internationals a fe g u a rd i n gchildren in sport
working group

International
Safeguards forChildren in SportInternational Safeguards
for Children in Sport

Inside coverSport England2

Contents

Introduction

4

Definitions

6

International Safeguards

7

Aims and principles

10

The pilot study

11

Key steps on the safeguarding journey

12

Safeguard 1: Developing your policy

16

Safeguard 2: Procedures for responding tosafeguarding concerns

18

Safeguard 3: Advice and support

20

Safeguard 4: Minimising risks to children

22

Safeguard 5: Guidelines for behaviour

24

Safeguard 6: Recruiting, training and communicating

26

Safeguard 7: Working with Partners

28

Safeguard 8: Monitoring and evaluating

30

The Pioneer Organisations

32

The Founder Members

34

3

International Safeguards
for Children in Sport

Introduction

Millions of children and young people take part insporting activities every day across the world. For
some children this is purely for recreation and fun.
Others may participate in sport for development
programmes. For some young people sport may betheir chosen future career, either as talented athletes,as coaches or as officials. Sport may also be used asa vehicle for diverting young people from anti-social
or criminal behaviour.
Children have the right to participate in sport in a safe andenjoyable environment. Their rights are enshrined in the
United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Over the past 15 years or so victims of all forms ofviolence in sport have started to be able to have their
voices heard and responded to. Previously there has
been little questioning of the perception that sport is only
a force for good for young people. Until the late 1990s/
early 2000s very few sports organisations had put inplace systems and structures to respond to complaints
about the behaviour of adults or other young people.
We now know enough from research and evidence to beclear that sport does not always take place with a focus
on children’s rights at its centre, or sometimes fails to fully
consider the risks to children, leading to organisational
cultures that don’t allow for the discussion of harm andabuse (Brackenridge, Kay & Rhind, 2012).
4

There are also some risks to children and young
people which are unique to sport such as theincreased risks of all forms of abuse to elite young
athletes. Many sport for development programmes
are provided to extremely vulnerable children who
may be affected by violence and abuse in their daily
lives and for whom sport should be a safe haven. We
should all seek to ensure that sports provision to theseyoung people takes place in safe environments.
A draft set of Standards (now called Safeguards) weredeveloped by a partnership of organisations working
together for the Beyond Sport Summit in London, 2012.
These were further developed through an extensive
piloting phase over the next 2 years. The finalised
version of the Safeguards was launched at Beyond
Sport in October 2014. They lay the foundations fora holistic approach to ensuring children’s safety andprotection in all sports contexts internationally.

5

International Safeguards
for Children in Sport

Definitions— Safeguarding refers to the actions we take to ensure ALL children
are safe from harm when involved in our clubs and activities— Child protection is a set of activities that are required for
SPECIFIC children who are at risk
of/or are suffering harm
— Abuse refers to the acts of commission or omission that lead to achild experiencing harm
— Harm refers to the negative impact or consequences upon thechild of those actions— Violence refers to “all forms of physical or mental violence, injury
and abuse, neglect or negligent treatment, maltreatment or
exploitation, including sexual abuse”(Article 19 UN Convention on the Rights of the Child)6International Safeguards

These Safeguards aim to outline the things that should be put in placeby any organisation providing sports activities to children and young
people. The Safeguards should be viewed as guides, which facilitate
an organisation’s journey towards safeguarding children rather thanan end in themselves.
They reflect international declarations, the United Nations
Convention on the Rights of the Child, relevant legislation,
government guidance, existing child protection/safeguarding
standards and good practice. They have been informed by research
conducted by Brunel University with a diverse range of perspectives
from different countries and stakeholder groups during an extensive
piloting phase.
These Safeguards represent collective good practice at a point
in time and will be subject to periodic review to ensure they reflect
developments within safeguarding practice.

7

International Safeguards
for Children in Sport8

8 Safeguards
01 — Developing your policy
02 — Procedures for responding to 		safeguarding concerns
03	­­— Advice and support04	­— Minimising risks to children
05 — Guidelines for behaviour
06 — Recruiting, training and communicating
07 — Working with partners
08 — Monitoring and evaluating­9International Safeguards
for Children in SportThe Safeguards aim to:— Help create a safe sporting environment for children wherever they
participate and at whatever level— Provide a benchmark to assist sports providers and funders to makeinformed decisions— Promote good practice and challenge practice that is harmful tochildren— Provide clarity on safeguarding children to all involved in sport

10

The Safeguards are basedon the following principles— All children have the right to participate, enjoy and develop
through sport, in a safe and inclusive environment, free 		from all forms of abuse, violence, neglect and exploitation— Children have the right to have their voices heard and 		
listened to. They need to know who they can turn to when 		
they have a concern about their participation in sport— Everyone, organizations and individuals, service providers 		
and funders, has a responsibility to support the care and 		protection of young people— Organisations providing sports activities to children and 		young people have a duty of care to them
— There are certain factors that leave some children more 		vulnerable to abuse, and steps need to be taken to address this
— Children have a right to be involved in shaping safeguarding
policy and practice— Organisations should always act in the best interestsof the child— Everyone has the right to be treated with dignity and 		
respect and not be discriminated against based on 		
gender, race, age, ethnicity, ability, sexual orientation, 		beliefs, religious or political affiliation— The processes and activities for the creation, development 		
and implementation of safeguarding measures should
be inclusive
Please note that whilst these Safeguards have been developed inrelation to children (aged under 18 years old) they can also provide
a valuable framework for good practice in relation to other groups
such as vulnerable adults.
11International Safeguards
for Children in Sport

Piloting the Safeguards

A number of the organisations represented at the joint initiative at the
Beyond Sport Summit 2012 agreed to pilot these Safeguards along witha number of additional organisations committed to strengthening theirapproach to making sport safer for children. Throughout the piloting,the safeguarding lead from these organisations participated in Virtual
Learning Sets (VLS). The VLS were led by a member of the Founders
Group with expertise in safeguarding children. Organisations wereallocated into small groups of 6-8 based on mission, location and size.
These VLS met online every 2 months to discuss their experiences ofworking towards the Safeguards.

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Piloting the Safeguards

Research was conducted by Brunel University with 32 of theseorganisations. Data were collected from a range of sources:— Interviews with the safeguarding leads ofeach organisation— Periodic feedback from the leaders of the VLS— Feedback collected from pilot organisations at
Beyond Sport 2013 in Philadelphia— An online survey of participants regarding arevised set of Safeguards
Based on this data, the researchers made recommendations to
the Founders Group. The final version of the Safeguards was thendeveloped and launched at Beyond Sport 2014. More details about
each of the Safeguards are provided over.

13

International Safeguards
for Children in SportKey steps on thesafeguarding journey

The following steps will guide your journey througheach of the Safeguards. They should facilitate anorganisation to reflect on their current system andinform their efforts towards ensuring the safetyof children.
The guide has 5 steps:

Step 01:
Preparing for thejourney
Raising awarenessof the need tosafeguard children

14

Step 02:
Preparing to
implement
Reflecting on
where you are
now and prioritising
your next steps

Step 03:
Developing your safeguard

Step 04:
Implementing your safeguard

Step 05:
Embedding your safeguard

15

International Safeguards
for Children in SportThe Safeguards© UNICEF
UNI123577/Krzysiek
1617International Safeguards
for Children in Sport

Safeguard 01
Developing your policy

What — Any organisation providing or withresponsibility for sports activities for children andyoung people under the age of 18 should have asafeguarding policy. This is a statement of intent that
demonstrates a commitment to safeguard children
involved in sport from harm, and provides theframework within which procedures are developed.
Why — A safeguarding policy makes clear to all what
is required in relation to the protection of children
and young people. It helps to create a safe andpositive environment for children and to show that theorganisation is taking its duty of care seriously. It also
takes account of specific factors that may leave somechildren more vulnerable.

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Criteria for Success— You have a safeguarding policy which is clearly written
and easy to understand— The policy clearly describes your understanding anddefinitions of all forms of harm
— The policy covers your organisation’s commitment tosafeguard children in all aspects of your work
— The policy is clear that all children have equal rights
to protection— This policy is officially endorsed by staff at the highest levelof your organisation— Staff at the highest level of the organisation have theresponsibility to oversee the implementation of the policy— All staff, volunteers, carers or other representatives havesigned up to the policy— Your organisation has consulted with children, parents/
carers and staff as part of the initial development and/or
on-going review of your policy

19International Safeguards
for Children in Sport

Safeguard 02
Developing a system to respond tosafeguarding concerns

What — Procedures describe the operational
processes required to implement organisational
policy and provide clear step-by-step guidanceon what to do in different circumstances. Theyclarify roles and responsibilities, and lines ofcommunication. Effective systems are required which
help to process any complaints or concerns andsupport any victims of violence. You should build
on existing systems and understand your role withregards to relevant national systems and legislation.
Why — For safeguarding to be effective, procedures
have to be credible for children. Procedures help
to ensure a prompt response to concerns about achild’s safety or well-being. They also help you tocomply with and implement legislation and guidance.
Violence against children is distressing and can bedifficult to deal with. Organisations have a duty toensure that advice and support is in place to help
people to play their part in safeguarding children.

20

Criteria for Success— There are clear procedures in place that provide step-by-stepguidance on what action to take if there are concerns abouta child’s safety or well-being, both within and external to theorganisation— Your organisation has arrangements in place to provide
support to children, volunteers and staff during and following
an incident, allegation or complaint— There is an identified member of staff in your organisation
responsible for leading on safeguarding— Your organisation provides children and young people withinformation about their rights and about who they can turn to if
they are worried, in a process which empowers them
— Your organisation has made information available to children
and their parents/carers, about what is likely to happen
following a disclosure, in a format and language that can beeasily understood by everyone— Your organisation has a process for dealing with complaints ina fair and transparent way, that includes an appeals process— All incidents, allegations and complaints are recorded,
monitored and stored securely— Your organisation has consulted with children, parents/carers
and staff as part of the initial development and/or ongoing
review of your response system

21International Safeguards
for Children in Sport

Safeguard 03
Advice and support

What — Arrangements made to provide essential
information and support to those responsible forsafeguarding children. Children and young people
are advised on where to access help and support.
Why — You have a duty to ensure advice andsupport is in place to help people to play their part insafeguarding children such that they know who they
can turn to for help.

22

Criteria for Success— Contacts are established at a national and/or local level with
relevant child protection agencies, NGOs and community
groups providing support on child protection— Your organisation ensures that staff members with special
responsibilities for keeping children safe have engagementwith specialist advice, support and information— Children are provided with advice and support on keeping
themselves and one another safe
— Your system acknowledges that children with additional
vulnerabilities (for example, a disability) may face extra
barriers to getting help
— Parents/carers in the wider community are provided withinformation, advice and support on safeguarding children

23International Safeguards
for Children in Sport

Safeguard 04
Minimising risks to children

What — Measures to assess and minimise the risks
to children.
Why — Some people, who work or seek to work in
sport in a paid or voluntary capacity, pose a risk tochildren. Children are also at risk when placed in
unsuitable places or asked to participate in unsuitable
activities, including age-inappropriate activities,
over-training and through unrealistic expectations
being placed on them. It is possible to minimise theserisks by putting safeguards in place.

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Criteria for Success— Risk assessments are available and conducted for
activities, transport, accommodation and spaces— Steps are taken to minimise any risks identified through arisk assessment— If the risks are assessed to be too significant then theactivity does not go ahead— Training is available to help staff and volunteers recognise
the additional risks some children are exposed to,
because of their race, gender, age, religion, disability,
sexual orientation, social background or culture

25International Safeguards
for Children in Sport

Safeguard 05
Guidelines on behaviour

What — Codes of conduct to describe what
an acceptable standard of behaviour is andpromote current best practice.
Why — Children’s sport should be carried out ina safe, positive and encouraging atmosphere.
Standards of behaviour set a benchmark of whatis acceptable for all.

26

Criteria for Success— Your organisation has written guidelines for behaviour (codes ofconduct) which contain statements about treating people with
dignity, respect, sensitivity and fairness— Your organisation has guidance and expectations around activities
that include time spent away from home, including placing children
in the care of others and overnight stays— Where organisations are involved in placing children in the careof others, frequent meetings are held with the child to discuss theirexperiences— Your organisation has guidance around working with children who
have a disability— Your organisation has guidance around the appropriate use of
information technology and social media to make sure that children
are not put in danger and made vulnerable to exploitation— Your organisation has guidance on positive ways of managing the
behaviour of children that do not involve physical punishment or
any other form of degrading or humiliating treatment, and are age
and gender appropriate— Your organisation has guidance on expected and acceptablebehaviour of children towards others, particularly other children(for example, a learning agreement)— There are clear consequences for not following the guidelines on
behaviour that are linked to organizational disciplinary procedures— The highest level of the organisation has the responsibility to ensurethat the guidelines are followed— Your organisation has consulted children, parents/carers and staff
as part of the initial development and/or on-going review of yourorganisation’s guidelines on behaviour
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International Safeguards
for Children in Sport

Safeguard 06
Recruiting, training and communicating

What — Recruiting appropriate members of staff,
creating opportunities to develop and maintainthe necessary skills and communicating regarding
safeguarding.
Why — Everyone in contact with children has arole to play in their protection. They can only do
so confidently and effectively if they are aware,
have the necessary understanding of, and theopportunity to develop, practice and implement key
skills. Organisations providing sporting activities forchildren have a responsibility to provide training anddevelopment opportunities for staff and volunteers.

28

Criteria for Success— Job descriptions contain statements about treating
people with dignity, respect, sensitivity and fairness.
— The recruitment process includes an interview, character/
employment references and a background check in linewith local legislation— All staff, volunteers and other relevant people have been
trained on safeguarding and child protection, including
how to report concerns— The highest level of the organisation has the responsibility
to oversee the implementation of the training— All staff, volunteers and relevant people with special
responsibilities for safeguarding have access to regular
additional training and specialist support— Your organisation has consulted with children, parents/
carers and staff as part of the initial development and/or on-going review of your organisation’s recruitment,
training and development

29

International Safeguards
for Children in Sport

Safeguard 07
Working with partners

What — Action taken by the organisation to influenceand promote the adoption and implementationof measures to safeguard children by partnerorganisations.
Why — A number of sports organisations have both astrategic and a delivery role in relation to children andyoung people. Where organisational partnership,
membership, funding or commissioning relationships
exist or develop with other organisations, theorganisation should use its influence to promote
the implementation of safeguarding measures. The
organisation should provide or signpost supportand resources in relation to implementing adequate
safeguarding measures. The organisation should
actively promote the adoption of the International
Safeguards for Children in Sport.

30

Criteria for Success— Your organisation has worked with partners/members to ensurethat there are shared expectations around safeguarding— Your organisation has worked with partners/members to agree
how to share learning about making sport safer for children— Your organisation has shared written guidance on current
best practice in relation to working with children (for example
sharing the International Safeguards for Children in Sport)— Your organisation’s safeguarding policy represents an essential
part of any partnership/membership agreements— Your organisation publicises information about your policy
to your community, partners and members— Your organisation works to sensitise your communities to theimportance of safeguarding children31International Safeguards
for Children in Sport

Safeguard 08
Monitoring and evaluation

What — The on-going monitoring of complianceand effectiveness, involving all relevant groups.
Why — Organisations need to know whether
safeguarding is effective and where improvements
and adaptations are needed, or recognise
patterns of risk.

32

Criteria for Success— There are systems in place to monitor and evaluate theeffectiveness of your organisation’s:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•

policysystem for responding to safeguarding concerns
advice and support
systems to minimise the risks to children
guidelines for behaviour
recruitment, training and communication
work with partners to safeguard children— The highest level of the organisation has the responsibility
to oversee the implementation of the monitoring andevaluation system— Your organisation has consulted with children, parents/
carers and staff as part of the initial development and/or
on-going review of your monitoring and evaluation system

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International Safeguards
for Children in SportThe Pioneer Organisations

AbleChildAfrica
ACER Brasil
Aquarius Sport
Australian Sports Commission
Blaze Sports America
British Council
Brown University
Brunei Commonwealth Games
Association
ChildFund Australia
ChildFund LaosChild Helpline International
Coaches Across Continents
Commonwealth Games Federation
Commonwealth Games Scotland Ltd
Cyprus Commonwealth Games
Council
Deafkids International
EduSport Foundation Zambia
International Netball Federation
Isiqalo
Lao Rugby Federation
Lawn Tennis Association
Magic Bus
Malta Commonwealth Games
Association
Manchester City FC
Manchester United FC
Mauritius Commonwealth Games
Association
MomsTEAM Institute | SmartTeams
Moving the Goal Posts
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National Youth Sport Institute(Singapore)
Norwegian Olympic andParalympic Committee andConfederation of Sports
National Organisation for Womenin Sport, Physical Activity andRecreation
Panathlon International
Panathlon Sorocaba ClubPlay and Train
Right to Play Thailand
Sadili Oval Sports Academy
Scottish Football Association
Seychelles Commonwealth Games
Association
Skillshare InternationalSport4Socialisation
Slum Soccer
Special Olympics
Spirit of Soccer
Soccer without Borders
SportAccord
Sport Hampshire & IOW
Tackle Africa
UK Sport
UNOSDP
Urece Sports and Culture for theBlind
USA Swimming
US Olympic Committee
World Sailing

Pass it Back, Vietnam
Photographer:Phung Quang Binh
35

International Safeguards
for Children in Sport

Prepared by the Founder Members:

Beyond Sport
Caribbean Sport & Development Agency		
Child Protection in Sport Unit
Comic Relief
Commonwealth Secretariat 			International Inspiration
Keeping Children Safe 				Right to Play
Swiss Academy for Development 		
UNICEF UK
UK Sport 						WomenWin 			Developed based on research by:
Dr Daniel Rhind
Prof. Celia Brackenridge
Prof. Tess Kay
Dr Laura Hills andFrank Owusu-Sekyere(Brunel University, London)
With generous support from The Oak Foundation
For more information on developing safeguarding in yourorganisation please visit:
http://www.sportanddev.org/en/toolkit/safeguarding_toolkit/

36© International Inspiration
Rebecca Hearfield, 201237

© 2016
International
Safeguarding
Children in Sport