CPSU news and events

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News and events: Relay - the CPSU newsletter

News and events

Latest news from the Child Protection in Sport Unit

Join the Big Bike Ride this September
August 2010. Whether it's a fun-filled day cycling with friends around the local park or a London to Paris solo adventure - when you organise your own unique cycle challenge you'll be raising money to help vulnerable children across the UK.

Improving Safeguarding in Schools
August 2010. The NSPCC has developed a new online self assessment and development resource that aims to enable schools to enhance the quality of their safeguarding policies and practices in order to meet their statutory requirements to safeguard and promote wellbeing.
Further information: Improving Safeguarding in Schools (ISIS)

Facebook and CEOP join forces to make young people safer online
15 July 2010. Young Facebook users across the UK are the focus of a new initiative launched on 12 July 2010 by the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP). The new 'ClickCEOP' button will give all Facebook users direct access to CEOP's advice and reporting centre from their homepage.

Violence against children in sport - a new UNICEF report
12 July 2010. UNICEF's Innocenti Research Centre today releases a report on violence in children's sport, and recommends means of prevention. The UNICEF research provides examples of both good and poor practice, and makes recommendations for sports organisations that would assist in their violence prevention work.

Vetting and Barring Scheme Update
23 June 2010. Update from the CPSU following liaison with key members of the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) consultative group.

International Olympic Committee launch new online tool
23 June 2010. The International Olympic Committee has today launched their Youth Olympic Games educational program for the youth athlete on sexual harassment and abuse in sport. This program includes an online introductory animation, web-based case scenarios, and information available to athletes and coaches at the Youth Olympic Games. CPSU Director Anne Tiivas was part of the core team to develop this resource, and young people supported by the NSPCC participation team tested it and fed back their views.
Further information: International Olympic Committee website

Vetting and Barring Scheme Update
16 June 2010. A CPSU briefing following the government's announcement on 15 June that the introduction of the new Vetting and Barring Scheme (VBS) has been suspended, pending the outcome of a comprehensive review.

Vetting and Barring Scheme Update
14 April 2010. The CPSU has developed a briefing to clarify both the timescales and process for the Vetting and Barring Scheme.

Vetting and Barring Scheme Guidance
19 March 2010. The Home Office has today announced that the full guidance to assist employers and voluntary groups in implimenting the Vetting and Barring Scheme (VBS) is now available.

Revised Working Together to Safeguard Children Guidance
17 March 2010. The Department for Children, Schools and families (DCSF) has published the updated Working Together to Safeguard Children: A guide to inter-agency working to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. The document comprises of two parts. Part one is issued as a statutory guidance and part two as a non-statutory practice guidance.
Further information: Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) press release , 17 March 2010

NSPCC announces ‘Call to Action’ to put child protection at the heart of sport
25 February 2010. The NSPCC has announced a ‘Call to Action’ to sports organisations and their partners in England to sign up to a shared vision of child protection in sport for 2015.
Further information:
A call to action: refreshing the vision and renewing the call to all organisations to safeguard children and young people in and through sport (PDF, 336KB)

Working Together to Safeguard Children consultation

January 2010. The Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) has published the consultation draft of Working Together to Safeguard Children. Closing date for responses is 11 February 2010. The CPSU will be contributing to the NSPCC's response to the document. A briefing will shortly be available on our website outlining the issues arising from the proposed revision.

Vetting and Barring Scheme information roadshows
19 January 2010. Twelve information roadshows have been organised by the Home Office in February / March 2010 to provide further information on the scheme.

Update on the Vetting and Barring Scheme - December 2009
Sir Roger Singleton has made a series of recommendations on how best to change the rules governing the Government's Vetting and Barring Scheme.

Guidance on child protection records retention and storage (England and Wales) (PDF, 80KB)
December 2009. A brand new CPSU briefing paper. Includes a Sample Incident Report Form (PDF, 28KB) .

Anti-Bullying Week 16-20 November 2009
16 November 2009. Today marks the start of Anti-Bullying Week, this year the campaign is 'Staying safe in Cyberspace' focussing on cyberbullying.
Further Information: Anti-Bullying Alliance and Beat Bullying

The CPSU teams up with Sport Resolutions to identify and develop support to provide improved safeguarding services
13 November 2009. A survey undertaken by the CPSU and Sport Resolutions has revealed that many sports expect to see a rise in safeguarding cases. Sports bodies identified a need for improved support and services for children who may have been harmed or affected by an individual under investigation.
Further information: Managing concerns about poor practice or abuse of children within sport, by adults or other young people: survey results (October 2009) (PDF, 92KB) .

Sexual harassment and abuse in sport
November 2009. Following the Olympic Movement in Society Congress in Copenhagen on 5 October 2009 the Olympic movement has recommended that all sporting organisations should take appropriate measures to combat all forms of harassment and abuse, through education and the establishment of procedures.

A Minute For Madeleine
November 2009. The Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) Centre has issued an online viral message aimed at anyone close to the person who was involved in the disappearance of Madeleine McCann.
For further information visit the CEOP website

DCSF PE and Sport Survey 2008/09
October 2009. The Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) has published findings from its survey measuring the proportion of children doing high-quality physical education and sports at school. It also measures related aspects such as the number of sports on offer in schools and the number of children taking part in competitive sports and sport outside school.

ChildLine launches online service
19 October 2009. Today marks the public launch of the ChildLine online service. The marketing campaign will ask the question 'how u feelin?' to raise awareness of all the ways that children and young people can contact ChildLine.
Further information: ChildLine

Vetting and Barring Guidance now available
12 October 2009. The official guidance in relation to the introduction of the initial phase of the Vetting & Barring Scheme (VBS) is now available on the Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) website.

Young people and social networking sites: a guide for parents, carers and teachers (PDF)
October 2009. Childnet International have produced a leaflet explaining social networking sites with advice about keeping children safe and answers to key questions.

The growing child in high performance sport
October 2009. A two-day international scientific/medical sports congress is being held in Birmingham on Friday 30 April and Saturday 1 May 2010, to coincide with the 2010 European Aritistic Gymnastics Championships.
Further information: The growing child in high performance sport: international congress (30 April - 1 May 2010: Birmingham) - flyer (PDF, 804KB)

Update on the Vetting and Barring Scheme - 15 September 2009
September 2009. CPSU update on the news that Ed Balls has asked Sir Roger Singleton to define 'frequent or intensive' contact with children and report back by December 2009.

Cricket 'helps cut bad behaviour'
September 2009. Schools are being encouraged to use cricket matches as a way to curb pupils' unruly behaviour after a three-year study found that pupils participating in cricket displayed better social skills and teamwork compared with those taking part in normal PE lessons.
Source: Daily Telegraph 9 September 2009.

Common Core Consultation
August 2009. The Common Core of Skills and Knowledge for the Children's Workforce sets out the basic skills and knowledge needed by people (including volunteers) whose work brings them into regular contact with children, young people and families. A refreshed version of the Common Core will be published in March 2010 and you can help shape it by taking part in the consultation.
For further information visit Skills Active

The CPSU teams up with Sport Resolutions for child protection review
August 2009. Sport Resolutions (UK) is supporting the NSPCC Child Protection in Sport Unit in its review of the challenges facing sports organisations in managing safeguarding children concerns.

Safe recruitment and selection procedures (PDF, 64KB)
August 2009. A brand new CPSU briefing paper.

Update on the Vetting and Barring Scheme - July 2009 (PDF, 80KB)
July 2009. Our briefing paper outlines the timescales for the scheme and the next steps for the sports sector. Includes details and outcomes of the communication event that the CPSU held on 24 July 2009.

No gold rush for Olympic heroes
July 2009. One year on from the Beijing Olympics, the Observer has a large feature on how cash and fame is still elusive to many of our medallists.
Source: Observer 26 July 2009.