On 1 July, more than 160 safeguarding and welfare professionals from across England came together at the NSPCC National Training Centre in Leicester.
This was a partnership event involving The Ann Craft Trust, the Active Partnerships National Organisation (APNO), NSPCC Sport. The event brought together Active Partnerships, Sport Welfare Officers, Lead Safeguarding Officers from National Governing Bodies. It also involved a number of safeguarding leaders from across the sport and physical activity sector.
The event focused on strengthening relationships across the safeguarding system. Attendees explored new approaches to help build safer cultures for everyone involved in sport and physical activity.
The event involved talks and presentations from Christian McMullen and Liza Ware from NSPCC Sport, from Jeremy Lemarchand, Head of Welfare and Safeguarding at Sport England, and from Stuart Sale, Chief Executive of The Ann Craft Trust. Dr Ellie Gennings delivered the keynote speech. Dr Gennings shared new research exploring how children and young people understand what helps them feel safe in sport.
Collective Energy
Stuart Sale said:
Safeguarding in sport and activity is at its strongest when we learn from one another and stay connected across the whole system. This event showed just how powerful that collective energy can be.
Our Invisible Scars workshop reinforced that abuse of adults in sport and activity is real, often hidden, and carries a profound human impact when people don’t feel safe to speak up. Recognising this is essential if we are to truly see the whole picture.
Culture is felt, not written. Safeguarding is more than a simple responsibility. It is an opportunity to shape environments where adults and children are safe, supported, and able to thrive.
The Ann Craft Trust is proud to work alongside NSPCC Sport, APNO, Sport England, and safeguarding leads across the sector to build sporting environments where everyone, regardless of age or ability, feels respected, valued and safe. Safer cultures are created together.
An Ongoing Commitment
The event forms part of the partners’ ongoing commitment to strengthening safeguarding and welfare across sport and physical activity.
This event follows on from the recent Sport Welfare in Action campaign. This saw partners come together to highlight the vital role that Sport Welfare Officers play in ensuring that every sports club in England can access free welfare and safeguarding support.