Safeguarding

If you have a concern/would like to talk to someone you can contact any of the numbers above.

Alternatively you can visit Surrey County Council's website for details of who to contact in Surrey.

Choosing the right club for your child is a very important decision; your child’s safety is paramount and their enjoyment of their chosen sport or activity will be influenced by their experiences. You might find this 'Questions for parents' sheet useful when considering a club for your child, as well as these pages on the NSPCC’s website useful.

Clubmark is a national accreditation system for clubs that defines minimum operating standards, including a strong safeguarding policy. Hundreds of Surrey clubs either have Clubmark or are accredited by their National Governing Body’s equivalent scheme. Click here to find accredited clubs currently listed by Sport England.

• NWG: Safe to Play campaign 
• CPSU: video – My Magic Sports Kit
• Martial arts : Safeguarding code for martial arts
• England rugby: Headcase concussion campaign
• Swimming: Swim England safeguarding manual  
• Online safety: Think you Know campaign
• Young Minds: child mental health support for parents
• Trips away and overnights stays

If any child or young person in Surrey is in distress or in need of support for mental health issues they can contact Kooth for free online support 

Ensuring adults are protected - particularly those who may be vulnerable in some way - is also important. View our high level Adult Safeguarding policy and read the detailed steps we follow for programmes which we directly fund in the accompanyting Procedures doc.

All sports organisations should have processes in place to ensure they provide a safe and welcoming environment for children and young people.

Use the Child Protection is Sport Unit’s safeguarding self-assessment tool to ensure you are doing everything you can to keep children safe.

Links to further advice for clubs

The Child Protection in Sport Unit's resource library has a vast range of info from template policies such as Codes of Conduct to research papers, webinars, videos and podcasts to help you address safeguarding issues. It'll even help with info on overnight stays and give you guidance to share with parents. 

Surrey Safeguarding Children Partnership has a wide range of training and other advice on their website which may be helpful for clubs.

The National Working Group has a comprehensive library of resources on a very wide range of topics linked to safeguarding/child exploitation.

Any child or young person in distress in Surrey can contact Kooth for free mental health support.

Safeguarding can become an even more important issue when additional vulnerabilities are added to the mix. Further information and advice on keeping specific individuals or groups safe is available from the following organisations:

• Disabled people: Activity Alliance
• LGBTQ+: Stonewall
• Ethnically diverse: Sporting Equals 

Active Surrey's safeguarding policy is available to view but if you are worried about the safety of a young person taking part in an Active Surrey-run activity or any sport please contact (in confidence):

Lawrie Baker (Head of Strategic Relationships & Safeguarding Lead Officer)
Direct line: 07791 383733
Main switchboard: 01483 518944
Email: lawrie.baker@surreycc.gov.uk

We take the welfare of children and young people very seriously and have procedures in place to deal with any concerns raised.