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Daily Record
a day ago
- Sport
- Daily Record
Kids football clubs facing more chaos as coaches in uproar over admin backlog
After huge delays last year with Comet computer software another wave of delays hits the SFA and its youth affiliate, which coaches believe may threaten kids' matches Kids' football is facing another summer of chaos that could stop youngsters playing the beautiful game. Coaches are not being vetted quick enough to be given clearance to work with children - and time is running out. It has led to a huge backlog of adults waiting to be given the green light to coach kids. One fed up coach told us there was no way enough checks would be done in time and said: 'It's a shambles.' The Scottish Football Association has been forced to fund emergency staff to deal with a two-month backlog in processing Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) applications for all adults dealing with kids. PVG clearance must be in place by July 1, otherwise any club or individual will be breaching new safeguarding legislation. The Daily Record can reveal that the latest registrations debacle has led the SFA to announce that a review of the running of its affiliate body, the Scottish Youth Football Association, will now be carried out. A consultancy firm is likely to be appointed in coming weeks, at the agreement of both organisations, which will probe how huge administration backlogs have severely hampered youth football for two seasons in a row. It is understood that some SYFA officials feel bitterly aggrieved at a funding gap, while the SFA board has been angered at the reputational damage caused by the disruption of a sport that involves more than 80,000 players, more than 15,000 coaches and many more from supportive families. The SFA has said the SYFA is now on 'special measures' until the review takes place. One coach said: 'It's hard to see how all the leagues will be up and running by August at this rate. 'We are angry about this because the Comet system last year was a nightmare, far too complex for grassroots teams and volunteer administrators and it definitely led to people leaving the game. 'This latest admin shambles proves that more cash needs to be put into youth football. The SYFA has 15,000 coaches and a handful of staff to deal with this stuff, with no-one to take a phone call. It's a shambles.' The Daily Record told last year of the problems faced by Darren Knight, founder of the Wallyford Rose club, who young team nearly folded due to issues with the Comet system. Darren said he submitted PVG applications around two months ago and is still awaiting clearance. He said: 'We have two approved coaches, which means we will still be able to function, but, in the end, our club was so successful last year we are starting up another team. 'If the PVG clearance doesn't come in time that would be scuppered. But we are not panicking yet and hope it gets processed in time.' To raise awareness, Disclosure Scotland has launched a major advertising campaign, urging anyone in a regulated role to ensure they are fully PVG registered before the deadline. The safeguarding body is working in conjunction with the SYFA, which processes applications via the much maligned Comet system, to clear the backlog. The Daily Record last year told of widespread fury as the Scottish Football Association's complex new Comet computer system wreaked havoc, leading to many games being postponed and some coaches saying they were giving up. Coaches have again contacted us to rage about the many hours they have spent trying to get volunteers registered. The rush for teams to get compliant overwhelmed the threadbare paid staff at the SYFA, causing the two-month backlog. SFA and SYFA at loggerheads over funding - review may pave way for reform The Record's latest revelations on a footie admin fiasco sheds light on a rift between the SFA and affiliate SYFA. The coming review will seek to examine what has gone wrong in the last two seasons with the Comet delays and now the PVG application pile-up. But it will also look at the amount of cash being fed by the SFA into its youth body, where there is a feeling that too much strain is being heaped on volunteer staff. The appointment of Scott Robertson as SYFA chairman, who has spoken publicly of reforming the organisation, was accompanied by calls from within for an independent review of its governance. The latest registration log-jam has led the SFA to get ahead of the bad news. A source at the organisation said: 'The SFA board agreed to the request for financial support for the PVG admin to help clear the backlog, on the proviso that they undertake an independent investigation into how it's run. They have effectively put the SYFA on special measures. 'There has been a general concern over the corporate governance of the organization. 'The SFA wants to get a bit closer to the financial planning and decision making and they believe an independent review will examine how they operate as a body and what steps need to be taken within the organisation. 'As well as the financial part of it will be an independent review into the SYFA. The source added: 'There is a general feeling that the all is not well at the SYFA at board level. 'If you've got an affiliated body that signs up to your articles, you need to know that they're actually coming good on it. 'The SFA wants to get a closer handle on the governance and how the organisation operates. 'The last time around, Scottish FA got the blame for an affiliate not doing its job properly. There's been a few expressions of concern, and the SYFA board themselves have agreed to an independent review of operations.' 'As a board, we can't risk this descending into the same situation as last time. So this is, this is what we propose doing. And in fairness, they seemed receptive to it.' One coach with many years of experience with a prominent club, said the latest hold-up was the last straw and he's quitting the game. The coach said: 'We've been tearing our hair out because the computer system just keeps on rejecting applications on administration errors but offer no solutions or contact details to resolve. 'The reality is that we get no calls back from the SYFA because they have no professional staff assigned to deal with this fiasco.' The coach said that applications had been returned due to confusion over whether PVG applications could be transferred form one club to another. He said: 'With the Comet system we can't work out how we get out of the 'computer says no' loop and standard emails from the SYFA don't help us find a solution. 'What we need is a helpline to speak to a human being who can find solutions not a computer system that issues stock responses which basically say 'computer says no, try again'.' He added: 'After 10 years of this type of nonsense I'm stopping down as a committee member and coach as it's impossible to work under this type of incompetence.' Another grassroots official said: 'This is so reminiscent of the Comet fiasco last year, where volunteers got stick on their computers for days on end and could never get a human being to sort things out for them.' Officials have told us how devised workarounds by placing PVG-registered volunteers in dual roles, as they wait for other individuals to get their own clearance after the legal deadline. A SYFA spokesperson said: 'We fully understand the frustrations of our members around the delay in processing PVG applications. 'With around 15,000 volunteer coaches in our game and more joining daily, it is a mammoth undertaking. In recent weeks, we have advertised, interviewed, and recruited an additional staff member to focus solely on tackling the backlog. 'The Scottish FA has, just last week, agreed to match our commitment and will fund a second PVG admin assistant for six months. 'We hope to reduce the backlog significantly with two new full-time people dedicated to processing PVG's. 'In addition, we will also look at the PVG process and whether this can be streamlined. In the meantime, we are working on issuing a step-by-step guide for our members.' A spokesperson for the SFA said: 'SYFA initially wrote to us requesting support to clear their backlog 'The Scottish FA has initiated special measures to provide funding support to clear PVG backlog, to support the operations and initiate the review.' From April 1 this year, changes to the Disclosure (Scotland) Act 2020 meant anyone in contact with or communicating with children without a PVG would be committing a criminal offence, as would the organisation they operate within. A three month period of grace takes the deadline to July 1 - meaning any teams with coaches stuck in an admin log-jam may be affected.
Press and Journal
19-05-2025
- Press and Journal
Northfield mum warns new PVG rules on parent councils could spell the end of school discos
Parent councils across Aberdeen fear rigorous safety checks designed to keep kids safe could potentially spell the end for school discos and events. New rules for the Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) scheme mean anyone carrying out an activity – or who has contact with – children will need to apply for a check. These new rules were rolled out in April but a a three-month grace period was put in place. That means it will become a criminal offence for someone under that remit to not be signed up from July 1. While this change has been broadly welcomed, parent councils across Aberdeen fear the process involved could put people off from helping at crucial fundraising events. And this, they believe, could ultimately result in some parent groups folding. Chairwoman of Heathryburn Parent Council, Danielle Barclay, explained is worried fundraising events could end up paying the price. 'When we have a disco, we would offer tea and coffee in our dining area and children would be separate in the hall,' she explained. 'Now it means that if any parent wants to go from the dining hall into the gym hall, they would have to get a PVG.. That applies even if they want to be with their own child, because another child might come up to them. 'School discos are a real concern because essentially, you're going to have to PVG everybody who helps out.' Councillor Kate Blake worries it's an obstacle parent groups could do without. 'It's difficult enough getting people to help,' she told us. 'You'll need to get everybody through that process and a lot of parents will probably think it's not worth it – and won't want to go through all this just for a school disco.' Danielle also believes the change has come at the wrong time as parents are often busy with various school events and milestones. The frustrated mum said: 'You've got summer fairs, parents evening, reports, moving classes, kids finishing and transition… It all feels a bit much. 'We and other schools just try so hard to break down the barriers and it just feels like another one has come up.' She added: 'If some parent councils fold there won't be any of that.' So what will the parent council do to try and secure its future? 'Our plan is to PVG the core members that we know will stay now,' Danielle explained. 'And then we would have those people, and build on that…' At a recent council meeting, Mrs Blake asked for the grace deadline to be extended until the October break. She argued this would give parent groups more time to recruit volunteers and ensure PGVs are in place. The Labour member has urged the Minister for Children, Young People and The Promise, Natalie Don-Innes, to listen to their plea. She said: 'Parent councils generally rely on a very small core group of volunteers, who have many other responsibilities. 'An extension would give time for new members to get to grips with the new responsibilities. 'The additional administrative burden may cause some parent councils to fold.' The scheme is being run by Disclosure Scotland, a government agency in charge of issuing PVG certificates. A spokeswoman stressed there is no blanket requirement for parents or school volunteers to be in the PVG scheme. She said: 'Whether a person has to join the PVG scheme depends on the role they are doing for the parent council. 'The law has extended the criteria to include people in the scheme who have power over children. This can include some, but not all, parent council members. 'This is to make sure that those holding that power do not have a known history of harmful behaviour towards children.' However, Disclosure Scotland doesn't believe extending the grace period would be a wise move. The spokeswoman explained that doing this would 'undermine child and adult protection'. But for now, Disclosure Scotland has published tailored guidance for parent run groups and has pledged to continue supporting them.
