Safeguarding Advice and Support for Sports Organisations in Calderdale

If you are worried about a vulnerable child or adult, it is important that you report your concerns as soon as possible. This will help to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the individual is put first.

In an emergency where there is a threat to life or serious injury call 999, if you are concerned that a crime has been committed, call 101.

I’m worried about a child

If you’re concerned about significant harm or risk to a child, please call the Multi Agency Screening Team (MAST) on 01422 393336 during normal working hours. When MAST are unavailable, you can call the Out of hours Emergency Duty Team on 01422 288000. Alternatively complete the Safeguarding and Early Intervention Referral Form.

Early Help

If you don’t have concerns about significant harm, but think a family might benefit from some support there are a number of options and help can be found in the following:

Consent should usually be gained from the family prior to any referral unless you think this would pose further risk to the child or others.

Concerns about an adult working with children

Concerns and/or allegations regarding the behaviour or conduct of staff or volunteers who have contact with children or young people in their work or activities where it is alleged that a person has:

  • Behaved in a way which has harmed a child, or may have harmed a child;
  • Possibly committed a criminal offence against or related to a child;

These concerns should be reported to the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO). Contact details are 01422 394086 or complete the LADO Referral Form and email to lado.admin@calderdale.gov.uk.

I’m worried about an adult at risk

Concerns about the safety and welfare of an adult at risk, should be reported to Gateway to Care on 01422 393000. If you are contacting Out of Hours or on Weekends, please contact Emergency Duty Team on 01422 288000. Alternatively, complete the Safeguarding Adults Alert form.

Consent should be gained from the adult prior to any referral unless you think this would pose further risk.

Concerns or allegation about staff

Reporting concerns and/or allegations regarding the behaviour and conduct of staff who have contact with adults at risk, or are in a position of trust, should be reported to the PiPoT (Persons in Positions of Trust). Contact details are 01422 393000 or complete the Safeguarding Adults Alert form.

Policies, Procedures and Guidance

Safeguarding Children

National statutory guidance: Working Together 2023 (See amendments for sports organisations)

West Yorkshire Interagency Safeguarding Children Procedures

Safeguarding Adults

National legal framework: Care Act 2014

West Yorkshire, North Yorkshire and York Safeguarding Adults Procedures

Free Training

Free face to face training and online sessions, as well as e-learning is available for ALL Calderdale professionals and volunteers on our Enable training system. For any queries, please contact Sally.Fletcher@Calderdale.gov.uk. For more information, please visit our Training and Development page.

Organisational Safeguarding Checklist

The West Yorkshire Safeguarding Children Partnerships and Safeguarding Adult Boards request organisations to complete an online Organisational Safeguarding Assessment (previously named Section 11 / Safeguarding Adults Self-Assessment). 

 

Organisations will be able to self-assess how effectively their staff and organisations safeguard people, and whether there are any areas for improvement you might want to address.  Complete the Organisational Safeguarding Checklist

Safeguarding Newsletter

Calderdale Safeguarding Partnerships Newsletter is produced bi-monthly which aims to share important updates on local and national safeguarding issues.

This includes training opportunities and events, updates to policies, procedures and guidance, useful local and national resources, and some key messages from the Safeguarding Partnerships.

If you would like to be added to the distribution list for future newsletters, please email Sophie.Wrafter@Calderdale.gov.uk. You can also share items for the newsletter, as long as they have a safeguarding agenda.

Relationships Matter

Calderdale Relationships Matter programme is all about promoting healthier relationships within families and has been created to provide advice, tips, and support to parents and carers, whether together or seperated. For more information, please see Relationships Matter Information Sheet.

Yorkshire Sport Foundation - Sports Welfare Officers

Colleagues at Yorkshire Sport Foundation are able to give free support to clubs and activity providers to assess and improve their safeguarding and welfare practice. Sport Welfare Officers Measha Harris (measha.harris@yorkshiresport.org 07714 733636) and Nicola Holmes (nicola.holmes@yorkshiresport.org 07714 733650) can help with:

  • Training – Delivering or facilitating training and workshops for staff, volunteers, parents and participants, in person or online on a variety of sport-specific and safeguarding topics.
  • Critical friend – Help for clubs with self-assessments to ensure they are meeting the safeguarding and welfare requirements set out by National Governing Bodies.
  • Signposting – Directing clubs to appropriate services and sources of support from partner organisations.
  • Networks – Making connections for people to share news, information and best practice.
  • Events – Attending events to raise awareness of safeguarding and wellbeing amongst participants.

If your club is affiliated with your National Governing Body, Measha and Nicola will work in line with their requirements and add-on to the support that they already provide. Please feel free to contact them.

For more information see: Sport Welfare Officers

https://www.yorkshiresport.org/what-we-do/safeguarding 

Other Advice and Support
  • The Child Protection in Sport Unit are part of the NSPCC. They work to help improve safeguarding and child protection practices within sport organisations, to ensure all children and young people are safe while participating in sport and physical activity at all levels. Sports clubs and activity providers can find a wealth of training and resources on their website. Contact 0116 366 5580.

 

  • Buddle provide free learning and support resources to inspire and strengthen clubs and community organisations offering sport and physical activity.

 

  • Coaches can earn a nationally-recognised digital badge by completing free knowledge checks covering the six pillars: Diversity, Inclusion, Mental Health & Well-being, Physical Well-being, Safeguarding and Safe to Practice. See UK Coaching for more information.

 

  • The Play Their Way movement aims to support coaches to give children and young people a choice in their experiences of activity, create space for them to voice their wishes and enable them to take ownership of their development journey. When you embrace child-first coaching every coach has the potential to transform live.

 

  • High Speed Training provide a free, online Safeguarding in Sport course. This is suitable for adults who work or volunteer at a sports club, are in a position of trust, and have a duty of care towards the children. This applies whether you work at grassroots or professional level and whether you’re a coach, volunteer, safeguarding lead, committee member, parent or different role.