The Rugby Football Union (RFU) and the Rugby Football Union for Women (RFUW)
recognises that publicity and pictures of young people enjoying rugby are essential to promote the sport and a healthy lifestyle. To facilitate this it is therefore essential that the following principles and rules should be observed.

These Best Practice Guidelines have been developed to provide clubs, schools and Constituent Bodies with advice and guidance on the use of images of young people.

It is recommended that this is adopted by clubs and Constituent Bodies and the eight golden rules outlined in these guidelines below are made available to as many people as possible. The whole policy is available at www.rfu.com

Any change to these guidelines will be notified via the RFU/RFUW website and in any relevant publications. Please remember that the safety and enjoyment of young people is paramount in all your activities and the Best Practice Guidelines have been designed to help you in this.

The RFU/RFUW is committed to providing a safe and enjoyable environment for young people. Implicit in this is the commitment to ensure that all publications, resources and media represent participants appropriately and with due respect. By adopting the points
outlined in these guidelines you will be putting in place the best possible practice to protect young people wherever photographs or recorded images are taken and stored.

The eight golden rules that will ensure compliance with the policy on photographic images are as follows:

1. Ensure parents/guardian/young person have granted their consent for the taking and publication of photographic images and have signed and returned the Parent/Guardian and Young Person Permission Form. It is strongly recommended that the relevant form is incorporated into the annual club registration form and will therefore only need to be completed once a year

2. All young people must be appropriately dressed for the activity taking place

3. Photography or recording should focus on the activity rather than a particular young person and personal details which might make a young person vulnerable, such as their exact address, must never be revealed

4. Where an individual has achieved success in the game (e.g. when selected for representative side or showing triumph over adversity) permission must be gained from parent/guardian and young person to use photographs/recordings and relevant details

5. Where possible, to reflect the RFU/RFUW Equity Policy, photographs/recordings should represent the diverse range of young people participating in rugby

6. Anyone taking photographs or recording at any rugby event must have a valid reason for doing so and seek the permission of the organisers/persons in charge

7. Anyone taking photographs or recording should make themselves known to the event organisers/persons in charge and be able to identify themselves if requested during the course of the event

8. All concerns regarding inappropriate or intrusive photography should be reported in confidence to the RFU Child Protection Manager via the Rugby Club or Constituent Body Welfare Manager

www.rfu.com/community

Policy statement relating to the use of video/photographic images
recognises the need to ensure the welfare and safety of all young people in Rugby Union.

As part of our commitment to ensure the safety of young people we will not permit photographs, video or other images including those taken via mobile phones of young people to be taken or used without the consent of the parents/carers and the young person.

We will follow the RFU/RFUW guidance for the use of images of young people, and take all steps to ensure these images are used solely for the purposes they are intended which is the promotion and celebration of the activities of Bolton Rugby Club.

If you become aware that these images are being used inappropriately you should inform welfare@boltonrugby.co.uk

The images may be published on the website http://www.boltonrugby.co.uk

If at any time either the parent/carer or the young person wishes the data to be removed from the website, the club welfare officer should be informed.

Bolton Rugby Club