Liphook United Football Club has developed these guidelines alongside the Football Association’s (FA's) guidelines for celebrating football through photographs and video (attached).

There has been much talk about who is allowed to take pictures of children (under 18s) playing sport and in particular what parents/carers are permitted to do. Liphook United would like to assure parents, carers, coaches, spectators, players and local media that we encourage the taking of appropriate images of children and adult players in football.

It’s important to remember the majority of images taken are appropriate and taken in good faith. If we take the following simple measures we can help to ensure the safety of children in football.

The Club will:

Obtain parental consent, during the player registration process, to use player images of children in the public domain, e.g. Club website or newspaper articles.
Ensure that any child who is known to be under care proceedings is protected by ensuring that their image is not placed in the public domain.
Recommend that photographs taken should focus on the activity rather than the individual.
Require that those featured in photographs should be appropriately dressed (a minimum of vest or shirt and shorts)
Ensure that coaches using videoing as a legitimate coaching aid will make parents/carers and players aware that this will be part of the coaching programme.

The Club will not:

Publish photographs of children labelled with the names of the individuals featured unless it has written consent to do so and has informed the parents/careers as to how the image will be used.
Use player profiles of children with pictures and detailed personal information on the Club website.
Use an image for something other than that which was initially agreed.
Allow images to be recorded in changing rooms, showers or toilets.

Points for all to remember

It is 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. All other child protection issues should be reported to the Child Welfare Officer.

The land or facility owner can decide whether or not photography and or videoing at football activities will be permitted when carried out on private land. However this needs to be made known before allowing individuals access to the private property. If they do not comply then it may be requested that they leave.

Images that include individuals wearing jewellery are to be avoided. Wearing jewellery whilst playing is contrary to the Laws of the Game as well as being a health and safety issue.

The Club’s responsibilities do not extend to the private use of images or videos by parents/carers or players themselves. It is recommended that if an image/video is to be uploaded to a social networking site (such as Facebook) or a video sharing site (such as YouTube), the person doing so should first seek permission from the parents/carers of any children featured.