The Safeguarding Adults in Sport Framework is an online assessment tool. It supports sport and activity organisations to implement best practice in safeguarding adults.
The Framework helps organisations identify any areas of practice that need development. It also supports best practice and continued development in safeguarding adults.
It is now a requirement for all National Governing Bodies, Active Partnership and National Specialist Partners funded by Sport England and UK Sport in England to complete the Framework as part of their funding agreement.
To support organisations in completing the framework, the Ann Craft Trust runs regular online Information Sessions. These provide an opportunity for organisations to more about the Framework, hear from organisations who have undertaken it, ask questions and support each other. Following the session, attendees can access a range of resources, as well as a Planning Template to help them start their Framework submission.
This blog highlights the experience of an Active Partnership linking in with the Disclosure and Barring Service Regional Outreach Service as part of their planning for the Safeguarding Adults in Sport Framework.
Think Active’s Experience With The Framework
Kerry Luckett from Think Active attended one of the Framework Information sessions and started to plan their submission. This prompted her to consider her organisation’s current process for DBS checks.
“As part of our Adult Framework, I was tasked with looking over our current process for DBS checks, assess the roles that require a DBS check and the level of checks to ensure they were suitable. It quickly became apparent from reading documentation online that determining whether a DBS was required within our active partnership wasn’t clear cut. I contacted other active partnerships to see how they operate. But as we’re all working such diverse roles, there were no definitive similarities.
“I emailed the DBS Regional Outreach team to request support. Our Regional Outreach Officer emailed back almost instantly. They were extremely helpful. I detailed the positions of all our Active Partnership staff, as well as their key responsibilities. I provided as much information as possible for each specific role within our organisation. Our Regional Outreach Officer then provided me with the guidance relevant to each specific role. I was able to use this information to provide an options appraisal for DBS checks.
“I would definitely recommend liaising with your Regional Outreach Officer for any advice and guidance on DBS. Reading documentation online can be time-consuming and general advice might not apply for certain roles. Engaging with the regional outreach officers definitely helped me make a more informed and confident decision.”
The Disclosure and Barring Service Regional Outreach Service
Here’s how the DBS Regional Outreach Team can help sport and activity organisations.
Cathy Taylor from the DBS Regional Outreach Team shared this statement:
“We work closely with organisations to build and develop relationships, and to act as a single point of contact for all DBS-related enquiries within their region. We support organisations in a variety of ways. This includes delivering DBS workshops to help organisations understand how and when to make a barring referral.
“As well as running in-house workshops for organisations, we also offer free monthly workshops for organisations to learn more about DBS processes and legislation. Throughout 2023 we aim to bring together those who have a passion for safeguarding to share their expertise and knowledge in a number of in person, hybrid and virtual thought leadership events. You can find out more and sign up for our upcoming events here.
“We have advisors in each of the regions of England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. If your organisation has a national footprint, we can offer the same support. To contact your regional adviser please email dbsregionaloutreach@dbs.gov.uk
“You can learn more about our work on the DBS website, and you can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.”
The Framework Encourages Collaboration
Think Active’s experience highlights the benefits of completing the Framework. It encourages organisations to assess what they already have in place. They can question whether their current policy and procedures are up-to-date and fit for purpose. After this, they can identify any areas for improvement.
And as this example shows, there’s a lot of support out there for anyone who needs it.
The Safeguarding Adults in Sport Framework is much more than a box-ticking exercise. It has real, measurable impact that promotes safer cultures in sport and activity for all adults.
You can learn more about the Safeguarding Adults in Sport Framework in our online information hub.
We’re running free online information events throughout 2023:
We’re also running peer support sessions, where you can discuss your questions about the Framework, and network with your peers to get ongoing support with your planning: