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Safeguarding for Partners

Everyone in Wales has the right to participate in safe sport.

Some young people, and adults at risk, have experienced abuse and/or poor practice when participating in sport. Some children or adults who take part in sport may be experiencing abuse outside of sport too - at home or within the wider community.

Substantial progress has been made in the safeguarding of children and adults at risk in sport, but we cannot be complacent when it comes to keeping people safe. Sport Wales are constantly reviewing and developing the support we provide to partners and the sector to ensure everyone can have a lifetime enjoyment of sport. 

What we do - the Governance Team

The Governance Team in Sport Wales work closely with, and commission, safeguarding specialists to ensure our partners have access to the right advice and support that is relevant to their sporting activity.

Sport Wales commission the Child Protection in Sports Unit (CPSU) and Ann Craft Trust (ACT) to:

  • Ensure partners are maintaining and developing appropriate safeguarding standards.
  • Respond to the needs of the sector so appropriate safeguarding support can be developed.
  • Support partners by offering access to training and development opportunities.
  • Identify, extend, and develop safeguarding support to National Partners and Sport Partnerships.
  • Enable NGBs access to supportive forums and collaborative working opportunities with other partners.
  • Share learning, best practice, and case studies across the sector.

Sport Wales fund the CPSU and ACT to co-facilitate a regular Lead Officer Support Forum (LOSF). The purpose of this forum is to offer Lead Safeguarding Officers from Sport Wales partner organisations a safe space to share learning and best practice, discuss challenges and barriers as well as access training and CPD opportunities. The forum offers the sector a more joined up approach in safeguarding both children and adults in sport.

The Governance Team also:

  • Chair the Sports Council Safeguarding Group to discuss and develop potential UK-Wide collaborative pieces of work and alignment opportunities.
  • Work alongside the other Home Country Sport Councils to review safeguarding standards and assurances utilised across the UK.
  • Work with the other Home Country Sport Councils to review and develop a UK-wide approach to safeguarding.
  • Utilise data and insight to inform priority areas of safeguarding development.
  • Contribute to a number of safeguarding groups including the NSPCCs Case Data Collection Tool and Safeguarding Adults in Sport Steering Group.

Safeguarding Children - Child Protection in Sport Unit

The CPSU are funded by Sport Wales to implement a set of safeguarding standards for sports organisations in Wales. The CPSU help partners maintain and develop appropriate safeguarding provision that focus on 6 key standard areas:

  1. Policy
  2. Procedures
  3. Practices
  4. Education and Training
  5. Implementation and Monitoring
  6. Influencing

The CPSU also offer support to partners with policy reviews, board training, case management advice and guidance, CPD opportunities for safeguarding leads and through facilitation of the Lead Officers Support Forum (LOSF) alongside ACT. The LOSF allows partners to network, share good practice, and receive facilitated discussions on safeguarding topics by specialist speakers to enable continued learning and development. The LOSF is open for funded partners of Sport Wales.

The CPSU website provides resources such as a safeguarding self-assessment tool for sports organisations, best practice guidance, videos, podcasts, toolkits, and webinars.

Coach on rugby pitch carrying cones

Safeguarding Adults at Risk - Ann Craft Trust

Welsh sport also has a close relationship with the Ann Craft Trust (ACT).

ACT is funded by Sport Wales to support sport and activity organisations in developing best practice for safeguarding adults. ACT are piloting and developing their Adult Safeguarding in Sport Framework so NGBs and partners in Wales can utilise it to support them in developing best practice for safeguarding adults within their organisation. ACT and the CPSU work closely to identify any crossovers with their standards and framework to ensure both tools align. 

ACT also offer support to partners with policy reviews, website audits, board training, case management advice and guidance, CPD opportunities for safeguarding leads and through facilitation of the LOSF alongside the CPSU. 

Please visit the Ann Craft Trust website to find out more about how they can help your organisation.   

Further information for sports organisations

If you would like to read more about safeguarding in clubs and grassroots settings you can visit our Club Support pages.

Key Resource for Community Clubs and Volunteers

Club Support

Here you’ll find Sport Wales’ kitbag of guidance for sports clubs and organisations.

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Children in sports kit huddled together in the rain

Governance

Here is some useful information to help our partner organisations strive towards good governance.

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The Sport Wales National Centre