Safeguarding and child data

1. Our commitment

The welfare of children comes before any feature or workflow. We design Pitch Perfect so that sensitive and safeguarding-related content is caught and handled carefully, and never sent to a parent by accident.

2. How the platform helps

• Every voice note and transcript is checked for potential safeguarding concerns.
• Anything of concern is flagged to the club's Designated Safeguarding Officer and excluded from the parent report.
• We err on the side of flagging: a false alarm a DSO dismisses is far better than a missed concern.
• Special-category detail, such as a child's health, disability or religious observance, is kept out of parent reports unless it is plainly a routine note the club has chosen to share.
• No report reaches a parent without a coach reviewing and approving it.

3. Protecting children's data

Children's data is given heightened protection. Access to reports is by possession of a registered contact through a secure, single-use link, never by guessing a name and date of birth. Clubs control exactly which guardian can see which child, including removing access where family circumstances require it.

4. What clubs are responsible for

Pitch Perfect is a tool that supports good practice; it is not a substitute for it. Clubs remain responsible for their own safeguarding arrangements, including appointing a Designated Safeguarding Officer, holding the relevant policies, obtaining parental consent, and following the procedures of The Football Association and other relevant bodies.

5. If you have a concern

If a child may be at risk of harm, follow your club's safeguarding procedures and contact your Designated Safeguarding Officer. In an emergency, contact the police on 999. You can also contact the NSPCC helpline on 0808 800 5000. For concerns about how the platform handled safeguarding content, contact us at info@nationfootballclub.co.uk.