Walsall FC join calls encouraging parents to sign the NSPCC’s Sports Parents Promise to keep their children safe in sport.
New survey reveals almost a third of UK parents with children in sport don’t know who to turn to over safeguarding concerns.
Parents in Sports Week promotes parents’ engagement in their children’s sports.
Over 30 per cent of parents with children active in sport would not know who to turn to if they had safeguarding concerns, a survey conducted by the NSPCC and polling company YouGov has revealed.
Walsall FC is now backing the NSPCC’s Parents in Sport Week 2019, which encourages parents to become more informed about their children’s sports.
As part of this year’s Parents in Sports Week (7 – 13 October), the NSPCC’s Child Protection in Sport Unit (CPSU) is urging parents to sign the Sports Parents Promise to help them choose a safe club for their children and ensure they have a positive influence when participating from the sidelines.
Walsall FC midfielder, Liam Kinsella, said: “It’s quite a high number of parents who wouldn’t know who to turn to if they had safeguarding concerns. It’s important that you know who you can turn to when you’re having issues.
“With me growing up at Walsall Football Club since I was eight-years-old I knew I could turn to any of the coaches I had, as well as my parents if I needed any advice or if something was wrong.
“It’s important that parents sign the Sports Parents Promise when their child joins a sports club, and for them to know who the safeguarding officer is so they know who they can turn to if there is any problems.”
Nick Slinn, director of the Child Protection in Sport Unit, said: “Sport forms a huge part of childhood for many young people, and at the NSPCC we believe that children should be free to enjoy their time at clubs and activities in a safe environment where they can achieve to the best of their ability.
“It is clear from our research that parents do not always know how to address any concerns they have.
“We introduced the Sports Parents Promise because it is essential for everyone to play their part in protecting children, and making every sporting experience a positive one. We want to make it easier for parents to know how they can support a safer sports environment and give them confidence to act when needed.”
Every sports club and activity provider should have a welfare or safeguarding officer as well as a safeguarding policy, and the NSPCC is encouraging every parent to find out who to contact in their children’s sport if they have any questions or concerns.
The Sports Parents Promise offers parents helpful guidance on what makes a safe sports club, how to respond if they have any worries or concerns, and how to show positive sideline behaviour when attending games and tournaments.
The NSPCC’s CPSU website also has detailed guidance on what to look for in a sports club, and questions to ask, including:
- Are the club’s policies and procedures available for parents to read, including how they deal with concerns over poor practice and abuse?
- Does the club have a welfare or safeguarding officer as a contact for any concerns?
- Do they have written standards for good practice, such as a code of conduct?
- Has the club asked for essential medical and emergency contact information?
- Has the club asked for parental consent for a child to participate?
- What has the club done to ensure their staff are safe to work with children?
The NSPCC also offers support and guidance through the helpline, on 0808 800 5000 or on email at help@nspcc.org.uk
For clubs and other activity providers the NSPCC offers support in developing, improving and assessing their safeguarding policies. For more information, sports club staff and volunteers can visit https://thecpsu.org.uk.