Berkshire Sport is committed to the welfare of young people and vulnerable adults. We recognise that all young people have the right to be protected from abuse and bad practice, and will ensure that everyone involved within the County Sports Partnership understand their responsibility to promote good practice at all times. Berkshire Sport will aim to contribute to safeguarding children and young people by:

• Meeting the requirements of the Standards for Safeguarding and Protecting Children in Sport (CPSU 2002)
• Implementing and demonstrating best safeguarding practice when support services team, volunteers or others are providing services, activities and programmes for children and young people
• Working with partners to establish and implement agreed, consistent minimum safeguarding standards for sports activities within the county
• Requiring those individuals or organisations that are funded or commissioned to provide any services for children and young people to effectively address safeguarding requirements.
• Maximising its influence to promote safeguarding practice and principles within its wider partnership roles and relationships.

Your Responsibilities

It is outlined within "Working Together to Safeguard Children (2006)" that it is everyone's responsibility to ensure that children, young people and vulnerable adults are protected and stay safe, free from harm.

Therefore there is a requirement that everyone involved within Berkshire Sport should act if they have a concern about the safeguarding of a young person or vulnerable adult. Such a concern may be about the behaviour of an adult or child towards a young person or vulnerable adult, or the behaviour/ appearance of a young person or vulnerable adult. The concerns may also relate to poor practice or abuse. What ever is the case it is your responsibility to tell someone if you have concerns. As a starting point it is suggested to contact the Berkshire Sport lead Child Protection Officer or the equivalent in your own club or sport National Governing Body (NGB). In summary; it is the responsibility of the child protection experts to determine whether or not abuse has taken place but it is everyone's responsibility to report any concerns.

What signs might register concern?

The following list is not exhaustive, but nonetheless it provides a sound basis on indicators for concern. If you have any concerns about the following then please refer these to the Berkshire Sport lead child protection officer or the equivalent in your NGB.

• Unexplained or suspicious injuries such as bruising, cuts or burns and reluctance to talk about them
• Unexplained changes in behaviour- becoming aggressive, withdrawn or unhappy
• Something said by a young person or vulnerable adult or a peer, who may identify you as a trusted person with whom to share concerns
• A change observed over a long period of time (losing weight or becoming increasingly unkempt)
• Sexually explicit behaviour
   

What to do if...
...A Young person or vulnerable adult is distressed by another person's behaviour:

If you are worried, remember it is not your responsibility to decide if abuse is taking place but it is your responsibility to act on your concerns and do something about it.

...If a young person or vulnerable adult tells you about someone's behaviour (e.g. an adult or another young person) which he/she finds disturbing always:

• Stay calm and reassure the person- ensure he/she is safe, feels safe and does not feel to blame for what has happened
• Listen carefully, show and tell the person that you are taking seriously what is being said
• Be honest, explain you will have to tell someone else to help stop the behaviour that is distressing
• Maintain confidentiality- only share the information on a need to now basis and if it will help the young person or vulnerable adult
• Gain medical attention immediately if required

...You are concerned about the behaviour of another adult:

It is your responsibility to act if you are concerned about the behaviour of an adult towards a young person or vulnerable adult, whether it is another coach, official or volunteer or a parent or relative.

Your concerns should be recorded and reported to the relevant person. Advice should be sought before approaching the person with whom you have concerns about especially if it is a parent or carer. You are advised to contact the Berkshire Sport Lead Child Protection Officer, your NGB or club lead officer, or the Child Protection In Sport Unit.

Promoting Good Practice in the Care of Children
To prevent the possibility of wrongful allegations adopt good practice guidelines advocated below and those advised by your governing body.

• Always working in an open environment e.g. avoiding private or unobserved situations and encouraging an open environment (e.g. no secrets);
• Treating all young people and vulnerable adults equally, and with respect and dignity;
• Always putting the welfare of each young person first, before winning or achieving goals;
• Maintaining a safe and appropriate distance with players (e.g. it is not appropriate to have an intimate relationship with a child or to share a room with them);
• Building balanced relationships based on mutual trust which empowers children to share in the decision-making process;
• Making sport fun, enjoyable and promoting fair play;
• Ensuring that if any form of manual/physical support is required, it will be provided openly and according to guidelines provided by the national governing body and the Child Protection in Sport Unit (CPSU).
• Involving parents/carers wherever possible (e.g. for the responsibility of their children in the changing rooms).
• If groups have to be supervised in the changing rooms, always ensure parents, teachers, coaches and officials work in pairs;
• Ensuring that if mixed teams are taken away, a male and female member of staff will always accompany them. (NB however, same gender abuse can also occur);
• Ensuring that at tournaments or residential events, adults will not enter children's rooms or invite children into their rooms;
• Being an excellent role model this includes not smoking or drinking alcohol in the company of young people;
• Giving enthusiastic and constructive feedback rather than negative criticism;
• Recognising the developmental needs and capacity of young people and disabled adults avoiding excessive training or competition and not pushing them against their will;
• Securing parental consent in writing to act in loco parentis, if the need arises to give permission for the administration of emergency first aid and/or other medical treatment;
• Keeping a written record of any injury that occurs, along with the details of any treatment given. This should always be written on an accident/incident report form and distributed to the relevant people.

Child Protection in Sport Unit Newsletter - Autumn 2010

Date Updated: 20/09/10