Victoria Brown, The Safeguarding Manager at Badminton England, discusses her organisation’s experience of completing The Ann Craft Trust Safeguarding Adults in Sport Framework.
Badminton England is the National Governing Body (NGB) for Badminton in England. We’re the organisation for all things badminton, for anyone who wants to get involved.
It is our aim to be the nation’s most accessible, diverse, and inclusive sport. We want to ensure everyone involved has a safe and positive experience, at all levels and across all ages.
In November 2022 I shared my views, as the Safeguarding Manager at Badminton England, on the importance of supporting Safeguarding Adults Week.
The week is a time for organisations to come together to raise awareness of important safeguarding issues. What better time than this than to commit to completing The Ann Craft Trust Safeguarding in Sport Framework!
Preparing For The Framework
We recognised that this would be much more than an administrative exercise for us. We felt that it would be an opportunity to identify where we could continue to improve and create impact.
This wasn’t the first time I had completed the Framework. Working for a different National Governing Body in 2020 I had already been ‘through the process.’
I knew that for Badminton England, this would be an opportunity to review (and hopefully affirm) what we had in place. It was also an opportunity to highlight the gaps in our policies and procedures. In which case we could use it as a tool to help us focus on the right areas for further development.
My advice for anyone considering when to start the Framework would be:
Just go for it!
You and your organisation are not being judged. The Ann Craft Trust team does not expect you to be perfect.
On both occasions completing the Framework, the process provided positive reinforcement regarding what we’re doing well, along with constructive feedback on areas of development. We’ve also received helpful guidance on actions that would strengthen our processes even further.
Top Tips For Organisations Preparing to Complete the Framework
Pre-planning is essential.
The Ann Craft Trust has resources to help you understand what you’ll need for your submission. Use the resources to collate all the evidence and information that you will need.
Give yourself time.
The weeks do fly by as soon as you start the process. You definitely require time and space to concentrate on your submission, but if you’ve got what you need, you’ll be fine.
Don’t worry about what’s missing.
If the Framework highlights that your organisation doesn’t have certain measures or processes in place, don’t worry. Be honest. You won’t be criticised. The Ann Craft Trust will support you to develop these.
You’re not on your own.
The Ann Craft Trust team was super helpful before during and after the process. Don’t forget that there is plenty of peer support out there as well. We’re all trying to do the same things for the same reasons.
What Happens Next?
Once you finish the Framework, you’ll receive a thorough report full of actions and recommendations.
It was clear from the comments I received that whoever had reviewed my submission had really looked at every detail. Don’t be daunted by this! It was actually reassuring and gave me confidence the whole process is meaningful and useful.
More Information About The Safeguarding Adults in Sport Framework
- The Safeguarding Adults in Framework Hub – All the information you’ll need to start your submission.
- Themes and Criteria for the Framework – This is what you’ll work towards when completing the Framework.
- Evidence Checklist for the Framework – Essential items you might want to collate before you start your submission.
- User Guide – Step-by-step process for accessing and completing The Framework.
We’re also running Framework information and peer support sessions throughout the year. Check our events page for more details.