Safeguarding in Sport

All sports clubs have a responsibility to protect and safeguard children.

For sports clubs and organisations this means having:

effective safeguarding policies and procedures
codes of conduct for sport
safe recruitment processes
relevant training for staff and volunteers
staff Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checked

What does Safeguarding mean?

Protecting children and young people from abuse and maltreatment
Preventing harm to children and young people’s health or development
Ensuring children and young people grow up with the provision of safe and effective care
Taking action to enable all children and young people to have the best outcome

Safeguarding in Sport is...

Ensuring every child and young person has a safe environment to learn and grow
Ensuring they are protected from harm and mistreatment, whilst playing sport and being active
Ensuring a safe place to explore and develop new skills
Providing an opportunity to make new friends and develop relationships

What can you do?

To help safeguard and protect the Children & Young People in your sports settings, you can ensure:

you have a Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL)
your staff (paid or voluntary) know what their responsibilities are with regards to the safety and welfare of children and what to do should they be concerned about a child within their care
you have the correct policies and procedures in place to safeguard children and young people which shows that your club / organisation takes safeguarding seriously
you report any staff or volunteers who you have concerns about with regards to safeguarding children

Worried about a child?
Show details

If you have any safeguarding concerns, visit our page to know who to speak to and how to report your concerns.

Click here for more information

WSCP Safeguarding in Sport - Information Session

Wakefield Safeguarding Children Partnership, in collaboration with Yorkshire Sport Foundation and the NSPCC's Child Protection in Sport Unit (CPSU) hosted a safeguarding information session for sports clubs and activity providers in the Wakefield District.

Presented and recorded in October 2024.

How can sport safeguard children?

Developed by the NSPCC, this short animation explains the difference between safeguarding and child protection and looks in more depth at how children and young people can be further protected beyond their time at training sessions.

Information for Sports Clubs & Activity Providers

Our colleagues at Yorkshire Sport Foundation are able to give free support to clubs and activity providers to assess and improve their safeguarding and welfare practice. Sport Welfare Officers can support with:

Training – Delivering or facilitating training and workshops for staff, volunteers, parents and participants, in person or online on a variety of sport-specific and safeguarding topics.
Critical friend – Help for clubs with self-assessments to ensure they are meeting the safeguarding and welfare requirements set out by National Governing Bodies.
Signposting – Directing clubs to appropriate services and sources of support from partner organisations.
Networks – Making connections for people to share news, information and best practice.
Events – Attending events to raise awareness of safeguarding and wellbeing amongst participants

Wakefield Sport Welfare Officer: Measha Harris (Email: measha.harris@yorkshiresport.org / Tel: 07714 733636)

More information can be found here: https://www.yorkshiresport.org/what-we-do/safeguarding/sport-welfare-officers

Guidance for Sports Settings

Listed below are a range of resources you can use to ensure your club has a good level of safeguarding measures in place.

Basic Awareness Safeguarding Training – This course is designed for anyone who works or volunteers with children and young people.
Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) Check – This ensures all employees (paid or volunteer) have had the necessary checks undertaken, to ensure they are safe to work/volunteer with children and young people.
WSCP Safeguarding Policy Template – Coming soon!
WSCP One Minute Guide (1MG) on Safeguarding in Sport – WSCP have developed a 1MG for Sports Clubs and Activity Providers to provide advice and support on safeguarding.
Yorkshire Sport: Safeguarding Children & Young People in Sport Policy & Procedure – Yorkshire Sport have produced a safeguarding policy and procedures guide for your ease.
Managing Allegations Against Staff Training – If you have any concerns about an employee you have a duty to report them. WSCP has FREE multi-agency training on how to manage allegations against staff or those who work/volunteer with children & young people. It is suitable for senior members of the organisation.
Standards for safeguarding and protecting children in sport (NSPCC) – These Standards provide a framework for all those involved in sport to help them create a safe sporting environment for children and young people and protect them from harm.
NSPCC Safer Recruitment Training – Developed by specialist child protection and human resource safeguarding experts, the NSPCC’s course will teach you to how to safely recruit the right staff and volunteers to ensure they are safe to work with children and young people.
Safeguarding in Sport flyers (please see below) – Display these flyers in staff communal areas to ensure the key safeguarding facts are always visible.

Safeguarding Resources

Multi-sports flyers
Show details

Please click here to download the flyer.
Safeguarding flyers
Show details

Please click here to download the flyer for spotting the signs of child abuse.

Please click here to download the WSCP generic flyer.
Child Sexual Exploitation in Sport flyers
Show details

Cricket: Please click here to download the flyer.

Football: Please click here to download the flyer.

Gymnastics: Please click here to download the flyer.

Rugby: Please click here to download the flyer.

Swimming: Please click here to download the flyer.
Child Protection in Sport Unit
Show details

www.thecpsu.org.uk

The Child Protection in Sport Unit are part of the NSPCC. They work to help improve safeguarding and child protection practices within sport organisations, to ensure all children and young people are safe while participating in sport and physical activity at all levels. Sports clubs and activity providers can find a wealth of training and resources on their website. Contact 0116 366 5580.

Self Assessment Tool – helps organisations to evaluate whether they are doing everything they can to keep children and young people safe in sport and it also provides guidance on how to create and implement the appropriate policies and procedures required

Child protection in sport and physical activity training | NSPCC Learning – NSPCC Learning has an online child protection course to help with planning and delivering sports events. The course is aimed at professionals with a responsibility for the safeguarding element of events and the learning is relevant for any type of sporting event.
Buddle
Show details

https://buddle.co/

Buddle provide free learning and support resources to inspire and strengthen clubs and community organisations offering sport and physical activity.
UK Coaches
Show details

https://www.ukcoaching.org/duty-to-care

Coaches can earn a nationally-recognised digital badge by completing free knowledge checks covering the six pillars: Diversity, Inclusion, Mental Health & Well-being, Physical Well-being, Safeguarding and Safe to Practice.
Play Their Way
Show details

https://www.playtheirway.org/

The Play Their Way movement aims to support coaches to give children and young people a choice in their experiences of activity, create space for them to voice their wishes and enable them to take ownership of their development journey. When you embrace child-first coaching every coach has the potential to transform lives.
High speed Training
Show details

https://www.highspeedtraining.co.uk/courses/safeguarding/safeguarding-in-sport/

High Speed Training provide a free, online Safeguarding in Sport course. This is suitable for adults who work or volunteer at a sports club, are in a position of trust, and have a duty of care towards the children. This applies whether you work at grassroots or professional level and whether you’re a coach, volunteer, safeguarding lead, committee member, parent or different role.