Safeguarding education to protect our kids

Not everyone is aware of their responsibilities when it comes to protecting children in sport. Our Safeguarding in Sport eLearning Induction course aims to change that.

All children have the right to feel safe and protected from all forms of abuse, harm and neglect and to take part in sport in a safe, positive and enjoyable environment.

However, not everyone involved in sports is aware of their responsibilities to children, says Director of Safeguarding Anne-Marie Phippard.

For this reason, Phippard says, Sport Integrity Australia has created the Child Safeguarding in Sport Induction course – to provide that foundation knowledge and education.

“We want to ensure that everyone involved in sport is educated and informed about their responsibilities to protect and look after children,” Phippard says.

“Child safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility – whether you’re a coach, official, administrator or volunteer.”

Launched on the back of the Federal Government’s National Strategy to Prevent and Respond to Child Sexual Abuse (2021-2030), the e-Learning course complements the National Integrity Framework Child Safeguarding Policy and has been developed for any person and any organisation who is bound by the policy, such as national sporting organisations, state sporting organisations, clubs/affiliated bodies, boards, committees, participants, employees, coaches, contractors, officials, and support personnel.

Phippard says the course will assist people in sport to understand and implement the Child Safeguarding Policy.

She says any adult who is bound by the Child Safeguarding Policy should undertake the course, which should take around 45 minutes to complete.

By the end of the course, users will be able to:

• understand what child safeguarding in sport is and why it is so important

• understand what the Child Safeguarding Policy is, who it applies to and when

• understand the role of the 14 Child Safe Practices in the Policy

• understand the recruitment and screening requirements

• recognise alleged breaches of the Policy, and

• identify how to respond to alleged breaches.

The course is one of a host of initiatives Sport Integrity Australia is working on to embed safeguarding into a sport’s culture, Phippard says.

The ultimate goal, she says, is to “enhance the safety of members, including children in sport in Australia”.

You can complete the free Child Safeguarding in Sport Induction eLearning course here: https://elearning.sportintegrity.gov.au/