Understanding safeguarding

What is Safeguarding?

In our day to day lives inside and outside of sport we hear lots of people talk about safeguarding. But just what is it? What does it mean for both children and adults? And what are the signs to look out for?

British Orienteering continures to promote that everyone has a shared responsibility for safeguarding and creating safe, enjoyable environments in orienteering whether as an orienteer, parent, coach, club official or spectator. This page will help bring just what safeguarding is about, to life that bit more.

This page has been compiled through direct feedback from members and clubs, to provide more information about what safeguarding actually is.

Quickly skip to each section here:

#Child Protection in Sport Unit, safeguarding children

#Ann Craft Trust, safeguarding adults

#What is poor practice in safeguarding?

#Child abuse in a sport setting

#Abuse that maybe suffered by adults

The Child Protection in Sport Unit (CPSU) has created this short video looking at how sport can safeguard children.

This animation has been produced to help anyone involved in delivering sport or activities to children and young people.

It shows the difference between child protection and safeguarding in a sports setting and looks in more depth at how children and young people can be further protected beyond their time at training sessions.

We take a closer look at contextual safeguarding and how, by looking at where young people practice skills in their spare time, how they travel to practice or where they go afterwards, we can help to make them even safer.

The Ann Craft Trust (ACT) have produced a video which provides a great insight into Safeguarding Adults.

They worked in collaboration with a variety of professionals who are, in one way and another, involved or responsible for safeguarding. From charity organisations, local churches to professional magicians and voluntary organisations, they asked a handful of our peers to help explain what Safeguarding is.

To view the video visit: https://www.anncrafttrust.org/resources/what-is-safeguarding/

What is poor practice?

This is the question with endless responses. Why? Because poor practice can mean something different to everyone you speak to which makes the challenge of identifying poor practice even more challenging.

We held many conversations with members of all ages and clubs through forums and survey's to understand what orienteering members (juniors and seniors) view as poor practice. An extensive list was created showing just what matters to our members, which we've compiled into the table below.

This list is be no means every poor practice you could see but will help you to identify if something isn't quite right. The examples are also in no particular order.

If you observe any of the practices listed below or are not quite sure about something, contact your Club Welfare Officer (CWO) or British Orienteering's Lead Safeguarding Officer (details here) who will be happy to help and discuss your concerns.

You can download this table here.

Physical harm to someone.	Abusing someone's privacy. Either at an event/ training session, or away from Orienteering.
Being rude, verbally, or making fun or you or someone else.	Being aggressive to others (athletes, volunteers, parents) through either threatening language or behaviour.
A coach or club committee member not listening to you.	Ignoring safeguarding proceedures/ policy.
Making you feel uncomfortable.	Isolating you from others within the club. Including at training and/ or events.
Inappropriate/ unwanted contact via a social media platform.	Bullying.
Discrimination of any kind.	Aggressively pushing someone to complete an activity/ course beyond there capability or desire.
"Men" entering female areas including events.	Changing in front of others, especially in front of under 18's.
People photographing or videoing children without permission.	Lifts in vehicles with one adult of opposite sex.
Ignoring warning signs of abuse either within the club or with a participating suggesting abuse at home or other situation.	Inappropriate/unsafe course design.
Another orienteer or a member of the public taking a strong interest in a child or vulnerable adult e.g. following them, touching them, trying to speak with them.	Coaches making fun of children or having favourites.
Turning a blind eye to questionable behaviour.	Pressure on young people to win and bullying for poor results.
Strangers approaching young people and children.	Exposing to danger - busy roads, extreme weather.
Unmoderated contact groups via apps or websites.	Unqualified coaches with juniors and youth, no regard for safety or harm of athletes.
Parents berating their children for not performing to parental expectations.	Ignorance and turn the other cheek attitude.

Child abuse in a sport setting

Child abuse is any form of physical, emotional or sexual mistreatment or lack of care that leads to injury or harm.

Abuse can happen to a child regardless of their age, gender, race or ability. Children may be abused by adults or by other children.

Children and young people can also be harmed through bullying behaviour and poor practice.

The Child Protection in Sport Unit (CPSU) has created a informative resource on their website to define and further explain the eight types of abuse. Click here to find out more. (The link will take you to the relevant section on the CPSU website)

Neglect
Physical abuse
Sexual abuse
Emotional abuse
Poor practice
Bullying
Domestic abuse
Non-recent abuse

Abuse that maybe suffered by Adults

When considering adults, there are 14 categories of abuse that may be experienced by them. The Ann Craft Trust (ACT) have created an informative webpage for each category. Click on the text to find out more. (The links will take you to the relevant section on the ACT website)