Child Protection - Safeguarding in Sport

All children and young people who take part in sport have the right for their safety and protection to be assured. This is the responsibility of every adult and agency working in sport.

Sport can and does have a very powerful and positive influence on young people. It can provide opportunities for enjoyment and achievement as well as developing valuable qualities such as self esteem, leadership and teamwork. These positive benefits can only take place if sport is managed by people who place the welfare of all young people first and adopt practices that support, protect and empower them.

Sport Hampshire & IOW core team have a Child Protection Policy in place which has been awarded the Intermediate Standard. It covers coaches who work on their behalf and are employed by Hampshire County Council. This document is currently under review. In the interim the following templates may be of use.

Templates

• Code of Conduct and Good Practice Guidelines

• Behaviour Guidance Policy

• Child Protection Incident Report Form

• Guideline on photography and the use of video

• Social networking services, social media and sport: Guidelines for safeguarding children and young people

As a County Sports Partnership our role is pivotal in signposting and supporting partners with regard to the resources that are available to enhance this area of work and advocate the work towards the National Standards established by the Child Protection in Sport Unit (CPSU).

For information on the Vetting and Barring Scheme (VBS) as well guidance on the Criminal Records Bureau and the the latest information on the disclosure process, visit the Home Office Vetting and Barring web pages together with the Criminal Records Bureau website.

Review of the Vetting and Barring Scheme

The government announced in February 2011 that the Vetting and Barring Scheme and criminal records checks are due to be scaled back. The NSPCC’s summary response to the announcement is as follows:

• Eliminating employees and volunteers having to undergo repeated Criminal Records Bureau checks every time they apply for a new job is the right decision. However,  all employers should regularly check these certificates online for any new information which might require a repeat check.

• The new arrangements should form part of good employment practices. For them to work effectively, organisations must also have robust monitoring policies in place.

• The Vanessa George case in Plymouth illustrates that vetting is only one part of good practice. She had a clear CRB check.

• Many people - in both paid and unpaid situations - pose a risk to children but do not have convictions, so it is important for non-conviction data to continue to be part of disclosure certificates.

The Child Protection in Sport Unit (CPSU) is a partnership between the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC), Sport England, Sport Scotland, Sports Council for Northern Ireland and the Sports Council for Wales. The Unit was founded in 2001 to co-ordinate and support sports organisations implementation of the 2000 National Action Plan for Child Protection in Sport.

The CPSU’s mission is to safeguard the welfare of children and young people under the age of 18 and to promote their well being. The CPSU plays an important part in the NSPCC’s long term strategy for ending child abuse by helping sports and other organisations to:

• Recognise their responsibility to protect children and young people left in their care.

• Develop strategies and standards to protect children and young people.

• Identify and respond to adults who are a threat to children and young people

• Develop child protection knowledge and skills among all staff and volunteers.

As a County Sports Partnership, the National Standards promoted by the CPSU provide a benchmark of good practice for us and other sports organisations to work towards. Their implementation by an organisation helps to raise awareness among staff and volunteers and minimise avoidable risks. When the Standards are fully implemented, it is likely to increase confidence among parents and carers about their children’s safety.

The CPSU website contains some very useful and up to date legislation on the protection of children and young people in sport. The website contains details of Child Protection Officers or Lead Contacts for most Governing Bodies of Sport.

Managing Challenging Behaviour

Staff/volunteers who deliver sports activities to children may, on occasions, be required to deal with a child’s challenging behaviour.

The CPSU have produced guidelines to promote good practice and to encourage a proactive response to supporting children to manage their own behaviour. They suggest some strategies and sanctions which can be used and also identify unacceptable sanctions or interventions which must never be used by staff or volunteers.

Download the CPSU guidance on Managing Challening Behaviour