From 7th to 13th October, the Child Protection in Sport Unit (CPSU) is hosting Keeping Your Child Safe in Sport Week to unite sporting communities in making sports clubs and organisations safer for children.

A key part of this initiative is recognising the role of parents and carers. The CPSU has shared a handy checklist of five questions parents and carers should ask when their child joins a sports club, helping ensure safety and transparency. Questions include:

• Have the staff undergone background checks?

• Does the club have a safeguarding policy?

• Is there a first aider present during activities?

• Who can you talk to?

• What training is there?

These questions are crucial in keeping your child safe, and sports clubs should always be able to answer them with confidence.

The CPSU also offers a FREE e-learning course for parents/carers to help them understand the basics of safeguarding in sport. The course takes just 10 minutes and covers signs of concern, recognising abuse, and listening to children. You can access the course here.

For more information on safeguarding in sports, check out CPSU’s Parents’ Hub, which offers a wealth of resources, videos, and tips.

Finally, as your local Sport Welfare Officers, Sarah and Richard are here to support the sporting community, including parents and carers. If you need any advice or assistance, don’t hesitate to contact them at:
sarah.baylis@wearerise.co.uk
richard.steele@wearerise.co.uk

Together, we can help keep children safe in sport across Northumberland and Tyne & Wear.