7.9 Course conclusion

In the first course, Safeguarding Essentials, you learned what is meant by safeguarding in sport, how to recognise safeguarding risks in sport and how you can help to reduce risks. You also learned how to report safeguarding concerns, so that they can be responded to properly, and you started making plans for how you could take your next steps in safeguarding.

In the second course, Safeguarding Practice, you learned more about the role of culture in creating a safe environment, how to recognise the different forms of abuse, and how some people are more vulnerable. You explored what is meant by grooming, how it can be addressed, as well as what is meant by policies and procedures and how they can help prevent and respond to abuse. This allowed you to understand how safeguarding concerns are reported and how they should be responded to, in addition to starting to make plans for how your organisation can strengthen safeguarding.

This third and final course, Effective Safeguarding, has encouraged you to consider your role and responsibilities, who else can support you in your work, and the qualities and knowledge you will need as a Safeguarding Lead. You have also developed self-care strategies which help you to manage the challenges you might face in the role.

You have explored how safeguarding risk assessments help keep people safe during activities using each step in the process, from risk identification, to assessment, to managing the risk. You have learned how safer recruitment measures help reduce risks, managing risks in the digital world, and how to finalise a safeguarding policy and get it approved by senior management.

You have also examined how your safeguarding policy links to other relevant procedures and the steps you can take to finalise your procedures. You explored why codes of conduct should apply to everyone at any level, and how to clarify the consequences of individuals failing to comply with a code of conduct. You have developed your reporting process and how to embed confidentiality, information sharing and data protection when responding to safeguarding concerns.

Next, you considered the key steps in an ‘end-to-end’ case management process including making initial decisions, investigations, and case risk assessment. This evolved into understanding more about survivor-centred and trauma-informed approaches, what these approaches mean when responding to a disclosure, and examining the benefits of engaging with people with lived experience of abuse.

Lastly, you explored safeguarding in the context of competitions and how to develop the basics of competition safeguarding, in addition to how to build effective reporting and case management during international events.

By using your learning and the contacts you have made to support you in your role, we hope you now have the skills and insights you need to support effective safeguarding in your organisation. Good Luck!