission from in advance. The will reinforce the points below.
If the Age Grade Team has any players who must not be photographed, then the Veo camera cannot be used.
An Age Grade Team representative e.g. Coach, Team Manager must seek permission in advance from the opposition team to record the game and if they refuse then the Veo camera cannot be used.
f opposition team attempts to record a game without contacting us and we have players that cannot be photographed, then we must ask for them not to record the game. Equally we must request that they do not share any footage of the game online in accordance with our own policy.
If the Veo camera is used then, once uploaded the recording will be assigned to the “Youth Videos” team within the club Veo account by the Club Veo Administrator.
The Privacy status on the recording will be set to “Private” by the Club Veo Administrator meaning that only members of the “Youth Videos” Veo group will have access to the recording and there is no link available to share the recording with anyone else.
Clips and footage of the match cannot be shared - i.e. it cannot be recorded on smartphones and shared. Any club member found to have done so may face disciplinary action.
Coaches, as members of the Veo “Youth Videos” group may choose to use the video to analyse games and organise sessions in the clubhouse to share the analysis with players in a controlled environment. They cannot share footage in any other way. No recording of the playback is allowed on player phones.

Please note:

Veo recordings also picks up sound as well as game video - playback should always be without sound in the event that it picks up any personal, highly critical or abusive comments.

If something occurs at a match that requires Disciplinary investigation either by Club or by Essex RFU then in that instance Veo evidence may be allowed to be shared as part of the investigation but in accordance with Safeguarding advice and policy.

Policy drafted by Ian Hollingworth