What does safeguarding mean in practice?

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An illustration of various athletes or players performing. Running, skiing, para rugby, and volleyball. The athletes and players have a protective arch above them.

Has Felipe been harmed or abused?

Think about this question for a moment while watching the video again.

Trigger warning: The following animation contains content related to abuse in sport which some viewers may find difficult or distressing.

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Transcript

NARRATOR:
Felipe loves sport and goes to his local club every week.
FELIPE:
I really love tennis. I like going to practise in the evenings and taking part in competitions.
NARRATOR:
Felipe's best friend is Maria, and she also dreams of becoming a sports star.
MARIA:
I want to be the best in the world, just like Serena Williams.
NARRATOR:
The programme is run by a very well respected teacher, who volunteers as a part-time coach.
FELIPE:
Our coach is strict, but he's an expert. He knows a lot. And I want to do well.
COACH:
No! No like that! What are you doing? Try again! Try harder!
FELIPE:
I should listen and keep practising.
COACH:
Come on!
NARRATOR:
Sometimes the coach makes Felipe feel sad and worthless. He uses demeaning and aggressive words and behaviour in training.
COACH:
You're useless. Useless!
FELIPE:
I don't like it when he picks on me. It makes me uncomfortable. He always says I'm not concentrating and makes me practise harder. Sometimes he shouts and I don't like it.
MARIA:
I don't know what happened, but one day, the coach shouted at Felipe. And then–
[SMACK]
–he hit him. Felipe started crying and everyone laughed at him.
CHILD
You're rubbish!
MARIA:
He wouldn't talk to me about what happened. After a couple of weeks, he stopped going to the club. He stopped playing tennis.
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The appointment, training and management of Felipe’s coach, even if he is a volunteer, should be in line with clear safeguarding standards. For more information, visit www.safeinsport.org

Later in the course, we'll look at the importance of agreed behaviours in preventing and addressing poor practice.

What is safeguarding about?

Safeguarding is about the things we can do to prevent Felipe’s coach behaving like he does, and the way we respond if we find out an athlete or player like Felipe is at risk of harm.

Next, we'll move on to consider ‘what does safeguarding include?’

What is safeguarding?

What does safeguarding include?