PLAYER WELFARE

HERE FOR YOU

Student well-being and pastoral care are taken extremely seriously. With one of the most generous Staff-to-Student ratios available (overall 1:4), our goal is to ensure all our students' safety, happiness and welfare.

Our trained teams are always on-site and have a wide range of experience working with young people. We also have a dedicated Welfare Manager, to support our players with any worries or concerns.

EVERY PLAYER MATTERS

RESPECT FOR YOURSELF, OTHERS, and your environment

Three young football players with their hands in the air smiling towards the camera

  • Dedicated on-site team

  • 24-hour supervision - staff are residential and live on-site

  • Very high supervision levels with an overall on-site staff-to-student ratio of one staff member to four students

  • Experienced and professional staff dedicated to student welfare and enjoyment - Welfare Manager and a dedicated House Parent for each house

  • On-site medical officers, multiple trained first-aiders on-site, medical treatment facilities and hospitals nearby

  • Accompanied transfer service - Airport meet and greet service available at no extra cost / Unaccompanied minor service available at no extra cost

  • DBS / Police background checks on all staff and child protection/safeguarding training for all of our staff

  • Closed campuses & secure training/living facilities - students are not allowed to leave the site unaccompanied at any time

  • Female staff available on girls’ program

We provide

A football student and exsportise coach laughing together as they walk to the green football pitches

Everyone has a responsibility to help provide a safe and positive environment and to keep children and other vulnerable people safe from harm or abuse. This principle applies to our staff, helpers, parents, facility staff and anyone involved in our Camps, and they must know and play their part in this.

We take our safeguarding responsibilities (also known as child protection) very seriously in this area wherever they are in the world, and this means we are wholly committed to:

  • listening to children and parents and promoting their right to be and feel safe;

  • putting children, their needs and their safety and welfare first;

  • getting the right people involved through safe recruitment and training;

  • creating a safe environment for all participants, visitors and staff; and,

  • having and promoting transparent systems to deal with any issues or concerns.

As such, our camps apply all the requirements of The Arsenal Football Club Safeguarding Policy. We also ensure that we meet all relevant laws and regulations of any country we operate in or visit as part of the programme.

If you have a concern about the welfare of a child or the behaviour of a member of our staff or any other adult towards a child, please contact the designated Safeguarding Officer, and we will take your concerns very seriously. You can also email us at admin@exsportise.co.uk.

If you believe that a child has come to significant harm or abuse or is at immediate risk of harm, please call the local police immediately.

SAFEGUARDING

We are committed to helping keep children safe when using the internet. Please visit the pages of the https://www.saferinternet.org.uk/training-events/online-safety-live for advice and guidance for both children and parents.

Two young female footballers laughing and smiling as they chat on their way to the football pitch

BEHAVIOUR

All students are expected to follow the camp rules. Our camp behaviour policy, available in our Parent guide, ensures that each student is safe and enjoys their time at camp.

We respond quickly to verbal or physical intimidation, fighting or persistent bad behaviour. We pride ourselves on having a professional sporting learning environment, and therefore, the use of alcohol, tobacco and drugs is strictly prohibited.

During the first few days of camp, some students get homesick. Our staff are trained in Safeguarding to identify any emotional changes in students’ behaviour that might cause concern and are experienced in identifying signs of homesickness and offering support and comfort. As students settle into camp and get involved in all the various camp activities, homesickness usually disappears. Excessive contact with home during the first couple of days can worsen homesickness, so we encourage parents to help their children become more independent by keeping contact to a minimum. Staff will ensure the children are fully supported to overcome issues and maximise their time with Exsportise. We work closely with parents to provide the best experience for every child.

PARENTAL CONTACT

Injury/illness & medication

We have senior pastoral staff at each camp trained in first-aid and administering and dispensing medicines. Please ensure we understand what medications your child requires and in what dosage and frequency. We will contact you if your child is unwell and unable to participate in activities to discuss the best course of action. We will also take your child to the doctor or hospital if necessary. If your child is taking medication when they start the camp, our staff will help them to do so and store their medicine in a safe place. The Player Welfare Form you complete before arriving will ask about medication, but we may ask again when you arrive at the camp to ensure the information is current.

Diet, Nutrition and hydration

We regularly monitor that students are eating and drinking enough at camp. Water is always available during sports sessions, and our coaches ensure players regularly rehydrate.

We also inform the students about the importance of nutrition and hydration in workshops and throughout their time at camp. We can cater for most dietary requirements when notified in advance. You can tell us about dietary requirements in the Student Medical Form or by email.