The CTFL and member clubs believe that the welfare of the Children in our care must remain paramount

• All children and young people have a right to be protected from abuse regardless of their age, gender, disability, culture, language, racial origin, religious beliefs or sexual orientation Forms of abuse may involve physical, emotional,neglect,sexual or bullying.

• All suspicions and allegations of abuse will be taken seriously and responded to swiftly and appropriately

• Working in partnership with other organisations, children and young people and their parents and carers is essential.

All member clubs must ensure that team managers, those who have access to the children's records and any other person who has regular contact with the children have a current enhanced CRB disclosure in place for the role.

Ensuring that we encourage those individuals that are suitable for roles is essential.

Remember that a friendly, well run League / club is more likely to be successful in encouraging additional volunteers.

However, we must not lose sight of the fact that anyone may have the potential to abuse children and young people. Therefore all reasonable steps must be taken to ensure unsuitable people are prevented from working with children and young people.

Sound recruitment and selection procedures will help to screen out those who are not suitable to work in football.

The league & clubs are committed to working in partnership with the Police, Social Services Departments and Local Safeguarding Children's Boards (LSCB) Committees (ACPC) in accordance with their procedures. This is essential to enable these organisations to carry out their statutory duties to investigate concerns and protect all children and young people.

The league is not affiliated to the FA, but accepts and will work towards the principles of the FA in relation to safeguarding children and also the FA RESPECT programme and also the various Churches safeguarding policies.

WEBSITES OF INTEREST

Northumberland F.A. - http://www.northumberlandfa.com

C.R.B - http://www.crb.homeoffice.gov.uk/

I.S.A (Independent Safeguarding Authority) - http://www.isa-gov.org.uk/

NSPCC - http://www.nspcc.org.uk/

Each game will consist of two periods of six minute play, of which there will be no added time. unless in the case of serious injury. (At the referee’s discretion)

The games will be awarded as follows- three points for a game win, one point for a draw, and no points for losing a game.

If a team turns up late for a game for any reason. they will concede one goal for every minute that they are late onto the pitch, until the score reaches five, at which point the game will be awarded to the opposing side. five- nil.

If at the end of the season more than one team has achieved the same number of points and goals for, the secretary may allow an extra game to be played using the cup format described below.

As per league format above, If at the end of the allotted time neither team has won, a penalty shoot out will take place consisting of three penalties per side. If this still does not bring about a winner, the penalties will continue and the first team to miss a penalty will be deemed to have lost.(even number to be taken)

All persons with the exception of the defending goalkeeper, penalty kick taker and referee must remain behind the half way line when a penalty kick is to be taken during a penalty shoot out.

(The minimum number permitted to play is 4- if a team is unable to provide this number the game will be forfeited to the opposition, If neither team can provide the minimum number of players each team will lose 5-0)

If a team is able to provide 4 players they must do so and will not be permitted to forfeit the game.

All clubs must submit the club registration and team registration forms by the 1 st July to the league secretary. Together with the annual fee as agreed. This should be by way of one cheque made payable to The Churches Together Football League.

The players must not fall outside the above age’s groups on the first day of September, with the exception of a player below the age of 13yrs who can register for a team in the Premier Division at the discretion of his clubs Leader, and the written consent of a parent.

Each team may register up to the maximum of 7 regular players & 3 on call players.

If an on call player is to play in a game the Secretary must be informed before that player enters the pitch.

Players may join a club at any point during the season providing the correct registration procedure is applied. but must not transfer from one team to another during the season without the permission of the majority of the clubs. (unless in friendly games and with the permission of all relevant team leaders league secretary & referee)

Any changes affecting registration must be notified to the secretary at least 24hrs prior to a game at which the changes are to take place.

A player will not be permitted to sign for more than one team in the same Division.

If any serious breach of the registration rules is made the club responsible will lose all

The substitute will be allowed onto the pitch only after the referee has given his permission and the player to be replaced has left the pitch.

Play will start when the referee places the ball onto the centre spot at the start of a game. The team taking the kick off will be decided by the flick of a coin,

When performing this the ball must travel backwards towards their own goal and must be touched by one member of their own team, before the opposing team can touch it.

No whistle will be used for the restart of a game after a break e.g. bookings.free kicks etc.

-It is played above the height of the boards around the hall, except when it has rebounded off the goalkeeper, should this occur, the game automatically carries on as normal.

All opposing players must be a minimum of one metre from the ball when a free kick is taken.

The kicks must be taken from the designated spot which is situated just outside the goal area. The player who takes the penalty is not allowed to take more than a one step run up.

All players except the goal keeper must be behind the line of the ball until the penalty has been taken. The goalkeeper must remain on his line until the ball is kicked, but may move across the line.

The penalty taker must wait until the referee signals that the kick can be taken and signifies this by blowing his whistle.

The goalkeeper may stop the ball with any part of the body, but must not deliberately kick the ball. The goalkeeper must roll the ball back underarm into play.

If this is not done a free kick will be awarded to the opposing team. This will be taken one metre outside the goal area, as directed by the referee. This can be defended by the conceding team.

The ball can only be passed back to the keeper once by his team in a particular movement, unless touched by the opposing team first. If this rule is breached a free kick will be given to the opposing team to be taken from where the second back pass was made

Only the goalkeeper is allowed in the goal area, Should the keeper leave the area or a player from his team enters that area whilst the game is being played a penalty will be awarded.. If an attacking player enters the opposing teams goal area a free kick will be awarded to the defending team.but the referee may use his discretion if the defending team have possession of the ball to allow play to continue.

All goals scored by a player for his team in a game will count towards the top goalscorer table, with the following exceptions During any game he participates in when his own team has conceded a game by default. Or in a game when the opposing team concedes a game in such a way and his team has fielded an unregistered player. or when goals are scored in penalty shoot out.

No player, leader or other person should approach the referee and query a decision.

Only registered leaders should approach the secretary with queries regarding the game, rules, or a referee’s decision if this is to be disputed.

All players should ensure that their footwear is suitable for the playing surface and securely fastened, If a shoe comes off during a game and goes above ground level that player will receive a yellow card.

If a player is on the pitch during a game and is not wearing shin pads which are covered by his socks, that player will be booked and asked to leave the pitch until this problem has been addressed. He may only re-enter the pitch with permission of the referee.

Only the goalkeeper may play whilst wearing tracksuit trousers and without shin pads.

No player shall wear jewellery whilst playing. If the player is unable to remove an item of jewellery that player should cover this up so as injury to that player or another cannot be caused, This being at the discretion of the referee. If a player enters the pitch during play and the item has not been covered to the referee’s satisfaction that player will be booked and required to leave the field until the referee is satisfied that the matter has been resolved.

A player may wear spectacles if they are essential for play, but these must be of a type that cannot cause harm to that player or another person.

All players should remain within the centre whilst games are being played unless their leaders have allowed them to leave for a particular reason. i.e They are not expected to play another game during the particular session.

Players should not go to areas of the centre which are not relevant to the league.

Leaders must take all players H.I.T forms(Health information & transport)to all matches

-If a player receives a yellow card on a match day this should be treated as a caution.

It is the responsibility of the player’s leader to ensure that the referees are made aware that a player has already been booked in another game by a different referee prior to taking part in the latter game)

-Unnecessary charging/reckless challenges or tackles =Y. or R at the discretion of the referee.

-Carrying out an act which may cause danger or serious distress to another person. =R

1 point will be given to a team whose player gets a yellow card and 3 for a red.

A fair play trophy will be awarded to the team with the best discipline record at the end of the season. If more than one team has the same record the trophy will be given to the team that is highest in the league. Showing that fair play can help you achieve (League & Cup games up until the last day of the season are included in the counting procedure but friendly games do not count – unless exceptional circumstances dictate otherwise)

If a player is seen to misbehave off the pitch the matter will be brought to the attention of the secretary ASAP by a leader from the team which wishes to make a complaint.

If the incident is witnessed by any leader, that person should ensure that the matter is not allowed to continue, mention to the offending player that the matter will be brought to the attention of the player’s leader by the secretary.

In exceptional circumstances of bad behaviour the secretary will convene a meeting of all registered leaders, and if the majority of those present agree,the player and/or his club may be suspended/or expelled from the league. For any period that the league agree.

If a player receives a red card during the last game of the season the suspension will be carried over to the next season, although the points will be counted against the players club during the current season. If that player does not register to play during the following season his club will be fined £10.00

New teams joining the league with players of this age group will be entered into the Second division.

At the end of the season the top two teams in the Second Division will be promoted to the First Division and the lowest two teams in the First Division will be relegated to the Second Division. If exceptional circumstances dictate that there should be an increase in the number of teams in a particular Division for effectiveness the number of teams promoted/relegated may change with the consent of the majority of all clubs in the league.

Teams are not allowed to rearrange their fixtures, this can only be done by the fixtures secretary if all parties agree.

The only people allowed onto the playing area during a game are the players and referee.

(Only registered leaders / managers & substitutes are allowed onto the pitch side and only when their teams are playing)

All players must wait until they are called onto the pitch by the referee and must then be accompanied by a leader/ Manager, and accompanied back to the designated area. after the game.

The league does not accept responsibility for the conduct of any player or others involved in the running of the league/teams..