Do they know how to take action to stop people who have caused harm?
What extra help is available to adults with care and support needs if they experience abuse?
Do sports organisations ever work with social services and the police?
Luckily most people taking part in sport don’t need to think about whether their sports organisation has a policy or procedure that would guide actions if there were concerns about abuse or neglect.
However, abuse can and does take place in all walks of life. We are becoming increasingly aware that sport is no exception. So it’s vitally important that sports organisations have Safeguarding Adults policies and procedures in place. It’s also important that these procedures are consistent with the law.
Did you know that each of the four nations of the UK has different legislation and guidance when it comes to Safeguarding Adults at Risk? They each say more or less the same thing, just in different words. However, there are some important differences. Most strikingly, in Wales and Northern Ireland there is a DUTY to report ALL situations where there is a ‘reasonable belief’ that an adult with care and support needs is experiencing abuse or neglect to the Local Authority.
Safeguarding Adults in Sport Policy and Procedure Templates
Access them here, in English and Welsh.
We hope they are useful to you. Not to copy and paste, but to work through, to think about whether they would work for you and to chop and change as is best for your organisation.
We’re always very happy to receive feedback so if you have any comments or questions please do let us know.