Getting it right for every child & young person in Highland: interagency practice model & child protection procedures 2024
Sports organisations work with a diverse range of children and young people in their communities. Some children and young people may only attend a holiday sport activity, while others may regularly attend and participate in a specific sport at a local sports club, while a small number are involved in elite sports. All of these activities are run by committed, paid and unpaid coaches, officials, volunteers and workers who have various degrees of contact with children and young people. Members of this workforce will often become significant role models and trusted people in a child's life. As in other activities and contexts, abuse of trust can occur in sport of all kinds and at all levels. Those responsible for the organisation of activities, regulated or otherwise, should ensure that safeguarding is integral to practice in recruitment, training and oversight of staff and volunteers; and that children know how and with whom they can voice questions and concern.
The Child Wellbeing and Protection in Sport service (CWPS) service is a partnership between Children 1st and Sport Scotland. It supports sports organisations and individuals across Scotland (including sports governing bodies, sports clubs, Leisure Trusts, local authorities and parents and carers) in keeping children safe in and through sport by providing advice, consultancy, training and support. Organisations and community groups involved in sport activities should familiarise themselves with the Standards for Child Wellbeing and Protection in Sport and the ten steps to safeguard children in sport. They should adopt rights-based, child centred culture and encourage children, parents and carers to raise any concerns and to ask questions about safeguarding procedures.