Sport has never been immune from the evils of those who prey on children, making it ever more important to be vigilant in the area of safeguarding.
That is a mantle which Sport Ireland has continued to take on with regard to advice and best practice across all sports and yesterday saw the launch of updated guidance building on what has previously been in place under the banner of the Code of Ethics and Good Practice for Children in Sport.
The new Safeguarding Guidance for Children and Young People in Sport provides alignment with current legislation and Children First Guidance.
“Ensuring children and young people partake in sport and physical activity in a safe and welcoming environment is of paramount importance, and is given particular emphasis in the new National Sports Policy,” said Minister of State for Tourism and Sport launching the new resource at the Sport Ireland National Sports Campus.
“This is underpinned by the three levels of safeguarding training offered by Sport Ireland. These are the recognised basic training requirements and must be adhered to by all sporting bodies.”
“The new developments announced today will have a positive impact on the safeguarding landscape, not just on a national level but also in every sports club across the island of Ireland. I commend those who have put a lot of hard work into the development of these resources and I look forward to their rollout.”
The new Safeguarding Guidance, which was developed in conjunction with Sport NI and National Governing Bodies of Sport addresses issues facing sports leaders involved in children and young people’s sport by providing guidance relating directly to their roles and responsibilities within their clubs. The document outlines principles of good practice and child protection legislation, policy and procedures.
There is now mandatory legislation in place with regard to reporting and handling of allegations where wrong has been done to a child.
In the GAA it is now a requirement of any level of involvement in coaching or mentoring that you should be Garda vetted every five years and have completed the GAA Safeguarding course every three years.
I have been through a number of these cycles and the content and seriousness of what we face have become darker down the years.
In all truth, though there is nothing more important than getting it right. The position of trust and authority away from the protection of a home or school environment needs to be managed with real care so that the interest of all children are protected.
“This important resource reflects the challenges that National Governing Bodies and their clubs face on a day to day basis, ensuring that current best practice is followed while also complying with today’s relevant legislation,” said Sport Ireland CEO John Treacy.
“The main focus of Sport Ireland’s new Safeguarding Audit Framework will be to ensure that sporting organisations at all levels across Ireland are adequately structured and resourced to provide a safe environment in which all children and young people can partake in sport and physical activity,” added Sport Ireland Director of Participation and Ethics, Dr Una May.
“This is an important development for sport in Ireland, and Sport Ireland acknowledges the input and buy-in from the sporting sector in supporting this initiative.”
Also announced today was Sport Ireland’s second online resource in the area of safeguarding. The Sport Ireland Staying Safe Online resource is a web-based information and guidance tool on internet safety predominately aimed at parents, guardians, coaches and young people involved in sport. The resource provides detailed content on all aspects of online safety.
