Safeguarding News
APRIL 2022
Focus on… Mental Health
Health Awareness week which this year had a focus on loneliness. The Mental Health Foundation identifies physical activity and interacting with people you meet as good options for self-care. They also say groups like clubs should think about how welcoming they are to newcome
Why do we need Safeguarding in Bowls?
Responding to the disclosures by Sir Bradley Wiggins in April that he was abused by a coach when he was 13, NSPCC's head of child protection in sport Michelle North said Wiggins had shown "real bravery" in speaking up and added that his experience showed the need for sporting clubs and bodies at all levels to be subject to "robust" safeguarding.
Safeguarding Awareness Days
June has two awareness days related to bullying issues:
13 June – Stand up to Bullying Day
http://standuptobullying.co.uk/
17 June – Stop Cyberbullying Day
https://stopcyberbullyingday.org/
Both websites have useful resources and social media links which clubs can use to emphasise that bullying is not tolerated in bowls.
Positions of Trust in Sport
The NSPCC’s Child Protection in Sport Unit is celebrating a victory, as the law related to abuses of positions of trust changes in June, to include coaches and others in positions of trust within sport. They have produced a briefing document Preventing abuse of positions of trust in sport | CPSU (thecpsu.org.uk) to support sports organisations to make appropriate changes to their codes of conduct and safeguarding information. The BDA will be developing guidance to help bowls clubs with this, so that the positive impact that those in positions of trust can have on young people can be maintained and strengthened.
Click
here or on image to download guide.
Safeguarding Training & Education Resources
A new short, interactive, online safeguarding course will be available on the BDA website, under the ‘Clubs’ tab later in June. This will be suitable for any bowls club member to find out why safeguarding is relevant to them in their sport – remember ‘safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility’. It will support club Safeguarding Officers if they have little background in safeguarding. It will also be a useful introduction for coaches before they complete their safeguarding training via Coach Bowls.
Safeguarding Animation
The Child Protection in Sport Unit has produced an excellent introductory video clip to explain how sports organisations contribute to safeguarding children. While it focuses on children, most of the principles also apply to adults at risk.
