8 SAFEGUARDS
Photo credit: WomenWin
The International Safeguards for Children in Sport
Find out more about the eight International Safeguards for Children in Sport, how you can assess your organisation’s progress against them, and what steps you can take on your safeguarding journey.
Each Safeguard comes with a description, an explanation of why it is important for safeguarding, and a list of criteria for success. A summary of each Safeguard follows, and you can download the full description of all eight Safeguards and the success criteria in a range of languages below.
The Safeguards: Summary
Have a safeguarding policy
A safeguarding policy establishes your organisation’s commitment to protecting children from harm. It clearly lays out proper protocols and definitions for everyone involved – staff, coaches, athletes, volunteers, and partners.
KNOW WHAT TO DO IF YOU ARE WORRIED ABOUT A CHILD
Having step-by-step guidance in place in the event of a safeguarding concern means your organisation will know how to respond quickly, properly, and transparently. These procedures range from designating a safeguarding focal point to outlining how concerns are documented and monitored.
PROVIDE ADVICE AND SUPPORT TO STAFF AND CHILDREN
Those involved with your organisation deserve to know what their safeguarding role is, and where they can turn to for information and guidance – not only within your organisation, but externally as well. And remember, children with additional vulnerabilities will need additional support.
UNDERSTAND AND ADDRESS RISK
If you don’t understand and identify potential risks, you won’t know how to prevent or minimise them. Ongoing risk assessments for activities, transport, accommodation and spaces, and trainings for staff will help you reduce the possibility of harm, or decide whether to abandon an activity altogether.
AGREE WHAT IS ACCEPTABLE AND UNACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOUR
Children’s sport should be carried out in a safe and encouraging environment. Creating and sharing codes of conduct for adults and children sets a safeguarding standard, encourages mutual respect, and promotes best practice among all involved.
SAFELY RECRUIT AND TRAIN YOUR STAFF
Everyone within your organisation has a role to play in safeguarding children. By developing a safe recruitment and staff development strategy, you will be able to recruit the right staff members, who will be able to learn and maintain necessary safeguarding skills.
SHARE SAFEGUARDING WITH YOUR PARTNERS
Having your partners on board with your safeguarding policy adds an extra layer of protection for children. Setting clear and transparent safeguarding expectations helps create strong and supportive partnerships. You can also encourage and support your partners to strengthen their own approach to safeguarding.
MONITOR, EVALUATE AND LEARN
Safeguarding isn’t a one-off process. As you continue on your safeguarding journey, build in time for reassessment in order to understand what’s been effective and what needs improvement.
The self-audit in different languages
You can use our self-audit to assess how your organisation is doing with regards to each of the eight Safeguards.
This will help you to understand where your organisation is already doing well and where you can strengthen your safeguarding.
Click here to access an online version of the self-audit on Laureus’ website in English, French, German and Spanish.
We have guides to help you strengthen your safeguarding
We also have three free online courses: Safeguarding Essentials, Safeguarding Practice and Effective Safeguarding
Safeguarding Essentials is a 90-minute course designed for everyone in sport and explains what safeguarding is, why it is important, and how you can reduce risks and respond to concerns.
Safeguarding Practice is a 12-hour course for anyone in sport wishing to develop a deeper understanding of safeguarding in practice.
Effective Safeguarding is an additional 12-hour course for anyone who has responsibility for leading safeguarding practice in an organisation.
You can enroll on the courses for free here.
“We undertook the self-assessment in the safeguards and although we thought we had a good foundation in this area, we realised we had a long way to go on our safeguarding journey – but we have been determined to keep working in this area despite our limited resources. It’s just too important and we have a duty of care for the children and vulnerable adults who deserve a safe place to enjoy netball.”
Clare Briegal, former Chief Executive Officer, World Netball
Demonstrate your commitment to protecting the children you serve by joining the global movement dedicated to safe sport.