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The need for a recognised system of assessing an organisation's commitment to safeguarding has been recognised by all the Home Nations and each have embraced standards appropriate to the legislation and structure in each country.
Although the structure of the standards assessment process may differ, the principles are consistent.
The standards provide a framework or audit tool for all those involved in sport to help them create a safe sporting environment for children and young people and protect them from harm. The standards also seek to provide a benchmark to help those involved in sport make informed decisions, promote good practice and challenge practice that is harmful to children.
Our
Standards Mapping Tool (PDF, 35KB)
lists the criteria required of each of the standards or frameworks in England, Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland.
The NSPCC Child Protection in Sport Unit (CPSU) is committed to advising and supporting sports organisations in this important work and we hope these standards and frameworks will provide them with the confidence to safeguard children in their care. On these pages you can view the standards in:
England
Standards for safeguarding and protecting children in sport (PDF, 15.1MB)
The need for standards for sports organisations was originally identified in the 2000 National Action Plan for Child Protection in Sport. Initial work was carried out by Sport England Governing Body Services, including consultation with stakeholder groups. This work was then taken forward and built on by the Sport Task Force on Policy and Standards.
The Task Force is co-ordinated by the CPSU. The first version of the standards were approved by NSPCC, Sport England and the Sports Minister in September 2002, and published in February 2003. This second edition of the standards incorporates an additional tenth standard. Standard 10 reflects the changes within sport and the growing role some sports organisations have in influencing the delivery of local sports. Through this sport organisations have the opportunity to encourage and promote the adoption and implementation of measures to safeguard children by partner organisations.
Sport England has made working towards achieving the standards a condition of grant aid and they are mandatory for English governing bodies and County Sport Partnerships. The ten areas covered are:
The CPSU publicationStandards for safeguarding and protecting children in sport gives full details of the standards for England, including their purpose, principles, use, and other relevant information resources.
What's next after achieving The Standards?
Most Sport England funded sport bodies have achieved or are working toward completing the advanced level of The Standards for Safeguarding and Protecting Children in Sport. There is a need to continually review safeguarding policies, procedures and practice to ensure that child protection is high on the agenda and that The Standards are maintained and embedded.
Consequently, in consultation with national governing bodies (NGBs), county sports partnerships (CSPs), CPSU and Sport England the new Framework for Safeguarding Children in and through sport has been developed for organisations that have achieved the advanced level of The Standards. This work is part of a larger Call to Action for the sports sector.
The key objectives of the Framework are to enable sport to:
The Framework group has been established to develop detailed plans to support piloting and implementation of the Framework, including measurement and milestones a key task for 2010-2011, to be completed in consultation with NGBs and CSPs.
Northern Ireland
Getting it right: standards of practice for the protection of children and young people (PDF, 504KB)
Sport Northern Ireland (SportNI) recognises its responsibility in protecting children from abuse. Their commitment to ensuring safeguarding standards are incorporated into any assessment of a Sports Governing Body receiving funding is based on the recognition that all children have the right to protection from abuse regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, religious belief, nationality, sexual orientation or disability.
SportNI has made achieving a satisfactory level in the safeguarding standards a condition of grant aid and they are mandatory for NI based governing bodies.
There are six individual standards that governing bodies are assessed against:
In addition to the standards for governing bodies the CPSU NI, SportNI and the Irish Sports Council have agreed a Club framework for safeguarding standards in sport (PDF, 318KB) . These have been developed to enable sports clubs to self assess their progress in implementing best practice.
This above framework has been based on Getting it right: standards of practice for the protection of children and young people (PDF, 504KB) , which is a generic document sponsored by the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety for the voluntary sector.
For further information please contact Paul Stephenson on 02890 355 756 or pstephenson@nspcc.org.uk
WalesA framework for safeguarding and protecting children in and through sport in Wales (PDF, 5.43MB)
This framework has been developed in order to help safeguard and protect children and young people in sport. The framework is based on current good practice and is informed by legislaion and guidance, evidence from research and experience of what works, drawing from the field of safegaurding and sport.
When implemented fully the framework should provide parents with increased confidence and peace of mind. Most important of all, they should help create safer environments for children, where they can enjoy and get the very best from their involvement in sport in Wales.
Purpose of the Framework:
Principles:
Use and application of the standards
This is an overarching framework, which is intended to be relevant to all sports at all levels. They apply to sporting activity that takes place in an organised setting.
Umbrella, funding and controlling bodies may choose to use them for a variety of purposes, for example, to raise standards, to assist in decision making or for enforcement purposes. Currently the attainment of the standards outlined in the Framework are not a mandatory requirement for funding for the sport's national governing bodies in Wales.
The safeguarding framework
The framework consists of five areas of action that a sports organisation should be able to demonstrate it undertakes at all levels of its sport. Each of these actions will be promoted and supported through effective communication with all those benefiting from the safeguarding activities of the sports organisation:
For further information please contact the Child Protection in Sport Unit Wales. Telephone 029 20 267000 or email cpsuwales@nspcc.org.uk.
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Scotland2006 Accord for the Protection of Children in Scottish Sport (PDF)
Since the launch of Children and Young People - Safe and Secure in Sport (National Action Plan, 2002) many sports organisations have taken action to fulfil their responsibility to keep children safe in and through sport. Whilst much has been achieved, changes in legislation and national guidance, and the outcomes of the Scottish Executive's Child Protection Reform Programme have introduced new challenges for all organisations which provide services to children and their families, including sport.
The 2006 Accord for the Protection of Children in Scottish Sport (PDF) presents a support framework to help organisations work towards recommended good practice in protecting children and to fulfil responsibilities introduced as part of the Reform Programme.
The Child Protection in Sport Steering Group encourage all organisations to sign up to the 2006 Accord. Those who wish to sign up should in the first instance contact the Child Protection in Sport Service. It is now a requirement of sport scotland investment that all lottery funded Scottish Governing Bodies sign up to the 2006 Accord.
Within 12 months of signing up, organisations are encouraged to develop, formally adopt and publish an action plan which sets out how they intend to achieve each of the outcomes, with clear and realistic timescales for completion. For some organisations, these may already be reflected within, or can be added to existing strategic plans for example, local authorities’ Children’s Services Plans or Child Protection Committee Business Plans.
To help organisations get started, CHILDREN 1ST and sportscotland have produced a list of suggested tasks to help deliver on each of the areas contained in the 2006 Accord:
Currently the attainment of the standards outlined in the Accord are not a mandatory requirement for funding for the sport's national governing bodies in Scoland, though there is a legal requirement to ensure those working with children in Scotland are appropriately recruited using the Disclosure Scotland service.
For further information please contact Safeguarding in Sport Service. Telephone 0141 418 5674, email safeguardinginsport@children1st.org.uk or visit www.safeguardinginsport.org.uk.
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