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Sports Organisations

Safeguarding is Everyone’s Responsibly, and sports clubs and organisations must have procedures and policies in place to help keep children safe.

At a national level, all Sport Governing Bodies and County Sports Partnerships are required to conform to the Standards for Safeguarding and Protecting Children in Sport which comply with and reflect requirements in Working Together to Safeguard Children (2015). These Standards and the supplementary Framework resource ensure there are appropriate policies and procedures in place that will enable they are able to respond to concerns should they arise.

At a local level, all clubs affiliated to a National Governing Body will be required to adopt their sports safeguarding policy and adhere to number of requirements. Typically these will include ensuring all clubs have in place a trained designated person or welfare officer, all appropriate post holders within the club are subject to DBS checks, all coaches working with children undertake relevant safeguarding training and appropriate good practice guidance is in place (supervision ratios, use of social media, travel and tournaments, etc).

To reinforce this adoption of best practice clubs can undertake an accreditation process either through their Governing Body or through the Sport England Clubmark programme. Clubmark criteria include a number of safeguarding requirements

Allegations against staff: 

The Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) is responsible for the oversight and management of allegations made against employees. If you would like advice from the LADO on an allegation against one of your employees please contact: Darrel Clews on 01273 295643 or 07795 335879

Training & resources:

Designated officers and club welfare officers are welcome to attend the LSCB training, including our three core safeguarding courses: Developing a Core Understanding, Assessment Referral & Investigation, and Child Protection Conferences and Core Groups, For more information please view our training and events page

Active Sussex have a range of guidance, and sample policies on their website: www.activesussex.org/deliver-sport/safeguarding and they run local training for coaches and Club Welfare officers

The Child Protection in Sport Unit (CPSU) is run by the NSPCC in partnership with Sport England, and  they supports organisations to minimise the risk of child abuse during sporting activities. There are a variety of resources on their website: thecpsu.org.uk, including training opportunities

Various national organisations have their own resources for specific sports:

If you have concerns about a child please call the Front Door for Families on 01273 290400

If a child is in immediate danger call the police on 999