What is safeguarding and why is it needed?

Getting started

Welcome to this short course.

Before we begin it is important to agree some key terms. Throughout the course we talk about children and adults. Children refers to anyone aged under 18 years, adults are anyone aged 18 and over.

You start the course by considering what is safeguarding and why is it needed.

Watch this video which shows a grassroots tennis club and one of the players, Felipe. As you watch the video, think about whether Felipe has been harmed or abused?

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

Download this video clip.Video player: nc5227_2023_vid001_unicef_tennis_1920x1080_2.mp4
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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.
End transcript
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In the first part of this course, you discover:

  • What safeguarding means.
  • What safeguarding includes.
  • Why safeguarding is so important.
Everyone has the right to play sport in a safe and supportive environment, especially children

In this part of the course, you find out what safeguarding means, what it includes and why it is important.

You will also see how you can identify risks to athletes’ or players’ wellbeing before something bad might happen.

In the following section, you explore what safeguarding is and then consider how it applies to Felipe.

What is safeguarding?